About Us

Off the Wall Divers has been a staple of Grand Cayman’s dive community since 1991. Although it has undergone different ownership, the mission has always been the same: provide excellent service and personalized dive trips with a staff of divers who genuinely love diving. 

Some of our guests have been with us since the very beginning, coming back year after year, which is an amazing testament to the community that Off the Wall owners, staff and guests have created over the years. 

Off the Wall Divers suffered a great loss in September 2024, when its former owner, Tom Shropshire, unexpectedly passed away. Tom was incredibly passionate about diving and about the company. He was a great friend and mentor and is very missed. Tom wanted Off the Wall to continue and keep the legacy alive, so he left the company in the hands of his head captain, Mike Chapman. 

It has been an incredibly challenging year, but Mike has done a fantastic job navigating the challenges of not only the legal transition of ownership, but also the very steep learning curve that comes from moving to head captain to owner/operator. Mike is committed to maintaining the high standards that Off the Wall Divers has held for over thirty years. 

About Mike

Mike is originally from Nottingham, England, but grew up along the coast in Cornwall giving him an interest in the ocean from a young age. 

After getting dive certified in the icy English Channel, Mike booked a one-way ticket to the warmer waters of Australia where he did his professional dive training on the Great Barrier Reef. 

After a few years traveling the world as a PADI instructor – working in Australia, Thailand and Mexico, he moved to Grand Cayman in 2015. Mike worked for Don Foster’s Dive until 2020, when he left island due to the pandemic, but returned in 2022 to work for Tom and Off the Wall Divers. 

Tom was immediately impressed with Mike’s hardworking and positive attitude, as well as his willingness to go above and beyond the “normal” tasks of an instructor. After a year or two, Tom began joking, “Okay Mike, when are you taking over?” Mike would always reply, “Anytime you’re ready, just put it in writing and give me a how-to guide!” 

Unfortunately he didn’t get the how-to guide before Tom unexpectedly passed away, but thanks to the dive community in Cayman, repeat divers and friends, Mike was able to navigate this new world of company ownership. It’s been an incredibly challenging year, but Mike has excelled at keeping everything going, while still offering up the amazing dives and service that Off the Wall has always been known for. 

We are excited about this new chapter for Off The Wall and look forward to continuing the legacy of first-class diving in Grand Cayman. Come blow bubbles with us soon!