Grand Cayman by William L. Conklin

This was our first trip to Grand Cayman; prior to her passing, my mother found this to be her favorite island destination, and she was not a diver. We were not overly impressed with the island overall. We did not have any real difficulties with travel, food, gastrointestinal disorders or people. My impression was much of the native culture has been lost; I did not feel I was in a significantly different cultural environment from my home of Washington state. The dive operators were decent-my favorite boat/equipment/DM combination was Bob Soto's. We did some west wall sites with them...Ocean Frontiers was next. They are pricey with nice folks, but I did not find the East end to be that more an experience than other sites. We stayed at the Colony Beach Club all inclusive resort which I cannot recommend. Sure, the drinks are free once you pony up the bucks for the trip. Overall, we spent very nearly what other folks spent at the Westin or Hyatt. If you have the bucks, go for the nice places. I was imporessed with Treasure Island-nice location for divers and nondivers alike. Food is of course a little pricier than here in Washington, but reasonable chow is to be had at places like Lone Star. We did like Portofino's on the East end (sorry Doc); The Wharf was nice but nearly everyone in our party of seven had overcooked food. The weather was excellent, allowing many many dives and snorkeling opportunities. As for the touristy stuff like stingray city, I surely recommend a trip out there to feed the critters. We went through the Bech Club dive shop for many dives and trips and we were never disappointed with the service. I may return someday, but almost certainly after another Cozumel trip. Thanks to everybody who provided their two cents worth prior to our trip!