Recently we formulated a DIY snorkel trip in Grand Cayman, no excursion needed! There are several spots for good snorkeling right in the port. Unfortunately our GoPro was broken in transit so no underwater photos. I guess we will just have to do it again!
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Grand Cayman is a tender port. Be prepared to tackle that headache. Also consider conditions before opting to do this yourself. The wind was pretty strong the day we went making the water choppy. Tenders had to make multiple attempts to dock. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who doesn’t consider themselves to be a strong swimmer. I also recommend you bring your own snorkel gear, to include fins. However it is possible to rent gear at Eden Rock Dive Center.
ᴇᴅᴇɴ ʀᴏᴄᴋ ᴅɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ
After exiting the tender we walked to the right along the harbor to Eden Rock Dive Center. Our plan was to rent a locker but apparently they are not offering them currently. Our belongings seemed relatively safe unattended. There is no charge to snorkel here unless you need to rent gear. There are several picnic tables, a shower, a gear rinse station, and 2 ladders to get down to the water.
On our first trip in we stayed near the rocky shore which was nice but after talking to the other snorkelers we headed back in and straight out towards deeper water near where the cruise ships are parked. There’s a beautiful coral reef and drop off teeming with fish and fairly comparable to snorkeling in the Florida Keys. Water clarity was excellent and we saw a large variety of fish including parrot fish, sergeant majors, fairy basslets, yellow tailed snapper, butterfly fish, and even had the pleasure of following a black durgeon for a few minutes.
There is a small restaurant adjoined with the dive center and afterwards we had a few beers. It felt unfair to use their facilities without spending at least a little money. Besides there is nothing like a cold beer to cleanse the palate of salt water. 4 beers with tip = $41.
ʀᴀᴄᴋᴀᴍ’ꜱ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ʀᴇꜱᴛᴀᴜʀᴀɴᴛ
After exiting Eden Rock we headed back the way we came and past the port (to the left side of the waterfront when coming from the tender) to Rackam’s Waterfront Restaurant. You can see the blue tents as you are coming in on the tender. Here they feed the tarpon all the scraps and, as a result, they hang around the restaurant like dogs waiting for a snack.
Rackam’s allows you to leave your items at the table and go snorkel. They have a ladder from one of the outdoor patios leading down to the water. The tarpon can reach 4+ feet long and appear pretty intimidating but they have no teeth and aren’t interested in you if you don’t have food. It’s a pretty amazing experience to be honest.
After you’ve had your fill of frolicking with the tarpon, you can swim out and slightly to the left (with your back is to the restaurant) to snorkel the Wreck of the Cali, a 220 foot long 4 mast schooner sunk in 1940s with a cargo of rice due to severe weather conditions. Its easy to reach and only 40 yards off shore.
The entrance price for all this is the cost of food. Prices here are pretty typical for George Town, that is to say pretty pricey. Be aware prices are in local currency, not USD, and gratuity is included. Entrées start around $19USD. 2 entrées and 4 beers with gratuity came to $80. If you’re on a super tight budget maybe get 2 bottled waters and split an appetizer.
In total we spent $120 to snorkel 2 sites. The snorkeling itself was free. Our only cost was food and beverage which will of course vary from person to person.
