TESTUDO’S SNORKEL GUIDE: Rum Point Barrier Reef

^{Sprawling Staghorn Coral thicket, Rum Point Barrier Reef, Grand Cayman}

Throughout my travels to the various isles and coastal regions of the Caribbean, there has remained one elusive and unfulfilled desire.  While I have had the privilege to snorkel barrier reefs reached via boat, my true aim had always been to be able to swim out to one from shore, just like portrayed in the movie The Blue Lagoon (having Brooke Shields along for the swim would be welcomed too).  I imagined that a great reward must await those who would venture out to where the fluid power of the ocean collided with the perceived permanency of the land. The Barrier Reef along the North Side and East End districts of Grand Cayman finally provided me with such an opportunity.

LOCATION INFO:  The surface level reef creates a sinuous off-shore barrier, uninterrupted for long stretches, along most of the northern and eastern edges of the island.  There are also strands located along West Bay, predominately off of Barkers National Park.  The distance from shore varies from as close as 40 yds. at spots on the East End to around 400 yds. off the tip of Rum Point.  The route described below starts you at the reef area approximately 150 yds. out from shore. The typical current in the area usually runs east to west, so I will usually walk about a half-mile down the beach from Rum Point to the Sea Lodges complex for my entry.  You can park your vehicle at the Rum Point Club (19°22’16.70”N 81°16’15.60”W) and walk the half-mile. This is a good idea since the beach area is a natural exit and endpoint to your snorkel, plus there are concessions and restrooms.  Another good parking spot, closer to the start of the route, is the Cayman Kai Public Beach parking lot (19°22’8.80”N  81°15’59.62”W)(1/10 mile west of the Sea Lodges).  It has a simple restroom facility.  It is easy to miss, so when coming from the east, look for the small sign and parking lot on the right-hand side, about 7 or 8 lots past the Sea Lodges.

Link to a larger interactive map of Rum Point

(Click image for printable version)

CONDITIONS: Look for a sandy spot to make your water entry and don your gear. The sea floor near shore can be rocky, with tufts of sea grass beginning about 5-10 yards out.  The grassy meadows will last for about 25-30 yards and then quickly give way to a sandy bottom.  The depth quickly jumps from 4-8 ft to 15-20 ft.  On the snorkel out, be on the watch for passing Eagle Rays and Southern Rays or an occasional Barracuda wingman.  With little else to see, this is a good place for a power snorkel.  About 100 yds. out the sea floor will display a gradual incline as you approach the reef structure.  The best area to focus your explorations is the sweet spot, halfway between the sand zone and the actual barrier reef. Here you will find a profusion of fish, along with a plethora of soft corals, sea whips and rods. The average depth at  ebb tide is 4-6 ft.  The closer you approach the reef, the shallower the water becomes.  The pictures below were taken during low tide, so you can see it is all but impossible to actually swim over-top the barrier reef. As you work westward, there are pockets of detritus and debris where the reef has been battered and yielded some ground to the constant force of the waves. The fish do not see many human visitors like some other areas, but for the most part do not seem to mind you intruding upon their routines.  

Unlike the sections of the Barrier Reef many of the Sting Ray City tours visit, this segment does not feature much in the way of impressive coral structures.  The reef is predominately composed of ancient coral bases and rubble with most living coral being located in the sweet spot described earlier.   

WHAT YOU WILL SEE: Being at the point of water exchange from the open sea, the clarity is usually excellent; even when when conditions may be poor closer to shore.  There tend to be more Angelfish, Trumpetfish and Black Durgons here than other spots around the Rum Point area.  Noticeably absent are the larger fish such as Grouper, Snapper and Porgies.  Lobsters and crabs abound, along with different Grunts, Butterfly and Squirrelfish.  A little less than a third of the way towards Rum Point, a beautiful soft coral and sea fan garden will appear.  With the water so shallow, a bright and sunny day creates a profusion of color that is truly breathtaking.  Look for Trumpetfish trying to pass themselves off as branches of coral and Triggerfish hiding nearby. The next portion of the journey will take you past lone Brain and Lobed Star coral sentries busily tended by their little denizens. You will then come upon an area of larger rocks and boulders with little coral or plant life.  This is a good marker to begin looking toward the shore side for what I consider the highlight of snorkel, the beds of Staghorn Coral thickets.  These are the most impressive sprawling thickets of Staghorn I have happened upon to date. The three or four large thickets in this area make for an impressive miniature forest. Floating above these coral canopies reveals many of the smaller endemic fish species like Gobbies, Wrasses and Blue Chromis.

If you veer away from the reef a bit by the Staghorn thickets, you will come upon a wondrous little section of reef known as Pete’s Paradise.  Here the Staghorn grows in pockets intermingled with Brain and Star corals, creating a most picturesque underwater sight.  Lots of Squirrelfish and other smaller species dart amongst the coral.  This is one of the few spots were the Black Durgon are a little less shy and avail themselves for pictures.

