HomeBlogScuba Diving at Morritt’s

Scuba Diving at Morritt’s

April 20

Written By Morritt's

share

Scuba Diving at Morritt’s

The sea around the Cayman Islands is a paradise for divers and watersports enthusiasts, with crystal waters, fascinating wrecks and an amazing abundance of sea life. If you’re already a keen diver, or if you’d like to dip your toe in the water (literally), there are many options for you.

Red Sail Sports has a full-service dive and watersports centre at Morritt’s Tortuga Club operating under the name of Tortuga Divers. As well as a whole range of watersports and sailing activities, Tortuga Divers can also help you to train and get Scuba certified at various levels. Feel free to contact them for more information (1-877-506-6368 / info@tortugadivers.com), but in the meantime here’s a guide to what they offer.

 

Discover Scuba Course

This two-hour East End course teaches you how to dive in one day and discover the undersea world with an experienced instructor. You’ll start easily in a swimming pool and get confident with the theory – how to breathe! – before taking a dive off a shallow reef with all the necessary equipment. The dive will last around 30-40 minutes and goes to a maximum depth of 40 feet. If you fall in love with Scuba immediately, you can take a Repeat Resort Dive.

 

PADI eLearning Open Water Course

The advantage of the eLearning course is that you can save four days of your vacation time by studying before you arrive. Complete the theory and tests online and then use your time on Grand Cayman to learn master dive skills with one of our expert instructors over three days.

DAY ONE – Get to grips with the equipment and put theory into practice in a swimming pool (confined water).

DAY TWO – Take two shallow-water dives in the sea (open water) to reinforce your skills.

DAY THREE – Enjoy two more open-water dives to be certified by your instructor and given your temporary PADI open water certification card. You’ll then receive a personal certification card with photo and ID number by mail. This can then be used anywhere in the world!

 

Open Water Referral Course

The referral course is perfect for people who have already started Scuba certification back home and who want to complete their four open-water training dives in Grand Cayman with all equipment included. After a quick pool session to test underwater skills, you’ll complete the four ‘check-out’ dives over a two-day period. Then a Tortuga Divers instructor will sign your referral forms to verify completion. Courses are available for all the largest recognized diving agencies: PADI, NAUI, SSI, IDEA, PDIC, YMCA, and HSA.

 

PADI Advanced Open Water Course

Build on the open water course with new capabilities and new activities while increasing your confidence. No need to wait if you’ve discovered a new passion – you can go straight into this course after completing the PADI Open Water course (above). If thinking about this course prior to arriving on the island, you can save time by doing the PADI theory online.

When you arrive, you’ll do five dives over one full day and a half day: a deep dive, a navigation dive and three others to be decided with your instructor. These could include a night dive, a search-and-recovery dive or boat diving. This course includes equipment, boat dives and certification materials. Your PADI Open Water certification card must be presented upon enrollment.

 

Refresher Scuba Course

If you haven’t dived for two to six years, you may want to refresh your skills, knowledge or confidence before putting on the tanks again. This two-hour course starts in the pool to go over the basic dive theory and then moves to the sea for a shallow afternoon dive. Only previously certified divers may take this course.

If you’re already an experienced diver, Tortuga Divers operates boats to various dive sites such as
Anchor Point, High Rock Drop Off, Turtle Pass, Northern Lights, Snapper Hole, Chub Hole, Grouper Grotto and Black Rock Reef to name a few. Contact them for more details.

Please also note that all certification courses need to be pre-booked. All the PADI courses are eLearning, which means you complete the theory online prior to arriving.

Recommended Reading.

Caribbean Wildlife: Creatures of the Cayman Islands

For only having 100 square miles across all three islands, Cayman is home to an impressive variety of native wildlife. Whether you’re above or below in the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, opportunities to encounter these special creatures in their natural habitats are plentiful. Check out our blog, Things to See and Do Around Morritt’s, for a list of places where you can see and interact with a few of the animals mentioned below.

 

Birds 

Did you know that over 200 different species of birds can be found in Cayman? This includes several endemic species, such as the Cayman Parrot (the Islands’ national bird is a beautiful bright green and usually seen in pairs), the Grand Cayman Woodpecker and the Cayman Bananaquit (a small bird boasting a bright yellow chest that is lovingly referred to by locals as a “banana bird”) – to name a few.  

