Nancy’s Cup of Tea - Cayman Brac
We love Putahataha for a relaxed dive in the Bay of Islands, especially when the weather is playing up. The island offers a sheltered side, perfect for a gentle drift along the rocky, kelp-fringed reef. You start shallow, around 10 meters, before the reef gradually slopes down to 17 meters as you round the island. The main draw here is a fantastic underwater cavern. It’s about 5 meters wide at the entrance, and inside, the light shifts beautifully, giving everything a muted, ethereal feel. We've seen some impressive snapper here, often a little curious, which is a real testament to the local *rahui*. Keep an eye out for mottled and yellow morays peeking from the rocks. There are also plenty of packhorse crayfish tucked away, and if you’re patient, you might spot a Greenbone or a banded morwong gliding past. Visibility averages around 12 meters, so it’s never a super wide vista, but it’s usually clear enough to enjoy the details. This site is brilliant for divers who appreciate a quiet, unhurried exploration and want to experience the benefits of local conservation efforts firsthand.
- Location
- Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 19.656300, -80.089500
- Type
- cave
Marine Protected Area: Preston Bay - Main Channel MP (Little Cayman)
Best Time to Dive in Cayman Brac
The warmest water temperatures in Cayman Brac occur in September, averaging 30.5°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.4°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.2°C
- April: 27.9°C
- May: 28.8°C
- June: 29.3°C
- July: 30.0°C
- August: 30.4°C
- September: 30.5°C
- October: 30.1°C
- November: 29.0°C
- December: 28.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Cayman Brac
- Bloody Bay Wall (reef)
- Bloody Bay Wall (wall)
- Buccaneer Reef (reef)
- Buccaneer Reef (reef)
- Capt. K. Tibbets
- Cayman Brac (reef)
- Cemetery Reef (reef)
- Coral Anchors (reef)
- Double Wall (cave)
- East Chute (drift)
- Fisheries
- Jackson Wall and Reef - Grand Cayman (reef)
- Kissimmee
- Lighthouse Reef - Cayman Brac (reef)
- LILLY PALMAR (POSSIBLY) - 1m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Nancy’s Cup of Tea
- Little Cayman Divers - PADI, NAUI, SSI, SDI, IDEA
- Reef Divers - PADI
- Reef Divers II - Cayman Brac
- Scuba Shack
Marine Life in Cayman Brac
Home to 141 recorded species including 111 reef fish, 23 hard corals, 2 whales & dolphins, 2 other, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
- Blackfish (Melichthys niger) - Reef Fish
- Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) - Hard Corals
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Sparisoma chrysopterum) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Nancy’s Cup of Tea
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 6 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories