Mermaid Reef
Protected Area
Old Pageant Beach - Sand Cay Apartments (Grand Cayman)
Why dive here
With 327+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, bull sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, orcas and sea turtles - Mermaid Reef offers some of Grand Cayman's richest reef diving. Water ranges 27-31°C, warmest August, September, October.
Mermaid Reef, right off Sunset House, often gets tagged as just "the mermaid statue site." And sure, the bronze figure of Amphitrite is a nice photo op, but we reckon the real draw here is the sheer density of small, interesting critters. It’s a shallow spot, maxing out at 19 metres, making it ideal for longer bottom times and a slower pace. You’ll want to bring a macro lens. We’ve spent whole dives in a couple of square metres of coral, spotting Goldline Blennies peeking from crevices, tiny Emerald Clingfish tucked into sponges, and the surprisingly camouflaged Diamond Lizardfish on the sand. Look closely at the coral heads, especially in the sun-dappled fingers that extend from shore; you’ll often find juvenile Nassau Grouper or a curious Coney observing you. Our favourite tip? Head out early, before the dive classes arrive. The reef is calmer, and the blennies are more active, darting in and out. Visibility averages 20 metres, so you’ll have plenty of light to explore every nook and cranny.
Nearest Dive Centres to Mermaid Reef
Dive shops near Mermaid Reef
SUNSET DIVERS
Don Foster's Dive Cayman, Ltd.
Atlantis Dive Center
Divers Down
Divers Supply
OCTOPUS
Reviews for Mermaid Reef
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Mermaid Reef
Mermaid Reef Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Mermaid Reef, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (19.38, -81.32) (5km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
87°F · Range: 29.1–31.8°C
Current Speed
4.47 cm/s
Direction: NW (296.6°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.045 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
36.14 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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