Little Cayman Diver II by Jeff Farris

Little Cayman Diver II, 1999
Author: Jeff Farris

Posted by Jeff F on August 26, 1999 at 11:00:02:

"The Second Time Around"

Many of you may remember that just about this time last year I reported on a disastrous trip aboard the Little Cayman Diver II. On that trip, if it could go wrong, it did. If you’re interested, I am sure you can find the old report archived. The final outcome of our complaints to the owner of the boat was a free return trip, either back on LCD-II or at a condominium resort on Cayman Brac where the owner has a land-based dive shop. Several of the guests on our ill-fated trip used the Internet to spread the word about the condition of the boat and the crew. I think that it is only fair that I spend an equal amount of time telling you about how much things have changed on the boat.

First, the condition of the boat. Compared to one year ago, the boat is cleaner, has new carpet, the dive platform has been rebuilt and reinforced, the air conditioners in the cabins work (one unit needed attention during the week), and the water system (both the pump system and the desalinator) seems to be working fine. Mechanically there are still some problems – one engine was down during our week and the back-up generator was being replaced. If parts come in as scheduled, they should be operating on both engines by now (last week of August, 1999) and the back-up generator should be online. Tom Talmadge, the new engineer on the boat is a former US Navy chief engineer, so I think he’ll have it squared away soon.

What most impressed us about the difference between last year and this was the attitude of the crew. Winston (the owner of LCD-II) has historically had some turnover problems with his staff. But, as of right now, he has a solid 4-man crew who seem committed to the boat.

The captain, Craig Carter, keeps everything running as smoothly as possible. He’s attentive to the guests needs and desires, works closely with Claus (the Divemaster) to ensure the best diving and most comfortable moorings, is an entertaining conversationalist with a wry sense of humor, never stops working on the boat, and serenades the guests with a broad repertoire of Grateful Dead tunes at the end of the day.

Claus Koch has been on the boat longer than anyone else. He is a serious young Dane whom I would judge to be an expert diver (he gets about 90 minutes out of a 60 cu. ft. tank). Claus has invested heavily in photographic equipment and is determined to improve his photographic skills, both above and below the waterline. As a DM he seemed to quickly evaluate the skill level of his divers and monitor them accordingly. With only 4 months experience on Little Cayman, he has quickly scouted and learned the best dive sites. He usually does the first dive on a site with the group. You have the option of playing follow the leader, or you and your buddy can go it alone. His tours cover the highlights of the site so that you can decide what you want to focus on during your second dive.

Matt Harvey, the cook, enthusiastically attacks his job. He never backs away from special requests (be sure and ask for an "Egg MattMuffin" at least one morning), is attentive to the table, and begs for constructive criticism. He ’s a beanpole who has to walk in a constant crouch through the salon, but he faces it all with a smile and a wisecrack. His attitude is infectious – it’s hard to keep from smiling and laughing around him.

Tom has his hands full with bringing the LCD-II back up to spec. In the next few months, you probably won’t see much of him. But, when he’s not in the engine room, he has great stories about all the different naval ships he served on and the various world-wide ferry jobs he has worked since his discharge.

All four guys were good sports with the teasing and practical jokes that our group thrives on. If there was a problem, they worked as a team to make sure that whatever it was did not affect the guests. Service and boat maintenance were always handled in such a way as to not interfere with the guests (I never did figure out when the did our rooms). All in all, they are a great bunch of guys. If Winston can keep them happy, he’ll get his program back on track.

The only thing I could not criticize about last year’s ill fated trip was the diving. This year might have been even better, as sea conditions were calmer. I was disappointed to see that the Russian destroyer on Cayman Brac has broken in two. It split forward of mid-ships, and now the bow lists to port, while most of the vessel sits fairly upright. It’s still a great dive. It will be an even better dive in a few years when the corals are more developed. My favorite site on Little Cayman is called "Mixing Bowl". It’s the point at which Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson’s Reef meet. The sheer bluff of Bloody Bay and the more sloping spur and groove formations of Jackson blend together at this one specific point. It’s a panoramic that I failed to capture on film. I’m not sure that you could, though I will keep trying. The meeting point also creates a "mini-wall" on top of the sand flats perpendicular to the real wall that seems to be the social center of the fish world in the mid-afternoon. The fish are there in schools, as pairs, and as loners – but they are all there. I saw my first nurse shark there last year, and I saw my first reef shark there this year. I would not mind if they parked the boat on this mooring when we arrived and never moved. But, then I would miss the swim throughs and chimneys that make Jackson’s great, and the most abrupt cliffs on Bloody Bay are a few moorings down. I would suggest that this site be moved from the end of the week to the beginning. All week last year our DM talked about the differences between the two areas. For me, the light bulb finally went on when we dived Mixing Bowl.

When you look at your options for diving Little Cayman, LCD-II has certain advantages. First of all, the boat’s maximum of 10 divers makes for a very relaxed and uncluttered dive deck. We watched the crowded day boats and the Cayman Aggressor and just smiled. Next, you’ll spend more time on the best sites with LCD-II than with any other option. Cayman Aggressor only spends a few days on Little Cayman, and the day boats from the Brac and Little Cayman usually just do their morning dives on the South Side. From lunchtime on we often had the whole South Side to ourselves. Finally, spending the night in Jackson’s Bay, you’ll see more stars in the sky than you can imagine, it is truly a magical place.

Some of the cynical out there may be thinking, "Sure, this glowing endorsement was part the free return trip agreement." Nothing could be further from the truth. Winston was well aware that if the boat was still in sad shape, that I would not hesitate to blow the whistle again. But, I don’t think he went to any extraordinary measures to insure that this particular trip went well. I think he is really committed to making the LCD-II a first class operation.