Little Cayman Island: Better Photos from the Deep

My diving buddies, Little Cayman—Caroline Helbig

The images on my first Little Cayman Island post (and the one on the left) are from my inaugural attempt at underwater photography. Tom, a fellow diver and serious photographer was kind enough to lend me his back-up camera for a few dives. I had fun playing around with it and managed to salvage a handful of photos out of the hundreds I shot—only my mother was impressed! I’m not so much embarrassed about the photos in my first post as I am disappointed that they don’t do justice to the awesome diving in Little Cayman.  As if on cue, I just received some great photos from LouAnn and Jay—a lovely couple and avid divers who have been to Little Cayman many times. Check out their wonderful photos taken at Bloody Bay Marine Park. Aren’t the eagle rays amazing! I will never get tired of seeing these graceful creatures. Keep reading, you’ll see them, and I promise no more silly family shots.

Diving Down the Chimney at Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall

Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Marine Park—Caroline Helbig

He’s leading the pack, right on the tailfins of the dive master. I know he’s excited about this dive, but you’d think he might at least turn back and give his old mom the OK sign before heading down the chimney. Isn’t that what we’d agreed upon up top? But this is far more exhilarating than any amusement park ride and my 17 year old son is charged with endorphins. Guess I’m following my dive “buddy” down the chimney on Little Cayman Island’s Bloody Bay Wall. Ho ho ho, wish me luck and see you at 8o feet where the chimney empties onto the sheer wall that plummets to the abyss.

Turks and Caicos Grace Bay Beach: I Keep Coming Back

Stunning Grace Bay Beach Turks and Caicos—Caroline Helbig

Dreaming of warm, turquoise water, miles of powdery white sand, and fabulous beach resorts? Turks and Caicos, a cluster of tropical islands in the Caribbean, delivers the perfect beach vacation. Arguably, the best beach in Turks and Caicos is beautiful Grace Bay —12 uninterrupted miles of pristine beach—on the island of Providenciales, better known as Provo

TripAdvisor’s 2012  Travelers’ Choice Awards named Grace Bay the #1 beach destination in the world. I’m not surprised. I was blown away by Grace Bay when I first visited in 1979. Since then, I’ve been back five times. This says something, as I rarely visit the same place twice.

Bonaire: Shore Diving Made Easy

Bonaire’s reefs are just a few fin kicks from shore—Caroline Helbig

Bonaire is a small island in the southern Caribbean’s Dutch-owned ABC chain that includes Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Its neighbors have superior beaches, shopping and casinos. But, Bonaire rules in the diving department, particularly in its easily accessible shore diving. Combine this with reliable dive operators, great topside attractions, and a wonderfully relaxed vibe—you’ve got a top-notch diving destination.

Our family was new to unguided shore diving, and a tad apprehensive. We’re converts now. It was fun and easy, and we saw loads of totally cool critters.