Two of the best places for bird watching is the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and the Mastic Trail (further details on both can be found in our blog mentioned above). 

 

Iguanas 

There are three types of iguana found in the Cayman Islands: the common green iguana, the rock iguana and the blue iguana. Most iguanas you will see in Cayman are the green iguanas, however they are considered an invasive species. The protected rock iguanas reside on the sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Blue iguanas can most easily be found at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, which runs a conservation programme for the endangered reptile. 

 

Stingrays 

No trip to Cayman would be complete without visiting Stingray City! Wild Southern Stingrays are plentiful in this area of the North Sound, where you can easily stand thanks to a natural sandbar. Tour boats depart daily to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to interact with these gentle creatures – and legend has it that a kiss on one of their noses will bring you seven years of good luck! 

 

Turtles 

Much like the iguanas, Cayman is also home to three species of turtle: the green, loggerhead and hawksbill. Some of these can be seen diving or snorkelling around the Islands, and if you’re lucky enough you might happen upon a nesting female during a beach walk or a group of hatching babies making their way from the beach to the sea. Guaranteed sightings and encounters can be found at the Cayman Turtle Centrean attraction showcasing these magnificent creatures that also includes a research and conservation centre. 

December 22

View more

Things to See and Do Around Morritt’s

The eastern districts of Grand Cayman are the least populated on the island, however they are full of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Here’s a selection of the attractions that are just a short drive away from Morritt’s. 

 

Cayman Parrot

Cayman Parrot Sanctuary

Located just before Tukka restaurant on Austin Connolly Drive, the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary is one of the island’s newest attractions but it is already growing in popularity. As the name implies, the facility is a place where injured Cayman parrots (the Islands’ national bird) can be rehabilitated with the ultimate goal of being released back into the wild. The sanctuary offers a fun, interactive and educational experience where families of all ages can see, hold and feed a variety of Cayman’s native animals. 

 

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park

The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park showcases the best of Cayman’s natural beauty, where guests can enjoy guided or self-guided tours through colourful gardens, botanic, lake and nature displays. You might even see an endangered blue iguana or two, which roam freely throughout the park. They are found nowhere else in the world — only in the Cayman Islands! 

 

Tukka Restaurant & Bar

Visit Tukka for a casual Australian and Caribbean fusion lunch or dinner any day of the week while taking in the calm sea views from their deckKids will also enjoy watching the Frigate Bird feedings that take place daily at 5:00pm!  

 

Cayman Flora

Mastic Trail

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, grab your hiking shoes and water bottle for a 2.3-mile hike through the Mastic Trail to see some of the last remaining untouched old-growth forests of the Caribbean as well as several species of birdsreptiles and insects that live within the reserve. Guided tours are also available. 

 

Rum Point & Kaibo

Enjoy a fun day at the beach in North Side at Rum Point Club or Kaibo. Both locations offer casual beachside restaurants and bars, loungers and watersports activitiesKaibo also has a coffee shop and a fine dining restaurant for dinners. From Rum Point you can catch a catamaran to visit world famous Stingray City, where you can swim and touch the rays.

 

Starfish Point

A short walk from Kaibo on Water Cay Road, Starfish Point is a popular destination for these special creatures to naturally congregate in the shallow waters. Just be sure to not remove any from the water when you pay them a visit!  

 

Cayman Crystal Caves

A guided walking tour through the Crystal Caves and flora and fauna of the surrounding tropical forest will not disappoint!  

 

Bioluminescence Tours

Kids and adults alike will delight at this glowing natural wonder in the Bio Bay. Night tours are available via kayak or boat where you will be able to view the natural splendour of glowing dinoflagellate plankton that twinkle like stars at the slightest movements in the water. The tour companies go out only when the moon phases are favourable and some provide gear for you to swim in the water to see the magic up close.

Of course, Morritt’s is packed with on-site activities and amenities including watersports, swim-up pool bars, diving and snorkelling – so you never have to leave the resortBe sure to check out our daily activities programme, which includes a little fun for everyone! 

December 12

View more