You now have a decision to make.  If you have had enough for the day, you can head in towards the Rum Point Club and grab a mudslide, or continue on towards the outer portion of boulder coral garden that extends out to the reef.  If you head in, there will not be much to see, except for remnants of Staghorn thickets from days of old and a pretty desolate sea floor.  So another good time for a power snorkel.  You can continue to follow the reef where there will be boulder corals spread over the area.  The water is usually super clear here, but a bit deeper.  So unless you free dive, I usually suggest you take the next option and hit the Boulder Coral Garden.  If you choose to proceed to the Boulder Coral Garden, then follow along the reef until you reach the point of land in front of the Retreat Condominiums just past Pete’s Paradise, now start heading back to shore making a line to the pier.  You will soon come upon the large Lobed Star corals that comprise the bulk of the outer coral gardens coral field.  Taking this option will give you the complete Rum Point snorkel experience.

(Click here for the Coral Garden Guide)

Click on images below to enlarge

Cayman Kai Public Beach parking area makes for a good jumping off point

^{Black Durgon at the shallow crest of the reef                Yellowtail Damselfish} 

^{Banded Butterfly fish                                              Trumpetfish among the sea whips}  

^{Grunts and Blue Tang mass at a coral                   Lobster and Trunkfish face-off} 

Typical Seascape near the reef                          Porcupinefish hides under a ledge

^{Male Southern Ray on the prowl                         Shy Porcupinefish makes a get-away}

^{Typical small coral clusters along the reef                    Sea Rods}

Grunts school amongst the Staghorn Coral

 Inquisitive juvenile French Angelfish and a Squirrelfish 

A school of Blue Tang

A feeding Sting Ray

A Barracuda hovers in the distance

A pair of Flying Gurnards forage the sea floor 

A reef scene

Staghorn clusters sprout amid the other coral in the following images from Pete’s Paradise section of the reef.

Location of Pete’s Paradise Staghorn Garden

So now that my desire has finally been realized, it is time to find another cinematically derived challenge…Jaws, the Deep, the Abyss??? While there may be better areas to snorkel the reef I have yet to find, this section is particularly accessible and makes for a good introduction for a longer snorkel, a bit farther from shore. If you are extremely comfortable in the water, the backside of the reef awaits….

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE FROM GOOGLE DOCUMENTS HERE: http://snipurl.com/barrier_reef

VIEW ADDITIONAL PICTURES HERE: http://snipurl.com/wfgcv

  _{© 2010 Testudo Enterises, LLC}

      TESTUDO’S SNORKEL GUIDE: Rum Point Drift Route

The regal Queen Triggerfish, attended by a Surgeonfish and Harlequin Bass escort

LOCATION INFO: This reef is located to the east of the ‘point’ at Rum Point and starts about 30-40 yds off shore.  The typical current in the area usually runs east to west, so I will usually walk about a half-mile down the beach from Rum Point to the Sea Lodges complex for my entry.  You can park your vehicle at the Rum Point Club (19°22’16.70”N 81°16’15.60”W) and walk the half-mile.  This is a good idea since the beach area is a natural exit and endpoint to your snorkel, plus there are concessions and restrooms.  Another good parking spot, closer to the start of the route, is the Cayman Kai Public Beach parking lot which has a simple restroom (19°22’8.80”N  81°15’59.62”W) (1/10 mile west of the Sea Lodges).  It is easy to miss, so when coming from the east, look for the small sign and parking lot on the right-hand side, about 7 or 8 lots past the Sea Lodges (this is also a good entry for the Barrier Reef route).

Parking lot for the Cyaman Kai Public beach

ENTRY: The water entry along this section of the North Side beach ranges from little pockets of sand that quickly give way to turtle grass or a combination of iron-shore and rubble which continue out to the ridge system.  The route map below provides some idea of the better entry points I have found for accessing the snorkel grounds.  Survey the area and find what looks to be the best entry point. The non-sand or grass bottom areas consist of rock and broken coral bits that for the most part are not sharp on bare feet.  Tread lightly when you enter to get your fins on and you should be fine; no urchins or other hidden nasties around. 

