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Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort -- A Big-Time Little Cayman Getaway
Long fans of scuba diving in
the Cayman Islands, we just returned from our first visit to Little Cayman
and the Southern Cross Club Fish
& Dive Resort. We now understand the long-time allure of this island
and resort!
After a direct flight with USAirways from Charlotte to Grand Cayman, we then took a quick half-hour flight aboard Cayman Airways Express to Little Cayman. The asphalt runway on Little Cayman turns to grass before the plane heads to the small terminal, which also serves as the island’s post office and fire station.
A friendly Southern Cross Club (SCC) staff member meets arriving guests for the two-minute shuttle to the resort. Check-in and a review of the wonderful way things work at the resort take just a few more minutes before you head to your accommodations.
With the addition of five new options, the resort will soon feature 12 semi-private beach bungalows, each of which is uniquely furnished. Some are outfitted with colorful exotic colors and fabrics, while others have custom white-washed beechwood furnishings and an outdoor shower. The five new bungalows will feature king beds, separate lounge areas with oversize daybeds, extra-large patio decks with outdoor showers, and floor-to-ceiling windows. All accommodations and the rest of the resort are spread thoughout the huge sandy beach (going barefoot at all times is the norm).
The attractions of a SCC stay
include: world-class scuba diving on famed Bloody Bay Wall and elsewhere;
a variety of fishing (we loved going for bonefish in the flats near the resort);
hearty and creative food in the Lucky Drum restaurant (including a new open-air
dining pavilion); lively cocktail time at the indoor/outdoor tiki bar; Island
Moon Massage services by Terry “Captain Nemo” Thompson in the new
seaside mini-spa; free bike and kayak usage (we loved heading out to nearby
deserted Owen Island); and lots more.
Elsewhere on this ten-by-one-mile island, highlights of our explorations by bike included: the new National Trust House (which overlooks the Booby Pond Nature Reserve); the Little Cayman Museum; the Old Baptist Church; lots of nature-oriented stops and lookouts (including huge iguana); and lots of friendly islanders. In addition, the newly-opened Little Cayman Research Centre promises to be a large Little Cayman lure, thanks to programs like “Dive With the Researcher,” where certified scuba divers help out with research above and below the surface.
Peter Hillenbrand owns and operates SCC with the help of a staff that seems to take true pleasure in sharing this little piece of paradise. From the dive and fishing guides to a chef that will prepare pretty much anything you’d like, we’ll remember the people as much as the place.
There's much more to say about this very special place and we look forward to covering Southern Cross Club and Little Cayman in words and pictures for many publications!