GULFSTAR - Grand Cayman
The *Gulfstar* isn’t what you’d call a deep dive, or even really a dive at all if we’re honest. This is snorkel territory, strictly. But for what it is, we love it. This old fishing vessel ran aground back in ’71, right in Georgetown, and she’s been slowly breaking apart in the shallows ever since. What you get now is a skeletal wreck, a jumble of twisted metal and rusted plates sitting in about two metres of water. Sunlight pours through the gaps, illuminating schools of tiny silversides that flicker like liquid mercury. We’ve spent ages just watching them swirl around the ribs of the hull. Look closely and you’ll spot juvenile snapper darting between the beams and parrotfish grazing on the algae-covered metal. It’s a fantastic spot for photographers wanting to play with light and shadow, or for anyone bringing along newer snorkelers. You can clearly see the structure, the way it’s been slowly reclaimed. It’s a quiet reminder of the sea’s power and a cool little ecosystem all its own. Come in the late afternoon for some softer light; it really makes the rust glow.
- Location
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 19.300000, -81.383330
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 2m
Marine Protected Area: Old Pageant Beach - Sand Cay Apartments (Grand Cayman)
Best Time to Dive in Grand Cayman
The warmest water temperatures in Grand Cayman occur in September, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 26.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.3°C
- February: 26.9°C
- March: 27.0°C
- April: 27.7°C
- May: 28.7°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.8°C
- August: 30.3°C
- September: 30.4°C
- October: 30.0°C
- November: 29.0°C
- December: 28.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Grand Cayman
- Anchor Point (cenote)
- Anchor Point (wall)
- Angelfish Reef - Grand Cayman (reef)
- Angelfish Reef - Grand Cayman (reef)
- Aquarium - Grand Cayman (reef)
- Aquarium - Grand Cayman (wall)
- Armchair Reef (reef)
- Armchair Reef (reef)
- Babylon, Cayman (reef)
- Babylon, Cayman (reef)
- Balboa (Wreck) (wreck)
- Balboa (Wreck) (reef)
- Bear’s Paw (reef)
- Bear’s Paw (wall)
- Big Dipper (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to GULFSTAR
- Atlantis Dive Center
- Divers Down - PADI
- Divers Supply
- Divetech - PADI
- Diving Center - SSI, PADI, CMAS, NAUI, FEDAS, ACUC
- Don Foster's Dive Cayman, Ltd. - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Grand Cayman
Home to 332 recorded species including 276 reef fish, 30 hard corals, 5 other, 5 seagrass & algae, 4 whales & dolphins, 4 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for GULFSTAR
Based on average water temperature of 28.7°C, currents 9 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