East End, Grand Cayman, Ilhas Cayman

Babylon (East End)

The East End version of Babylon is a separate Grand Cayman dive site from its better-known North Wall namesake, sitting along the East End drop-off where the reef shelf falls away into the deep Caribbean. The mooring tops out near 12 metres on the reef plateau and divers descend over the lip into a vertical wall that plunges hundreds of metres. Typical depths run 21 to 27 metres along a face decorated with massive orange elephant-ear sponges, giant barrel sponges, deepwater sea fans, black coral and rope sponges. The deep blue regularly delivers Caribbean reef sharks, eagle rays, hawksbill turtles, midnight parrotfish, queen angelfish, schooling horse-eye jacks and Creole wrasse swarming the wall edge. Visibility on East End walls commonly exceeds 30 metres during the dry season from December through May, when the prevailing trades produce the most consistent boat conditions. Currents along East End walls can shift moderately. Operated by Ocean Frontiers and other East End operators.