Winter Sport Climbing Trip?

Are you trying to decide where to go for a winter sport climbing vacation?   These days there's lot of warm places you could go but there's few places like Cayman Brac.  It's still unspoiled by over-development, tacky tourist stuff or crowds at the crags.  

The rock is gently overhanging white limestone loaded with sinker pockets, tufas, stalactites and it's bolted for people on vacation ;-)

Cayman Brac is an English-speaking, British Territory with safe food and water, first class medical facilities, friendly locals and almost zero crime.  If you like to snorkel or scuba dive, it's the perfect combination.

In addition to more than 100 routes over land, there is spectacular climbing directly over the ocean on 130ft sea cliffs.   You'll need 19 draws for the longest route.  

One of the best things about "the Brac" is that it's uncrowded.   Notice in the video that most of the land is undeveloped.  You'll never wait for a route and the holds aren't polished or caked with chalk.  

For more information, go to ClimbCaymanBrac There's a free climbing guide, lodging information and more about the island.

Looks pretty cool! Is there good surfing there too?

Andrew Bowmanwrote:

Looks pretty cool! Is there good surfing there too?

I know some of the locals do a little surfing, but I'm not a surfer so I can't tell you whether it's good or not.

Andrew, 

In General the Caribbean isn’t typically a surfing destination , from what I gather.

Cayman Islands are pretty though.

Refreshing change of pace from the “leak my secret crags and I’ll cut you” tone

Ezra Elliswrote:

Andrew, 

In General the Caribbean isn’t typically a surfing destination , from what I gather.

Cayman Islands are pretty though.

Quite the contrary, the caribbean is a huge surf destination for surfers.  

Judging by the exposed south facing coastline I'd imagine that Cayman Branc's breaks work similarly to the majority of the caribbean; powerful groundswell during the winter due to those big storms that churn about the coast of Columbia.  December through March is typically when these storms are prominent, but like anywhere, you can research the hell out of a spot and still get skunked.  This does look like an area that may see some empty line-ups though.  It looks like 'sunset place' may see a decent left work with the right swell direction.  

The issue with Cayman Brac is accessibility. We were planning on going, but after researching flights, we determined that with lay-overs it took significantly less time to go to El Chorro than the Brac (which involved three or four separate flights each way). I suppose that if you live someplace like Florida, it’s an easy hop, but otherwise, it’s quite challenging.

For comparison: 9.5 hrs Albuquerque to Madrid and then a 3.5 hr drive. 36 hours Albuquerque to Cayman Brac. 

Frank Steinwrote:

The issue with Cayman Brac is accessibility. We were planning on going, but after researching flights, we determined that with lay-overs it took significantly less time to go to El Chorro than the Brac (which involved three or four separate flights each way). I suppose that if you live someplace like Florida, it’s an easy hop, but otherwise, it’s quite challenging.

For comparison: 9.5 hrs Albuquerque to Madrid and then a 3.5 hr drive. 36 hours Albuquerque to Cayman Brac. 

I agree, 36hrs to get to the Brac is ridiculous; you should be able to get there in a day.  I know Albuquerque can be tough for connections but there are a lot of airlines servicing the Caymans, so you should be able to find something that works.   Maybe through Houston or Dallas/Ft Worth?

My recommendation is to call a travel agent and not try to do it yourself, it's worth the extra few dollars.  I have one I can recommend.  If you do it yourself, make sure you get the winter flight schedules, especially for Cayman Air and Cayman Express (their website needs updating last time I looked).

The following airlines currently offer services to/from Owen Roberts International Airport, GCM, Grand Cayman.   From there, you need to catch a short hop on Cayman Airways Express over to the Brac (CYB).

Air Canada (Toronto)

American Airlines (Boston / Miami / Charlotte / Chicago/O'Hare / Dallas/Ft.Worth / Detroit / Miami / Philadelphia )

British Airways (London / Nassau)

Cayman Airways ( Denver / Havana, Cuba / La Ceiba, Honduras / Roatan, Honduras / Kingston, Jamaica / Miami / Montego Bay, Jamaica / New York / Tampa) 

Cayman Airways Express (Cayman Brac / Little Cayman)

Delta Airlines (Atlanta / Detroit / Minneapolis)

JetBlue Airways (New York / Boston / Ft. Lauderdale)

Southwest (Fort Lauderdale / Houston / Baltimore)

United Airlines (Houston / Newark / Washington /Chicago)

WestJet (Toronto)

Caribbean Airlines (Kingston) 

Just wanted to mention that the Cayman Government lifted all Covid restrictions last month.   Finally.

