There we were suspended weightlessly on the brink of the blue abyss, with the boat just 18 feet above me. Karen posed gracefully by a blue sea fan. A vertical wall broke away dramatically into the limitless depths. Vertical wall diving in only 18 feet of water, it just doesn’t get more breathtaking than this.

On May 7, 2011 we will lead a group of intrepid divers to one of the Seven Wonders of the Underwater World. Little Cayman Island’s Bloody Bay Wall. The only location in the Caribbean, where the vertical wall starts in less than 20 feet of water and drops straight down to over 1000 feet! The late Philippe Cousteau considered it one of the three finest dive areas in the world. David Doubilet, on assignment for National Geographic many years later, described it as the best he’d seen in the Caribbean.

Located some 70 miles to the northeast of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman is the smallest of the Sister Islands, and is unique in every way. Isolated not only by miles, but seemingly by time itself. Pristine, peaceful, and beautiful, it fits many people’s parameters of Paradise.

With less than 50 full time residents, the wheels of progress have turned very slowly, so slowly in fact that little has changed since Christopher Columbus first stumbled across the island in 1503..

In the 1970’s, Little Cayman became the destination of choice for discerning travelers who prized privacy and peace above all else. They came to enjoy the natural setting and isolation. Living conditions however were quite Spartan, with gasoline generators or the sun providing the only power, and rain the only fresh water supply. Nice if you wanted to hang out in a hammock all day, but kind of tough if you wanted to dive.

All that changed with the opening of the Little Cayman Beach Resort. A first class resort and dive facility. The island’s only deluxe resort, with spacious, air conditioned, and tastefully decorated rooms. Located on the water, the resort features powder soft beaches, fully equipped Fitness Center, and Game Room. Also located on the property is the Health and Beauty Center, where you can start or end the day with a relaxing full body massage, or neck massage. The ladies can also schedule an appointment for a hair styling, or manicure.

Our guest will enjoy the 3 included meals a day in the casual Bird of Paradise restaurant. Or you may choose to dine alfresco among the swaying palms and tropical breezes on the patio.

The diving is truly world class. As you may be aware, we take divers to all parts of the globe, from weekend dives in Rhode Island, to month long excursions in the South Pacific. I can say that in all our travels, we have never experienced water clarity equal to the Caymans. The wall structure is also quite unique. Although in many parts of the Pacific, the walls start in very shallow water, they are generally much more one dimensional. In Little Cayman, the walls of Bloody Bay are not only vertical, but very convoluted, with cuts, grotto’s, and caves to impress even the most experienced diver.

Tropical fish life is abundant and varied, with a more diverse selection of pelagic species than is available as a rule in the Caribbean.

For those of you interested in wrecks, we will be diving (weather permitting) the 330’ long Capt. Tibbetts, the only divable Russian warship in the western hemisphere. It sits upright and completely intact in 70 feet of crystal clear water!

Although our primary reason for traveling to Little Cayman is the world class DIVING, the island is also drawing attention as a bird watchers paradise. The interior, a mixture of dense undergrowth and swamp, is a largely protected nature reserve hosting the largest variety of flora and fauna found in this region. You can spot the protected West Indian Whistling Duck, and also herons, egrets, and small bananaquits. Little Cayman National Trust has built a small observation house on the edge of Booby Pond. The house is styled after an old Caymanian cottage and houses a telescope to enhance bird sightings. The area also boasts a large nesting colony of boobies, and man “O” war. Often sited is the endangered Cayman parrot, and wild iguanas are plentiful, as is the Cayman orchid. There is a nature trail across the western part of the island, which affords the opportunity to see most of Little Cayman’s land birds. The Nature Preserve is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in the Caribbean.

Sportsmen (and women) needing a break from the extraordinary diving, might try their hand bonefishing the shallows, or flyfishing for tarpon in the interior lake. That’s right, tarpon in a lake. They were landlocked many years ago, and adapted to the brackish water. Within ¼ mile of shore you may try your luck with wahoo, dolphin (the fish variety), tuna, and other large game-fish species.

Our fabulous tour includes 8 glorious days and 7 nights at the world class Little Cayman Beach Resort. Round trip air from Hartford. All taxes and service charges at the resort. Three one tank dives per diving day (no diving day of arrival or departure). Three sumptuous meals per day, and transfers on Little Cayman.

Make Checks payable to Jack's Dive Center, Inc., One Town Line Rd., Plainville, CT. 06062

Please make a reservation for ( ) people, ( ) divers, ( ) non divers, ( ) pool view, ( ) ocean view. Enclosed is my check for $_____________ ($500.00 per person non refundable, additional interim deposit of $750 due by Nov. 20, 2010.  Balance due by Jan. 29, 2011.  All deposits non refundable, non exchangeable.   Prices and specifications subject to change without notice. No refunds or exchanges on unused package features, trip and dive insurance is highly recommended . I understand I will be required to sign a waiver-release form.

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Signature_________________________________ _Date_________________ e-mail address ___________________________________

THE INTREPID GROUP

             THE IMPRESSIVE AIRPORT ON LITTLE CAYMAN                                KAREN CONFUSED OVER THE TERMINAL CHOICES

            LCBR WELCOMES JACK'S DIVE CENTER                                                                                     A ROOM WITH A VIEW


                                 THE VIEW                                                                                                                                 POOLSIDE

                                   POOL VIEWS                                                                               SURE BEATS WORKING!

                         AHHHHHHH                                                   ROBERTO AND MARIA LIVING IT UP

               JACK AND KAREN WITH FRUIT JUICE....... HONEST                 SARAH AND JEFF WITH BEER............ HONEST

JOHN DEEP IN THOUGHT.                                                                                  RELAXING WITH MY LADY