Everyone loves the idea of diving in Grand Cayman – with its magnificent walls that plummet to thousands of feet below the surface, its incredible wealth of marine life in all sizes, shapes, and colors, and its warm, clear water. You might have a list of reefs and wrecks to explore when you visit Grand Cayman, but what you might not realize is that the island is also the site of some underwater cave systems which are simply breathtaking. Here are just five of the best cave dives Grand Cayman has to offer.
Trinity Caves
An incredible series of three coral canyons that come together on the face of a vertical wall that drops down to meet the seabed 100 feet beneath the surface, Trinity Caves features three separate swimthroughs. You’ll enter the reef via a large hole in its top, at 40 feet, then wind your way past lovely black coral, brilliant sea fans, and big tube sponges, all the way down to the exit at 90 feet. The tunnels and caves are beautifully lit from above, and as you explore, shafts of ethereal blue light illuminate your path.
Besides the fantastic coral and pinnacles that create a true paradise for photographers, you will find a splendid array of fish and other aquatic life. The silversides can be so thick that you have to push your way past them as they part like a curtain to allow you to pass. There are massive lobsters hiding in holes, and plenty of colorful tangs, angelfish and parrotfish live here, too. This is an outstanding photo dive; ideal for both wide angle and macro photography.
Devil’s Grotto
Located on the West Wall’s southern edge, Devil’s Grotto is a perennial favorite. The coral here does show the effects of decades worth of daily diving, nevertheless, the marine life is amazing. Tarpon three to four feet long meander among clouds of silversides and glassy sweepers, while green parrotfish and sergeant majors add color and their own kind of motion to the overall scene.
The stage for all this activity is a series of tunnels and swimthroughs formed by massive coral heads that begin in just 5 feet of water and eventually lead into the main cavern, which is at 60 feet beneath the surface. Upon entering the tunnel that leads to the main gallery, you’ll find yourself surrounded by spooky blackness, as the first 20 feet of the cavern are very dark and ominous, but beams of light eventually penetrate the darkness, since the main largest room in the cavern is well lit by the sunlight that filters through skylights overhead. Most of the other tunnels here are either very short, or are well illuminated – for the most part, this is a very colorful, magical dive.
This incredible site is easy to reach from shore, and is located just a short swim from Eden Rock Dive Center, which offers tank rentals, dive adventures, and classes.
Grouper Grotto
While the site’s name tells us that this is obviously a great place to encounter groupers, there is much more to see here! You’ll find glassy sweepers, plus what look like millions of magically pulsating silversides, swimming together as one in an amazing display of cohesive movement. You will also encounter plenty of larger fish, including yellowtail snappers, blue tang, and tarpon as you explore this incredible system of interconnected coral covered rocks.
Maximum depth here is just under sixty feet, and while you get the feeling that you’re diving in a completely enclosed space, there are plenty of openings which let in the natural light from outside. You will need to carry a light to see the brilliant pink and orange corals that cover the walls, and if you’ve never considered shooting underwater video before, you may just want to try it here. This is a truly mesmerizing site not to be missed.
Teachers Caverns
An area of short tunnels and swimthroughs lie next to swathes of brilliant white sand, eventually becoming deeper and larger as you progress. The small caverns here are lit from above by holes in their ceilings. Labyrinthine walls rise up from the ocean floor, which is at 72 feet, toward the reef’s top, where stands of brightly colored elkhorn coral hold a myriad of fish and other creatures.
You’ll find large tarpon here, which prefer to stay outside the darker spaces, as well as silversides and glassy sweepers, yellowtail snappers, angelfish, and beautiful blue tangs. Green parrotfish and sergeant majors nibble at the pink, yellow and orange corals, and if you are lucky, you may even encounter sea turtles as you explore the many narrow canyons and tunnels here. The turtle conservation program in Grand Cayman releases turtles into the wild, and while most of the turtles you will see are not very large yet, they are healthy and curious.
Bats Cave Reef
Not only will you find a tunnel leading to a cave with an above ground exit, where harmless bats sleep during the day here, you’ll also find a fantastic series of other swimthroughs and small underwater caves filled with glassy sweepers, silversides, crabs, and all kinds of other small creatures. Large tarpon wait outside the cave entrance, in hopes of catching a snack, and amberjacks, yellowtail snappers, and blue striped snappers are here in abundance, as are angelfish, puffer fish, and others.
The site is accessible from shore, and offers maximum depth at just 50 feet, though the bat cave itself features a high ceiling with fresh air circulation. You will need a good dive light to explore this maze of tunnels and caves!
Be sure to check with local dive operators to see which of these caves you can explore, well in advance of your vacation, as not all Cayman Island tour companies offer trips to every site. In addition, consider getting a cave diving certification from a dive school in your area prior to vacation time! Not only will you be able to explore deeper, darker places, you will also have the confidence required to truly enjoy these magnificent cave dives.