Based in the same building in which Bob Soto started the world’s first recreational dive centre in the late 1950s, the Lobster Pot Dive Centre is just a short walk from downtown George Town in one of the best locations on the waterfront.

The centre is home to three dive operations, Off the Wall Divers, Wall to Wall Diving and Deep Blue Divers, which have joined forces to share the historic building as their base.

The Lobster Pot is a full service PADI dive centre, complete with training facilities and a fully-stocked dive shop.

Danny Kupkowski of Off the Wall Divers explains that the shop tries to carry items that are not available in other shops on the Island, from dive essentials to souvenirs.

“Our board shorts are killer at affordable prices,” he says about the Katin men and ladies shorts and the range of Roxy women’s wear. The shop also offers a commemorative T-shirt featuring a log-book page on the back, which can be stretched and filled in straight after the dive, when the memories are still fresh.

“Because we are small operators, each serving up to eight divers at a time, our goal is to provide a small, personalised service with all the 5-Star amenities that divers desire,” says Danny. “We can store gear, we offer free pick-up service, we offer full training; there is nothing that we cannot do.”

The centre provides resort and refresher courses, open water certification, speciality courses, dive master training and nitrox diving.

Just outside the dive shop is Cheeseburger Reef, the Lobster Pot’s own shore dive, with lots of tarpon, swimthroughs and of course lobsters.

Alternatively there are six boats heading out from the on-site dock for two- or three tank dives.

Two tank dives are available twice a day at 7.45am or 9am and again at 12.30pm. The central location is ideal for Grand Cayman’s famous dive spots on the North Wall as well as those along Seven Mile Beach or the South Sound.

Of interest to divers and non-divers alike, the centre is also home to Sea Elements, a marine education programme run by Off the Wall Divers to increase the knowledge and enjoyment of Cayman’s incredible marine environment.

The mangrove boat tour explores this local eco-system, either from the boat or while snorkelling. The mangroves are important for Cayman’s marine life as a breeding ground for many species including barracuda, snapper, sponges and turnicates.

To round off the services available, the centre houses Deep Blue Images, the centre’s photo and video department, offering camera rental, private photo or video services and courses in underwater photography and videography.   WH

To book a dive, tour or course call 945-7525.