Delwin's Delight - A Gem in Queen's Highway

Dive Site: Delwin's Delight

 

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• Location: Queen's Highway Dive Zone, 25 minutes boat ride from the dock
• Dive Site Background: Named after Delwin, a retired Ocean Frontiers Divemaster and Boat Captain who helped set up and install mooring balls in the Cayman Islands.
• Dive Site Details: A reef dive with depths ranging from 30-60 feet. Highlights include the iconic 'Spur and Groove' formations, large sponges, sea plumes, hard corals, and an abundance of marine life.
• Fun Fact or Anecdote: Angelfish can often be found near sponges that feeding turtles have recently broken open.
• Practical Information: Look for the coral head just in front of the pin, a popular hangout for various fish species. Keep an eye out for different types of Angelfish such as French, Gray, and Queen Angelfish.
• Safety and Conservation: Follow standard diving guidelines and protect the marine environment.

 

 

Delwin is a Cayman Islands legend! Not only the site but the man who named it – Delwin! A long-since retired Ocean Frontiers Divemaster and Boat Captain, Delwin was instrumental in setting up and installing the mooring balls in the Cayman Islands. As a result of his efforts and hard work, he was given an opportunity to name a site, and he named this one after himself.

 

Just like the man, Delwin's Delight is true Caymanian! It boasts rolling fields of coral in the form of the iconic 'Spur and Groove' formations for which the island is so well known, they are covered in large sponges, sea plumes, hard corals, fans, fish, macro life, and more. Delwin's Delight is an underwater garden showcasing Cayman diving at its best.

Look for the coral head just in front of the pin, a favorite local hangout for all sorts of fish. Angel Fish are a beautiful sighting all over these reefs and can often be found in pairs, usually near sponges that a feeding turtle has recently broken open. The Angel Fish use this fresh opening to get to the delicious sponge's insides! Note the French Angel Fish with their dark scales and yellow highlights compared to the more muted colors of the Gray Angel Fish. Of course, Queen Angelfish always get pulses racing with their resplendent colors and patterns!

 

 

We caught up with Captain Logan about his take on what Delwin’s Delight is all about.

 

“Delwin's Delight is named after an old captain of Ocean Frontiers. Delwin is his name, is his first name. I believe he started working for the DOE after he left Ocean Frontiers, and he was assisting on the Dive 365 program.

And that program is essentially around the entire three Sister islands. You have 365 moorings. So essentially you could dive one new dive site a day for an entire year and he assisted in, in placing in those moorings and putting in those pins that we are able to tie up to. So he got the name of dive site after that and he chose Delwin's Delight.

Which is in the Queen's highway dive zone. It is actually almost, I would say right in the middle. It is sister's site would be Kathleen's Reef right next to it. Delwin's Delight. It's one of those sloping and rolly sites. So you're gonna have a lot of sponge growth, a lot of hardcore and soft coral growth where you're gonna find those little tiny creatures, such as like your little snails, like your flamingo tongues, your lettuce leaf, sea slugs, your painted Alicias, stuff like that.

Those little tiny creatures is what you're gonna wanna be looking for on that site. What is quite funny about Delwin's Delight is a lot of times during like squalls. Our very bad storms is we'll have moorings break and pins break and stuff, and sometimes it takes a year, two years for those moorings and pins to be put back in.

Whenever Delwin's Delight breaks it is always replaced almost the next day.”

 

About Ocean Frontiers Ltd.

Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for legendary customer service and having the island’s friendliest staff.  Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction.