Everyone talks about the ‘good old days’ when times were simpler. Take a look at this picture from yesteryear and see if you can spot places, people and scenes you recognise.
Cayman Diving Lodge
Back in the good old days, you might remember entering the tranquil district of East End from the west, and spying a two-storey building on the sea-side that ran from the road onto the sand. That was the Cayman Diving Lodge, seen here in a postcard from Ivan Burges’s ‘The Cayman Islands on old Postcards’ booklet.
Avid scuba divers from near and far camped out here, which allowed them easy access to some of the best dive sites off the coast of Grand Cayman. It was a simple, 12-guestroom dwelling very typical of the time. No frills, no problem — just pure island living and the opportunity to get in the water only a few steps from your accommodation.
Unfortunately, the lodge was demolished in 2007.
Did you ever stay there and have stories you’d like to share? Please add them in the comments section so others can enjoy them.
If you have some old photos that you’d like to submit, we’d love to see them to consider them for publication. Be sure to include the credit for the image and any information you have about it. Email to [email protected].
Related Videos
I owned and operated CDL from 2000 to 2004 when Ivan destroyed it. Its a time in my life that I will never forget; I met and worked with some fantastic people and had so many experiences. A truly special place. I have plenty of photos from that time period and before.
Oh man, I loved that place and stayed there three times. My now husband asked me to marry him on the beach in front of CDL under a full moon in 2002. We were also there in 2007, just a few short days before Ivan made its way to Cayman. I remember seeing the owner standing on the dock the day we left, just staring at the ocean. It was so sad knowing we had probably seen that special place for the last time.
*correction…2004, not 2007
My wife and I went there for our second dive vacation as husband and wife. 3-4 dives a day and diving from the beach if you didn’t mind a 100 yd swim to start. While we were there a fisherman brought a 6’ wahoo to the dock which we ate sashimi style with other divers and staff. After all the diving we slept listening to the gently lapping waves of the Caribbean that magical week. Our first son was born less than a year later, and the CDL remains in our hearts the best dive vacation we’ve ever had.