Cayman Brac’s rugged 14 square miles retains the charm and friendliness of a traditional seafaring community – yet it offers the country’s most dramatic scenery.
The Country’s Most Dramatic Scenery
“Brac” is the Gaelic word for bluff, the Brac’s dominant natural attraction. It is a limestone ridge which rises gradually from the west along the center of the island to 140 ft. at the eastern tip, plunging as a sheer dramatic cliff into the indigo Caribbean Sea below. It sculpts the landscape into unexpected vistas carved with caves and covered with a startling variety of flora and fauna.
Experience the breathtaking view on the bluff from the lighthouse. Explore the enticing caves and sinkholes, high above water. Wander through the woodlands filled with exotic flowers and plants. Bird watching on the bluff is stunning. Frigate birds, brown boobies, peregrine falcons and the rare Cayman Brac parrot can be spotted in their natural environment.
A Traditional Seafaring Community
Just as fascinating are the Brackers themselves; a warm and independent population of fewer than 1800. They take pride in their homeland and enjoy sharing it with visitors. Small towns have names like West End, Watering Place, Cotton Tree Bay, Creek and Spot Bay. Tropical flowers bloom year-round in carefully-tended yards surrounding charming ‘Caymanian’ style homes. The Brac’s special peacefulness refreshes – but its startling contrasts will awaken your adventurous spirit!
Diving
In Cayman Brac, diving is what attracts most people to this small island. The newest attraction for divers is the wreck of the 330 ft. M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts, a Russian built Cuban naval frigate which was sunk off the island’s northwest coast in September 1996. It is already the home for a variety of marine life. There are two other small wrecks off the Brac’s coast.
Activities and Attractions
Ashore, attractions include the Cayman Brac Museum at Stake Bay, a variety of dramatic caves; such as Rebecca’s Cave, Peter’s Cave and Halfway Ground Cave, nature trails exploring the bluff and ironshore beneath it at the eastern tip, small, charming homes restored in traditional seafaring architectural styles. The delightful people of this unusual community are its main attractions.
Fisherman will revel in shallow waters filled with bonefish and deeper offshore waters teeming with gamefish. For those simply wanting to relax, indulge yourself in the solitude of quiet beaches.
The National Trust chapter has activities scheduled throughout the year. A one – mile long nature trail on the bluff adjacent the 281 acre Parrot Reserve was opened in July 1996. Birdwatching has long been considered an excellent, and underpromoted attraction of this tiny island. The Sister Islands have over 200 bird species.
Beaches
Cayman Brac has serene beaches that are not inhibited by many visitors and is a great place to crawl into a hammock and spend the aftertoon. Brac Reef Resort and Carib Sands have beautiful beach front just a few steps form your room.
Scuba diving is one of the most exciting hobbies in the world and the only way to really enjoy it is wearing quality gear!
Walking into a scuba shop for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. There are literally hundreds of equipment options. Good gear may be pricey so you’ll want to be informed prior to making your investment.
First; ask yourself what dive conditions will you most likely be in? Will you mostly be diving in cold or warm water? While in colder water you’ll most likely want to purchase a thick neoprene wet suit (6mm) or possibly a dry suit. If you’ll be diving in warmer tropical locations; you’ll need a 3mm or no suit at all (wet suit that is)!
The newer BCD’s have the integrated weight system built in. Weights & belts are no longer an issue. With the integration you don’t even notice the weights are there!
Many divers buy gear on eBay or use decade old equipment..pease don’t do this! Saving a few dollars can ruin your dive experience. If your equipment is not properly fit, you will not enjoy yourself!
Finding the right gear is easy if you go to a reputable dive shop. They should have many styles to choose from.
A few of my favorite scuba manufactures are Scuba Pro, Tusa, and Oceanic.
I highly recommend trying your equipment on before making an online purchase.
Diving without a certification could result in serious injury or death. Please be sure to consult with a professional dive instructor before attempting to enter the water. Knowledge & practice will keep you safe.
Please do not buy tickets to dolphin shows or swim with dolphins in captivity; doing so promotes the killing of dolphins!
Join activists Ric and Lincoln O’Barry in The Cove, Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on dolphin hunters’ dark and deadly secret.
Ric and Lincoln travel worldwide in their new series, Blood Dolphins, premiering Fridays at 9 pm on Animal Planet.
Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
A man is stranded on a desert island, all alone for ten years. One day, he sees a speck in the horizon. He thinks to himself, “It’s not a ship.” The speck gets a little closer and he thinks, “It’s not a boat.” The speck gets even closer and he thinks, “It’s not a raft.” Then, out of the surf comes this gorgeous blonde woman, wearing a wet suit and scuba gear.
She comes up to the man and she says, “How long has it been since you’ve had a cigarette?”
“Ten years!” he says.
She reaches over, unzips this waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, takes a long drag and says, “Man, oh man! Is that good!”
Then she asked, “How long has it been since you had a drink of whiskey?
He replies, “Ten years!”
She reaches over, unzips the waterproof pocket on her right sleeve, pulls out a flask and gives it to him. He takes a long swig and says, “Wow, that’s fantastic!”
Then she starts unzipping the long zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit and she says to him, “And how long has it been since you had some REAL fun?”
And the man cries out, “My God! Don’t tell me you’ve got a set of golf clubs in there, too!”
