1. A Sure Sign We're Off the Beaten Path
Sometimes you get signs from heaven, sometimes you have to read tea leaves or have a psychic read the mole patterns on your shoulder, and sometimes you just get sloppy lucky while on assignment for an Off The Beaten Path article and come across a real sign telling you you're going in the right direction.
2. Cobalt Coast and Dive Tech in West Bay
Perched right on the water in West Bay, a few fin kicks from a marvelous wall, is Cobalt Coast Resort and the on-site Dive Tech shop. The resort has spacious one- and two-bedroom suites with sinks and mini-fridges, two-bedroom villas with full-sized kitchens and laundry rooms (great for families with kids or for romantic seclusion), a neon-lit pool and one of the Caribbean's greatest resort owners, Arie, who makes sure your experience is everything you expect.

Dive Tech (building on the left with dive flag) is one of Grand Cayman's top technical diving shop, offering rebreather courses, multi-stage deep diving, tri-mix and its owner, Nancy Easterbrook, is one of world's top freedivers. So, if you want to work on your tank-free skills, you'll be hard-pressed to find better training or staff. The shop also runs a comprehensive program for recreational divers, with day trips to spectacular North Wall sites, Stingray City, and an experience that shouldn't be missed, a scooter dive from Cobalt to the Turtle Farm.
3. Top Gun Practice & Dive Shop Navigation
See that Cheshire-cat grin permanently etched across the divemaster's face-it's because he's getting ready for the Scooter Diver down Turtle Farm Mini Wall. And, just in case you're not familiar with what a dive shop looks like when you arrive at Cobalt Coast, there's a sign pointing you in the right direction.
4. Hawksbill Turtle at Turtle Farm
Although you see plenty of these guys along the reef, this juvenile hawksbill turtle is awaiting release from the famed Turtle Farm, about a five-minute drive from Cobalt Coast.
5. Divemaster Lost in East End Reverie
Even the divemasters at the East End's Cayman Diving Lodge take time to check out the view. With the reef system so close to shore on the East End, it's easy to catch yourself peering off beyond the surf break wondering what the next dive will bring.
6. East End Payola
This is the payoff of East End diving. The deep walls and pinnacles are covered with marine growth.
7. Conch, Boy and Pier: a Tableau
Sometimes we photographers just have to try something both artsy and storytelling. Here, on the beach in front of the Cayman Diving Lodge, Ethan Sawyer, camera in hand, walks past a tableau of conch shells artfully arranged on driftwood, with, as poets would say, the pier representing the possibility of great adventures to come.
8. Two Ooff the Beaten Path Encounters
The beach on the left exemplifies the Little Cayman and Southern Cross Club version of the ultimate Off the Beaten Path scenic: Now just imagine that you are sitting in that chair. That's it. Feel better now?
The guy on the right sets up a stand across the street from the blowholes on Grand Cayman's East End. Nothing quite like a sip of fresh coconut water after a hard day of watching the ocean erupt from a tiny hole in the shore.
9. Bungalow #9, Southern Cross Club
Take this image-a view from Southern Cross Club's bungalow #9-and put it on your computer's desktop. This is called a cubicle or office enhancement, and a not so subtle reminder of why Little Cayman remains a getaway paradise.
10. Island Air Flyover
Island Air, which flies into Little Cayman exclusively, has oversized windows to soak up the view before you land on the famous grass landing strip.
11. Soaking up the Little Cayman Sun
A young couple soaks up the view (and sun) as the dive boat approaches Southern Cross Club.
12. Flags
One of the great thing about diving is the chance to meet people from around the world, even on Little Cayman. The South African flag (near) and the Wales flag (far) represent the nationalities of two of Southern Cross Club's divemasters, Henry and Mike. The dive flag in the middle is what crosses all borders and ties us all together.
13. Anticipation
These divers have what's called the Bloody Bay Wall Sloppy Grins of Anticipation. Word of warning: It's highly contagious.
14. Reason for Anticipation
Wall This explains the sloppy grins.
15. Peter
Peter Hillenbrand, owner of Southern Cross Club, even after thousands of Bloody Bay Wall dives, still gets the same sloppy grin as the first-timers. Southern Cross Club has a huge repeat customer base because Peter's enthusiasm and genial nature quickly make you feel at home.
16. Bloody Bay Wall
Divers course along the wall at Marilyn's Cut past a barrel and azure vase sponge.
17. Tarpon Lake
Many years ago, a massive storm carried tarpon from the sea to this brackish pond. The tarpon, taking cues from Darwin, evolved into a smaller species and now thrive this inland lake. At sunrise, you can walk to the end of this dock and watch their fins slicing through the surface as they feed.
18. Imperious Iguana
On Little Cayman, iguanas outnumber the inhabitants by 200 to 1. Thus they have right of way on all roads, a majority in parliament and, when you visit them at Mahogany Bay just past the airport, you must bring gifts of fruit.
19. Above and Below
Left to right: Rope sponges tumble down the wall at Nancy's Cup of Tea on Little Cayman's Bloody Bay Wall; A flat sea over Grand Cayman's North Wall; A giant barrel sponge at Randy's Gazebo on Little Cayman's Bloody Bay Wall.
20. Secluded Beach Picnic
DiveTech, on Grand Cayman at Cobalt Coast Resort will arrange for a secluded beach picnic for the ultimate off the beaten path excursion. Here, Gillian Sawyer, takes the little traveled path to her very own beach.