John Byrneswrote:

Just wanted to mention that the Cayman Government lifted all Covid restrictions last month.   Finally.

John what does it normally cost you to fly their from colorado? 

Princess Puppy Lovrwrote:

John what does it normally cost you to fly their from colorado? 

Last year, it was around $800 from Denver, if I remember right.  But as often is true, you can find cheaper rates flying at annoying hours of the day and flying mid-week can lower it, too.

bump

John Byrneswrote:

bump

John, this place looks awesome, and I’d be lying if I said  hadn’t looked at flights, but I gotta ask….what do you stand to gain by bumping a thread like this? Lol 

Just love it that much, or what? 

Got a scuba outfit you recommend as well?

This looks like a perfect combo vacay.  I’m sold. 

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

John, this place looks awesome, and I’d be lying if I said  hadn’t looked at flights, but I gotta ask….what do you stand to gain by bumping a thread like this? Lol 

Just love it that much, or what? 

lol

John- are you offering local guiding services or do you own real estate down there? 

Mark Pilatewrote:

Got a scuba outfit you recommend as well?

This looks like a perfect combo vacay.  I’m sold. 

Mark,

The Brac Scuba Shack is an independent, family owned dive operation.  Nice dog too.    

https://www.bracscubashack.com/

Not Not MP Adminwrote:

John, this place looks awesome, and I’d be lying if I said  hadn’t looked at flights, but I gotta ask….what do you stand to gain by bumping a thread like this? Lol 

Just love it that much, or what? 

I'll be honest.  I'm hoping that if you decide to visit, you'll rent my house for your stay.  I maintain the free climbing guide, have bolted or rebolted all the routes with titanium bolts and maintain the access trails.  You can stay anywhere you like, but I hope you'll consider renting from me.  Bluff View is possibly the  cheapest furnished house on the island, within walking distance to three climbing areas and is furnished with a stick clip and rappel ropes.  You also get Brac Beta, which is advice on everything from restaurants, duty free liquor, hazardous plants/animals, caving, etc.  

And it's not like I'm making any money.  I'm in the red now and overall since I started renting to climbers.  But I love the place and would like to share it with other climbers.  It's amazing.

www.climbcaymanbrac.com

Oh, there is a guiding service there, which I have no part in except they are my friends, Rock Iguana

John Byrneswrote:

I'll be honest.  I'm hoping that if you decide to visit, you'll rent my house for your stay.  I maintain the free climbing guide, have bolted or rebolted all the routes with titanium bolts and maintain the access trails.  You can stay anywhere you like, but I hope you'll consider renting from me.  Bluff View is possibly the  cheapest furnished house on the island, within walking distance to three climbing areas and is furnished with a stick clip and rappel ropes.  You also get Brac Beta, which is advice on everything from restaurants, duty free liquor, hazardous plants/animals, caving, etc.  

And it's not like I'm making any money.  I'm in the red now and overall since I started renting to climbers.  But I love the place and would like to share it with other climbers.  It's amazing.

www.climbcaymanbrac.com

Oh, there is a guiding service there, which I have no part in except they are my friends, Rock Iguana

That’s the info we were looking for. You rock. Good on ya. 

John Byrneswrote:

I'll be honest.  I'm hoping that if you decide to visit, you'll rent my house for your stay.  I maintain the free climbing guide, have bolted or rebolted all the routes with titanium bolts and maintain the access trails.  You can stay anywhere you like, but I hope you'll consider renting from me.  Bluff View is possibly the  cheapest furnished house on the island, within walking distance to three climbing areas and is furnished with a stick clip and rappel ropes.  You also get Brac Beta, which is advice on everything from restaurants, duty free liquor, hazardous plants/animals, caving, etc.  

And it's not like I'm making any money.  I'm in the red now and overall since I started renting to climbers.  But I love the place and would like to share it with other climbers.  It's amazing.

www.climbcaymanbrac.com

Oh, there is a guiding service there, which I have no part in except they are my friends, Rock Iguana

Appreciate the honesty, if I can find airfare cheap enough I will 100% look forward to hopefully renting your house!! 

John Byrneswrote:

Mark,

The Brac Scuba Shack is an independent, family owned dive operation.  Nice dog too.    

https://www.bracscubashack.com/

You now sold my girlfriend with the nice dog plug, lol.