Going on a submarine tour of Grand Cayman is as close to picking a storybook and looking at a secret world, a world of rich color and action, the only one meter under the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. You would find it hard to remove your eyes from your own personal perspective, as you begin to sink, there is the sunlit surface conferring into the hypnotizing blue depth, and just over the wonders of all magnitudes are about to carry on their daily trade. The next guide will familiarize you with the ideal marine life that you would probably encounter in the course of your glorious sub-sea experience, to equip you with the expertise to make the most of all the awesome moments of your underwater adventure.
The Friendly Southern Stingrays: Gliding Elegantly Over the Sandy Seafloor
A graceful southern stingray is among the most expected and famous sights of a Grand Cayman submarine tour, and is usually seen enthroned upon, or gliding calmly over, the white sandy bottoms and coral rubble beds. Considered a symbol of the Cayman Islands by its world-renowned Stingray City sandbar, these magnificent cartilaginous fish have diamond-shaped bodies and long whip-like tails. Though your submarine will not play with them as any snorkeling tour will, it is still a really special experience to view them in their natural habitat. You may find them fluttering their wing-like pectoral fins through the water, or you may see them hatching themselves out of a thin coat of sand, with their eyes and spiracles above the surface, to keep an eye on their enemies and victims, such as crustaceans and mollusks, with which they communicate with each other by electroreception.
Schools of Brilliant Tropical Fish
When your submarine goes around the gorgeous coral bases, you will be immersed in the bewildering assortment of tropical fish that will make the landscape of the seawater look like a kaleidoscope and a moving one at that. Thick crowds of bright blue tangs, famous among many as the character Dory, and smooth yellowtail snappers at times move together as one, sparkling and shiny against the blue water. You will perhaps, in one glimpse, see the black and yellow of the sergeant major fish, the blue and yellow of the rainbow parrotfish, at work with his beak-like teeth to scrape away the algae that clogs the coral, and the gentle, waving motions of the little damselfish. These smaller fish are the blood to the reef ecosystem, and their unceasing interaction gives a fascinating show of the most beautiful colors and intriguing habits of nature within the window.
The Ancient and Majestic Green Sea Turtles: Serenely Cruising the Ocean Currents
An observation of the grand green sea turtle is usually the top of a submarine experience, and one gets the feeling of wonder and awe when he or she sees this ancient reptile calmly sliding through its ocean habitat. These turtles are often found in the reefs of the Grand Cayman because these reefs present them with a rich source of food, such as seagrass and algae, due to their green colour. You can, sitting in the window of your submarine, see a big adult turtle swimming a long, adult turtle, paddling with his big flippers, pausing to have a bite at a sponge, or even, he may paddle gradually up to the surface and take an airing. The Cayman Islands have a rich history behind these animals, and finding them in the wild is a strong reminder of why we need to conserve our oceans, and how amazing the lifespan of the marine species living in these waters is, and how many millions of years old they are.
The Mysterious and Stealthy Caribbean Reef Shark: An Apex Predator Patrolling the Deep
To the adventurous, the fact that one would most likely encounter a Caribbean reef shark cruising the walls and drop-offs of the deeper part of the walls brings excitement to the tour. These smooth, grey apex predators are generally quiet and gentle towards humans; nonetheless, when observed in their natural habitat, one cannot help but respect and emphasize the savage beauty of the food chain in the ocean. These great creatures will probably be pointed out to you by your seaboot captain when they are lying at the bottom of the sea, or drifting purposefully, without any effort, into a graceful semblance of purpose and ease along the edge of the reef. Watching a reef shark through the safety of the submersible would give you a new insight into a monster that has been misunderstood and help you to understand how a reef is very important in taking care of the health of the reef by eating the sick and weaker fishes and in this way the reef maintains the balance and their health becomes strong enough to sustain the other marine life in the reef in a healthy environment.
The Architectural Marvel of Coral Formations: The Living City Beneath the Waves
The coral structures are the very backbone of the whole ecosystem, although they are not animals. The massive and intricate structures are home to innumerable marine life that you will observe during your tour. The structures are, in fact, colonies of thousands of invertebrate animals that are very small, and they build hard skeletons in limestone that make up the awesome reefs. You will pass by great, giant coral pillars, complex, branched coral brains with their mazes, and fine, swaying sea fans, which are gently moving with the current of the ocean. This coral city offers a lifeline of needed rest, breeding grounds, and hunting grounds to practically all the other animals on this list. The health and brightness of the coral, which vary in depth between deep purples and blues to the bright yellow and green, is a direct pointer to the well-being of the ocean, and thus becomes a central and striking figure in the underwater narrative.
The Curious and Playful Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
Although it cannot be said with certainty that a person will definitely see them, as they are very diverse, an opportunity to see a pod of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins is a wonderful and memorable moment that may happen during the transit to or from the place where the diving takes place. These are very intelligent and social mammals who are characterized by their curiosity and playful nature, and these might come up to the submarine to inspect this alien visitor to their world. You can be down there, under the water, and you can be privileged to watch them racing along with the viewports, to their wonderful speed and agility.
FAQS
Which shark do you consider is the most frequent one in a submarine tour?
Caribbean reef shark is a familiar and glorious view as it is usually found resting in the seabed or swimming gloriously by.
How close to the marine life is the submarine?
The underwater authority proficiently navigates his submersible to the extent that he is able to bring himself a few feet from the reef and the inhabitants living there without annoying them in any manner.
Will we see sharks on the tour?
This is not guaranteed, but the innocent Caribbean reef sharks can be observed as they swim around the deeper reefs.
Are there any sea turtles on every submarine tour?
The sightings are very common due to the healthy population around Grand Cayman, but again, they are wild animals and therefore not guaranteed.
Can the submarine tour be child-friendly?
It is indeed a wondrous, safe, and entertaining learning experience for the children since they get to have a unique view of the underworld.
