Visit Date: January 2010

I have also posted the following on TripAdvisor, and the P.S. at the end has a couple of extra notes about the dive operation:

We were looking for a dive resort in the Caribbean, and through the web I found out about Bloody Bay Wall and Little Cayman Island. A bit of research later, we came upon Pirates Point Resort. Having never been to the Caymans, we chose Pirates Point because:

- timely and complete responses to my emails

- easy access - 25 minute flight from Grand Cayman

- small, bungalow on the beach style accommodation rather than hotel

- dive boat looked good and functional

- boasted gourmet meals

- tour/group diving and/or buddy diving

I’ll be going back because:

- the deserted island appeal: Little Cayman has only a couple of hundred people, no traffic, no cruise ships, no tourist amenities. People come there for R&R and diving, and they bring that wonderful laid back attitude with them. A bonus that I had never experienced at a resort is the absolute security. Locks on doors are just not used (no keys anyway), leave your valuables out in the room, on the beach, in the bar… no problem. It’ll all be there when you get back or someone will track you down to return it! Refreshing!

- the food! Jeff (the Chef) and team are masters at their work. Not kidding… seafood that will rival the best in Vancouver, roasts that you can cut with a fork, soups, salads, fruit, specialty meals as required (for vegetarians or allergies), desserts to die for even though you “can’t possibly eat anymore”… well OK… just a bite…

- the diving! In some spots Bloody Bay Wall has a sheer drop to 6,000 feet – straight down! It is truly an awesome sight when you do your safety stop under the boat with the wall 40’ away and amazing vis. Giant lobster, reef sharks, turtles, nudibranchs, pristine corals… the marine park has a no touch/no glove policy. Add good divers who respect that into the mix and you keep a pristine reef. As your dive is finishing, you go back over the reef on to the sandy area to spot sea horses (alas… they eluded me), huge green moray eels, small spotted ones, rays gliding along with their buddies or sitting on the bottom with just their eyes showing… I could go on and on. If you’re better than your buddy on air, buddy up with someone staying down and watch your buddy go up to the boat (tons of vis)… then off to explore with your new buddies. Highlights for me were the reef shark gliding towards us along the Wall, 4 octopus on our night dive and the Flying Gurnard sitting on the sand near shore. The latter is a rare find for the area, and all of us were thrilled to see it!

- The dive staff! Knowledgeable dive masters and instructors who will take you on an underwater field expedition. They spot things down there that I wouldn’t, and seem never to lose their enthusiasm for diving, the creatures and the environment. On top of that, they take very good care of the guests both on and off the boat.

- The All Inclusive Dive Package… It’s just worry free, and it makes you feel at home. Help yourself at the bar to the wine, beer, pop, juices, cocktails.

- The evenings: Happy Hour starts at 6:30 with cocktails and hors d'ouvres, then on to dinner at 7:30. Spending time with a great group of like minded people, many of whom return year after year. Often going over the library of critter books to figure out “what was that thing?” Underwater photographers would bring along their pictures of the day… just got us excited about jumping back into the water the next day! After dinner, it was “Coffee in the Bar!” announced by Gladys our hostess. Decaf was always served, but I have to admit that I would usually continue with a good wine or a wee dram and Gladys made a mean Margarita! Gladys is a big fan of Mexican Dominos, but beware… her kind and friendly nature masks a ruthless and devious domino player ;-)

We had an absolutely wonderful week, and it was really hard to leave. In fact we extended our stay by 2 days instead of finishing off our trip on Grand Cayman. “Grand” style locations can be done any time – like Mazatlan, Cancun… beautiful beaches, resorts, hotels and amenities, along with traffic, cruise ships and crowds. Nope… prefer Little Cayman where the R&R in the hammocks or by the pool is truly R&R, security is a non-issue, the meals are awesome, diving is spectacular and the place really feels like home in no time flat.

Highly recommended! I’ll be back!

P.S. Note on dive facilities...

The boat is comfortable, functional and well equipped. Our last day was a bit crowded with a full boat, but if you are not in a hurry (Hey! it's the islands man!), no worries. Equipment was good and plentiful, good fills most of the time, knowledgeable and helpful staff (instructors and dive masters), and good captains (also instructors). Very smooth operation, and safety is well practiced.

Staff (locals & expats) have adopted the reef and constantly strive to protect it. Temperature was usually around 79F - I dove in full length 3mm, no hood and I was fine - some dove in shorts. If you dive cold I would recommend bringing a 5mm. My niece wore a 3mm full length, with a 3mm shorty overtop and still got cold (she's always cold).

Highly recommend the operation, the staff and the resort.