Link to a larger interactive map of Rum Point

(Click on image for printable version)

WHAT CONDITIONS YOU CAN EXPECT: Depending on where you enter the water, there will be a mixture of grassy area interspersed with sandy bowls and shallow water for about 20-30 yards. The area will then open and the depth will increase to around 4 to 8 feet as you approach the ridges.  On the sea side of the ridges you will see a sandy expanse that continues out until the Barrier Reef.  There is usually a steady east to west current the will help push you along towards Rum Point. Visibility is usually good, but being a shallow snorkel site it can get stirred up easily with stronger winds or currents.  This is a typical drift snorkel, so take your time and explore all the nooks and crannies.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE: The corals here are much smaller than at the Rum Point Coral Gardens; the majority consisting of soft corals, fans and sea whips with some nice Brain Coral specimens here and there.  The area is usually loaded with smaller fish that congregate around the corals.  The largest fish tend to be Rainbow Parrotfish; you’ll know you are getting close to some when you hear their coral crunching getting louder.  Snapper, Butterflyfish, Squirrelfish, Triggerfish, Grunts and Triggerfish are usually prevalent; Lobsters can sometimes be seen in crevasses, keep on the lookout for their antennea.  As you move toward the west, the ridge-line will begin to split into a wider ridge closer to shore with a narrower one toward the sandy sea floor zone.  I usually choose to initially follow the ridge farther from shore as the schools of fish and corals are more interesting here.  Then as this ridge-line begins to breakdown, I will head back to the wider section closer in.  The corals begin to become more spread out and less healthy as you approach Rum Point.  There will be large areas of dead corals with little to see other than the occasion Sting Ray or Sand Tilefish or other bottom dwellers.  Once you reach the last house along the beach before the Retreat Condos you can either 1) head closer to shore and search the grassy areas for resting Sting Rays or the occasional Eagle Ray fly-by or 2) Continue over the dead zone and eventually come upon the small reef directly off the rocky point.  The nooks and ledges immediately along the iron-shore are a great spot to get up and personal with smaller fish.  The water is very shallow and the Wrasses and other small fish are accustomed to being studied.  You can exit on the beach around the point or continue to swim towards the pier and look for the resident Barracuda.

WHAT I SAW THIS TRIP: I met up with the resident school of Rainbow Parrotfish, some of the mature ones approach 4 ft, was greeted by the always shyly inquisitive school of Blue Tang, more Queen Triggerfish than usual, and some comical little Wrasse and juvenile fishes.  This is definitely a good snorkel for seeing fish and being able to observe their behaviors; without having to go far from shore or expend to much energy swimming.

Soft Corals on a ridge

Local School of Blue Tang

Pair of Spotfin Butterflyfish

Tiny Goldline Blenny in its abode

Rainbow Parrotfish

Typical seascape with soft corals, sea whips and some Wrasse

A Stingray Cruises By

Some of the larger coral found in the area

A turtle with a shark bitten or propeller damaged shell

Typical seascape with Rainbow Parrotfish and Wrasse

DOWNLOAD SNORKEL GUIDE FROM GOOGLE DOCUMENTS HERE: http://snipurl.com/rumpointshorert

More images from this area can be found here (labeled as Rum Point Shore Route):

http://snipurl.com/wfgh0

 © 2010 Testudo Enterises, LLC

Snorkeling many of areas of Grand Cayman is a vastly different experience than St. John.  While St. John tends to be a very intimate encounter with the marine life, I liken snorkeling on Grand Cayman to be more Shock and Awe inducing due to the scale of both corals and size of marine life.  

If I were on a diver visting on a cruise I think Eden Rock/Devil’s Grotto would be a good bet, even with some fellow cruises in the water.  It is a really big coral mass, I mean really big.  If you head over towards Devil’s Grotto (ask at the Eden Rock Dive shop for a map or see a recent post here): 

Eden Rock Dive Map

Devil’s Grotto Dive Map

The snorkel/diving area is large enough that unless there are 6 or 8 ships in port you should be able to leave the crowds behind.  The water is usually very calm, so while the good stuff is a little far from shore for beginners, with proper supervision they should be alright.  Plus, it is completely walkable from the tender area, so no need for a cab or public mini-bus.  Cheeseburger reef is a moderate walk from the tender area, heading towards Seven Mile Beach.  You can hit both Eden Rock/Devil’s Grotto and Cheeseburger Reef with time to spare for some light shopping.  Here is a link to the popular, easy to reach site around George Town: http://www.grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/grandcaymansnorkeling.htm

Another poster requested a guide for Eden Rock, so I did get there this trip.  Visibility was really poor due to recent rains, but here are some images to give you an idea of what to expect.  I will be publishing a mini-guide for the area shortly.

Cemetery Beach is a short cab or bus ride up Seven Mile Beach.  It is a very beautiful spot with no nearby amenities.  While many rave about the snorkeling here, other than the food trained Sergeant Majors and Chubs, I have found the area rather lacking much else interesting.  But if you want to snorkel from the beach it is about as good as it gets on Seven Mile Beach.  May even be a better bet for the younger snorkel crowd.  If you pay attention to the time and factor in a 20 minute wait period for a bus or pre-arranged taxi you should have no issues getting back to the tender area on time.