Nativeway watersports special in Grand Cayman??

[disneydawn]

Going on the Magic 9/11. Has anyone ever used this company to go see the stingrays? Also, they are having a summer special...has anyone done this? Looking for some input. Thanks!

 

[GenieDana]

Yes, our last Disney cruise in June '03. Highly recommended. Ours was $25 for adults, kids 6 and under were free. My father did not go in the water because of knee injury, and his fare was $10.

They pick you up at the tender pier in an air conditioned bus, drive to the marina. Their boats seat about 20 (we had 19 in our group), with 1/2 sitting on the gunwale and 1/2 in the shade under the fly bridge. You can ride on the bow, and DH was on the fly bridge with Capt. Eldon. Dean was the Mate.

Went first to Stingray City (we were one of the very first on the bar that morning and had the best anchorage). The boat is a dedicated dive boat (Key West Hull) with turbo-Diesels so are also fast. His boats are very clean and well maintained (including the head). Get there first; get more attention from the sea life.

The equipment (masts, snorkels, fins) were new, but they had Coastguard life vests for floatation. We used our own swim vests for kids.

Since this was a 2-stop trip, even though we got there earlier we stayed longer on the bar than most other excursions.

Next stop was Coral City (the other alternative was the wall, but the guests voted for CC because we would get to spend more time there). CC is on the way back to the marina.

On board there was ice water and fruit punch provided.

Capt. Eldon and Dean made sure everyone who wanted to hold rays did. DH and my 8 year-old son learned the art of catching them on their own, and have some funny pictures of them having water wars with each other where the rays are squirting jets of water out of their mouths. The also wore small rays as hats for some pictures. These animals have grown to be very tolerant of handling.

Of course feeding is fun (the suck the food (squid) out of a loose fist). Go underwater and sit still on the bottom, and they glide over your head and suck your hair up through the gills - another very funny underwater shot.

You pay your fees on the boat returning to the marina. They accept credit cards, cash, etc. Native way also does not require deposit to make a reservation, just and e-mail does it. For your return, you have your choice of being dropped off at 7-mile beach or the tender pier. There was also a longer 1/2 day tour that goes to Rum Point, after Stingray City - including a beach BBQ including freshly caught conch, lobster, and fish but we did not do that one (wish we did - next time)

After the returning to the Marina, We got a 3-hour bus tour of the island for $10 each adult (transportation only - Kids were free), which we did Hell, Turtle Farm, and lunch at the "Cracked Conch" and a drive around sites on the West End.

I highly recommend them, and will do it again. My only other experience is with Capt. Marvin on an earlier trip to GC, which to me was not as nice as Native way. Capt. Marvin's wasn't bad, but would be my second choice.

 

[missinshadow]

where did you find the information on nativeway watersports?

I did a search on yahoo search and boy did I come up with some info. I did not want. It was native alright!!!!

if you can let me know where I can get information on this, that would be great.

Thank you!

 

[GenieDana]

See their website:

http://www.nativewaywatersports.com/shiptours.html

 

[albeers]

We were on the June 19 Western. We chartered one of their boats for half a day. The Capt (Al) was great. He had us at Stingray City before the large charters came. We had plenty of time in the water before the crowds arrived. Next, he took us by the reef and we watched him feed an eel and nurse shark. I would highly recommend them. Call 1-345-946-8656 and talk to Sharon (owner)

Alan