Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The appeal of these dive sites has been maintained even in the face of ris-
ing tourism and an increasing number of divers. Strict marine conserva-
tion laws ensure the safety of the reefs and the marine life (see
Marine
Conservation
, pages 26-27). Dive sites are protected with permanent
moorings (over 200 in the islands) so boats can moor rather than anchor
and risk damage to the fragile reefs.
To protect both the safety of the reefs and the divers who come to this is-
land, Cayman Islands watersports operators adhere to strict regulations.
The CIWOA was founded in 1981 to ensure the safety of the divers and the
reefs. Members emphasize good neutral buoyancy techniques to prevent
damage to the reefs resulting from improper positioning in the water. Also,
CIWOA dive boats visit only those sites with moorings installed by the De-
partment of the Environment's Protection and Conservation unit.
Divers who want to advance their skills will also find technical instruction
on Grand Cayman.
Divetech Ltd.
offers technical diving instruction, in-
cluding certification in the use of Nitrox/EANx.
ENRICHED AIR DIVING
Nitrox is a combination of nitrogen and oxygen that has long been
used by military and technical divers and has now been approved
for use by the CIWOA. Typical air has 79% nitrogen and 21% oxy-
gen. Combinations with a greater percentage of oxygen are called
Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx). The EANx mixture has 36% oxygen
and is often used for cave and wreck diving.
This mixture increases the safety factor, making the nitrogen ac-
cumulation on a deep dive the same as for a dive in waters 10 to 20
feet shallower. It reduces the possibility of both decompression
sickness and fatigue following a dive. Also, divers can enjoy more
bottom time with no decompression or a shorter decompression
time beyond those limits. These factors make it desirable for di-
vers not in peak physical condition and for older divers.
To use EANx, you must be a certified advanced open-water diver
with a minimum of 10 open-water dives logged. The course for
EANx use runs about US $200-225, including four hours of class-
room instruction and two EANx dives.
