East End, Grand Cayman, Ilhas Cayman

Babylon (North Wall)

Babylon is one of Grand Cayman's most celebrated wall dives, located on the North Wall where the reef shelf meets the Cayman Trench. The site centres on a dramatic ridge that juts out from the main wall, forming a buttress wrapped in massive orange elephant-ear sponges, deepwater sea fans and rope sponges. The wall lip starts around 12 to 14 metres and drops vertically beyond 1,800 metres into open ocean. Most dives explore the buttress between 21 and 27 metres, then return shallower over the reef top. The deep blue regularly delivers Caribbean reef sharks patrolling the drop-off, eagle rays gliding past, hawksbill turtles in the shallows, and large schools of horse-eye jacks and Bermuda chub. Black grouper and Nassau grouper hold position in the cuts. Visibility commonly exceeds 30 metres from December through May when trade winds calm. Currents along the North Wall can run moderate and unpredictable when wind shifts, so the site is rated for advanced divers. Operators include Sunset House, Divetech and Ocean Frontiers (when conditions allow the long crossing from East End).