Cayman Aggressor a la USA 2005

by Russ Manhold

June 18-25, sixteen adventurous USAers lavished aboard the Cayman Aggressor IV, a 110-foot luxury live-aboard, exploring breathtaking dive sites in the Cayman Islands. The group included Ronnie Farr, Nils Jacobsen, Chary Lynn, Julie Manhold, Russ Manhold, Clare Anthon, Kurt Kohler, Theresa  Shaner, Bob Weybrecht, Linda Ianniello, Joanne Morgan, Frank Morgan, Linda Caldwell,  Hank Resch, Nancy Eickelmann and Sean Bob Horin.

The Cayman Aggressor IV, based at George Town, Grand Cayman, is just a short flight from Miami International Airport. Owen Roberts  airport lies a few minutes away from the city dock where Aggressor's crew of  six awaited our arrival. Bags unloaded, dive gear stowed, USAers mellowed out in air conditioned staterooms as the crew scurried about, preparing the vessel for seven days at sea.

The first evening, while USAers feasted on BBQ ribs and  chicken under the stars, Captain Sam cruised slowly northbound, paralleling  Grand Cayman's famous Seven Mile Beach, finally mooring at our first dive site  for the following day. Guests enjoyed a seemingly endless supply of complementary  wines and beer while "chillin" in the upper deck Jacuzzi.

The Cayman Aggressor IV specializes in catering to every need for camera buffs. A complete E-6 processing lab produces colorful Ektachrome filmstrips after each dive, allowing underwographers to critique their work  within minutes. Located at the exact center of the vessel, where yaw, pitch and roll are minimal, is a carpeted and padded worktable where cameras and underwater  strobes can be set up, broken down, and stored.

A computer workstation affords digitographers a place  to download and manipulate digital images, including the crew who produce and  distribute a video DVD upon completion of the voyage.

Nitrox was available for everyone, making it easier to plan up to five dives daily.

Each morning USAers were awakened at 6:30 AM by the friendly aroma of fresh-brewed coffee and continental breakfast in the salon. By 7:00 o'clock, "JoJo" was performing her magic in the galley, whipping up  omelets and pancakes with bacon and ham and sausage. Ooh it's so  good!

At 8:00 AM each morning, the first dive was briefed in detail, complete with hand-drawn 3-D sketches of the dive site on a white board  prominently displayed on the dive deck. With ocean temperatures ranging in the  low 80's, most everyone elected to wear one or more layers of wetsuit for each dive. Underwater visibility was slightly less than expected for the Caymans  however, the spectacle of 50 foot reefs bordered by 6,000 feet of blue water  still grabs most everyone by the short hairs.

After each dive, a crewmember was there to assist on the spacious dive platform, stowing fins and masks in racks along the rear bulkhead,  directly under the two "heated" fresh water showers. Each diver was handed a fragrant, warm towel after climbing aboard while our lady chef, "JoJo", circulated among divers with trays of baked goodies, fresh from the oven.

The second morning dive was at 10:00 AM, followed by a delicious lunch at noon. The Captain moved the Aggressor to a new dive site during lunch and by 2:00 PM, the third dive was underway. By 4:00 PM, some elected to change into warm clothes and relax for the afternoon. Others were back in the water for dive number four.

Dinner followed the fourth dive, featuring a uniquely  different theme every night. Wine flowed freely except for the few hearty soles planning a night dive.

Later in the week we observed an underwater phenomenon seldom witnessed by many  divers. As if by some sort of orchestration, thousands of sponges began spawning, issuing huge clouds of mist-like sperm into the Caribbean Sea. Within minutes, the water was clouded significantly, reducing visibility from hundreds to just dozens of feet.

As the group slept Thursday night, Captain Sam deftly  guided the Aggressor south from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman, a distance of slightly over sixty nautical miles. Friday morning after breakfast, we enjoyed our final two dives on shallow reefs located a few hundred yards west of downtown George Town.

Friday after lunch the Aggressor returned to port and  everyone, crew included, got busy preparing for our departure the following day. Wet dive gear hung from every hanger and rail topside, drying in the sun. Below on the dive deck, mechanics ripped up aluminum floor plates, exposing  the engine room. A huge electric generator was removed and replaced in less than two hours. Beds were stripped, towels and linens were placed in on-board washing machines and fresh food arrived on the dock for next week's voyage,  all while USAers packed feverishly for the flight back to Miami.

Friday evening before sunset, our crew hosted a spirited Wine and Cheese party on the sun deck, featuring sashimi tuna and other tasty  delights. It's always bittersweet when anything good comes to an end. We toasted  each other and laughed and chatted with new friends, especially our Cayman Aggressor crew.

Thoroughly buzzed, the group traveled 10-minutes north to The Wharf, one of Grand Cayman's most elegant ocean side restaurants. As the giant red sun sank slowly into the sea, we wined and dined and danced the  night away. The charming steel drum band got an unexpected show from our happy  group, especially from one male USAer who shall remain anonymous (what happens  in the Caymans, stays in the Caymans).

Each of us came back with a story to tell. Kurt lost his rattle; Clare discovered neutral buoyancy; Julie powdered between dives; Russ "Mister Fashion" sported his horse collar BC; Ronnie was observed relaxing; Chary kissed the rabbit; Hank had an unexpected land side excursion;  Joanne celebrated a birthday; Frank ministered Joanne's injured knee; Sean Bob's  intellectuality prevailed; Linda I. maxed her bottom time; Bob captured THE  BEST cleaning station video; Linda C. confirmed there is LIFE after retirement;  Nancy's bathing suit was frigid; Nils won an award for fastest (and most frequent)  camera maintenance and Theresa revealed her roommate had fancy toenails.

If you enjoy live-aboard diving, try the Cayman Aggressor. Arguably, it's the best bang for your buck anywhere. Slots for the Cayman Aggressor  fill up years in advance so plan ahead.