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Sport & Activities
Diving and snorkelling: There are over 40 professional dive operators in the Cayman Islands, and few other island groups offer as many easily accessible dive sites. On Seven Mile Beach, diving begins 183m (200 yards) from the shore. Diving shops and boats can be found at most hotels. Some diving resorts offer an underwater photography service, including camera rentals, training and repairs, along with overnight processing of slides. The Islands’ main hospital in George Town, Grand Cayman’s capital, has a decompression chamber. Dive sites in the Cayman islands range from shallow dives near offshore reefs to the celebrated North Wall off Grand Cayman – a sheer drop to the bed of the ocean. The famous Stingray City offers divers and snorkellers the opportunity to come into close contact with the friendly southern stingray. Various locations also offer wreck diving, particularly Cayman Brac, where a Russian warship (renamed MV Captain Keith Tibbets) was intentionally sunk. The abundance of fish, marine and coral life around the islands is protected by strict conservation measures. Those not wishing to dive can enjoy the reefs from the Atlantis Submarine, which offers hour-long underwater trips for up to 46 passengers. The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism can provide further information (see Contact Addresses section and website: www.divecayman.ky).
Fishing: The deep waters around Grand Cayman are a migratory path for numerous species of large fish, including marlin, tuna, dolphin, swordfish and wahoo. Fishing is possible all year round. The best fishing is between Grand Cayman’s west coast and the banks, 7.5km (12 miles) offshore; the Trench, 6-13km (4-8 miles) off the west coast, is particularly good. The inshore lakes of Little Cayman, the smallest of the three islands which make up the Cayman Islands, are known for tarpon and bonefish. The Million Dollar Month fishing festival, which established the Cayman Islands as a leading game-fishing destination, has now been replaced by an annual international fishing tournament (see Special Events in Social Profile section).
Golf: The Brittania Golf Club has a course designed by Jack Nicklaus that can be played either as a 9-hole championship course or as an 18-hole course with the unique Cayman Ball (half the weight of the standard ball and travelling half as far). The 18-hole championship golf course, the Links at Safehaven, is an 18-hole, par 71 course, measuring 5966m (6525 yards). Created by Roy Case, it is reminiscent of a Scottish links course. The clubhouse features a restaurant, a patio bar and a golf shop.
Motorsports: The Family Recreation and Motorsports Park at Breakers offers a 12 hectare (30 acres) racetrack which claims to be the best in the Caribbean, with family recreation areas and a nature reserve; no alcohol is permitted in the park. The Lakeview Raceway in George Town features stock car racing on the first Sunday of every month.
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