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Cayman BraC
Cayman Brac is 12 miles long and just one mile wide. The
western part of the island is quite flat, but to the east the land
rises to a dramatic limestone bluff (“brac” is a Gaelic word for
“bluff”). Cayman Brac’s dive sites are lightly visited compared
Grand Cayman’s and even Little Cayman’s, ensuring the
preferred mooring will almost always be available.
The russian DesTroyer
(m.V. Captain Keith tibbetts)
Sunk as a dive attraction on September 17, 1996, this
330-foot-long Russian-built frigate was acquired from
Cuba. It now sits perched on the edge of the north wall
with the bow pointing into the inky-blue depths. Twisted
from a combination of electrolysis and storm surge, it is
still an inspiring sight, due in part to the colorful sponges
punctuating the superstructure. The twin barrels of the bow
guns still extend parallel to the deck, reminders this was once
a proud warship. While the wreck doesn’t hold a lot of fish,
schoolmaster snapper and chromis are common amidships,
and barracuda and goliath grouper stalk the decks.
anChor Wall
The passage of time has obscured the origin of the anchor
that gives this site its name. Presumably, a large freighter
was anchored along the south shore when heavy seas caused
its anchor to drag. The chain was likely salvaged as there is
no sign of it nearby, but the anchor (7 feet long and 6 feet
wide at the flukes) is inextricably embedded in the reef. It’s
wedged in a crevice about 4 feet above the seafloor, allowing
just enough room for a diver to swim beneath.
Greenhouse reef
Like many dive sites, this one came by its name through
www.alertdiver.com
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a significant lure of little Cayman is the vertical
wall at Bloody Bay. it’s not unusual to see large
nassau grouper or hawksbill turtles cruising the
vibrant, sponge-decorated wall.
oppostite: The 11-acre owen island is just a few
hundred yards off south Town on little Cayman.
it’s a wonderful deserted getaway for those
looking for a short kayak adventure.