Turks and Caicos Islands

For many people, a tropical paradise like the Turks and Caicos Islands, with its warm climate, beautiful beaches, glorious blue-green ocean and tax-free status, is the perfect place as a vacation destination. I mean, let’s face it, it is the Caribbean.

Recently I was invited by a buddy of mine, a photographer, to visit this exotic place. But there was one little hitch – in order for me to experience Turks and Caicos with him I’d have to get my scuba diving certification. “Scuba dive?” I thought. “He is one of my closest friends. He is a photographer and he’s told me about it numerous times, raving about the experience. Hey, I can do it. It’ll be a great way to write about the island. And with my buddy along to take pictures, I’ll be brave enough to try.”

Into the water
Like many people, when I would think of scuba diving, I’d visualise musclebound, macho men strapping on heavy equipment and braving the dangers lurking in the deep. Scenes reminiscent of ‘Sea Hunt’ of underwater knife fights and close contacts with man-eating sharks would float through my mind. The frank reality of scuba diving is that it is an underwater world that is tranquil and colourful. It is more closely associated with an induced alpha state accompanying deep meditation. A surreal feeling, ushered in by slow, deep breaths, mixed with an orgy of colours… that better
describes the experience.

“Sounds like a great experience. But you just don’t have the time to learn something as technical as scuba diving while you’re on vacation. Besides, you are NOT an Olympic swimmer and probably could not pass the swim test,” you think to yourself at first. But in a few hours, you can be introduced to the underwater wildlife surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands. And you’ll suddenly begin to realise just how much fun scuba diving can be.

To learn the basics of scuba diving and to become certified takes about four to five days. This programme is called Openwater Certification. It can easily be taken during a week-long vacation. There are two to three days of course work along with pool training which will prepare you for Openwater training dives. After two more days and a total of four dives, you are finally awarded your Openwater Certification.

Meet the reef residents
Turks and Caicos Islands have one of the largest reefs in the world, making it one of the premier diving destinations among divers around the globe. A reef system 65 miles across and 200 miles long, there is a fascinating array of aquatic life that is a short boat ride away – there are turtles, sting-rays, and countless varieties of fish and coral. There are even whales who make their way to the islands during the winter. And playful dolphins can show up at any time.

The Turks and Caicos Islands provides a multiplicity of underwater experiences. An archipelago of eight principal islands and many smaller cays at the south-eastern tip of the Bahamas chain, the reef system is extensive so that dive operators can take visitors to spots popular with other divers, or customise a trip of discovery to virgin territory. On the northwest corner of the island of Providenciales, known locally as ‘Provo’, you have Smith’s Reef, a walk-in dive to a seascape of brain and fan corals, purple gorgonias, anemones and sea cucumbers.

At Grace Bay, a sweep of powdery white beach that is graced by some of Provo’s most highly regarded resorts, visitors can see where the sea breaks along 14 miles of barrier reef. The reef is much more than a natural breakwater that makes this beach so accommodating, it is the teeming undersea home for swarms of colourful schools of fish; the single-feeding barricuda or large, rotund grouper.

Whale of a time
You can find miles of drop-off diving around Grand Turk Island. There is a vertical wall that drops to depths of 2 000 metres to the seafloor! Many night dives take place here where the colours of the day become the phosphorescent illumination of the night. South Caicos also has numerous ledges and smaller walls for diving where divers can literally select the level of their vertical descent. And there are shipwrecks, too! Off Salt Cay there is the HMS Endymion, which went down in 1790. Two centuries later, the wreck was first discovered and has become a popular dive site. Salt Cay is also an area that the humpback whales come to play.

You watch from ashore or, to get a closer look, boat out among them. Turks and Caicos will not only leave you with a memorable underwater adventure that you’ll be sharing with your friends and family for years to come, but it will leave you with a warm impression of a people filled with pride and spirit. They love their island and they want you to love it as much as they do. So don’t be surprised, should you visit this wonderful place, that during your stay in Turks and Caicos you are treated by the locals as though you are a Lion fish long-lost friend.

Where to stay
Turks and Caicos boast more than 2 000 rooms in scores of hotels and inns. All are located on the waterfront and there is even one hotel on the island with a five-star rating. Above the dunes on pristine Providenciales, The Grace Bay Club is an undiscovered hideaway. Intimate, elegant, and surrounded by natural wonders, this is a five-star setup on every level from the food to the service. There are no rooms here, just suites. Twenty-one of them. And every one has a glorious view of the sea. Anything you need at the Grace Bay Club is fully accommodated. This resort is set up so that privacy is the number one priority. But there is nothing the staff can’t take care of for you.

The restaurant on the premises – the open-air Anacaona – is out of this world! Some of the best food from all cuisines makes this experience an eating extravaganza. And the atmosphere is superb. Each table is clustered under a circular thatched roof overlooking the sea. For more information, please call 809-946 5757 or fax 809-946 5758.

The four-star Royal Bay is located on Providenciales, a wonderful hotel with 200 rooms, each containing a satellite TV, air conditioning, minibar, coffee maker, hair dryer and in-room safe. There is one swimming pool, two restaurants, one bar and grill, one cocktail lounge, and even a pastry shop. The big attraction here is the Dive shop. This is a highlight of the newly organised resort. For more information, please call 809-946 8000 or fax 809-946 8001/(1-800)SANDALS.

The four-star Ocean Club at Grace Bay has 86 units, all suites with screened patios and balconies, full kitchens, colour TV, air conditioning and ceiling fans. Watersports are readily available here including kayak rentals, fishing, sailing, parasailing and diving. There are two pools, a lighted tennis court and a fitness room. Across the road from the club is an 18-hole golf course.

There is a wonderful restaurant on the premises called the New Gecko Grill with an international cuisine with a hint of Caribbean flavour and style. There is also the Cabana Bar & Grill which offers light snacks. Highlights include a weekly rum punch party. However, be aware that rum can leave you with a wicked hangover. For more information, please call 809-946 5880 or fax 809-946 5845.

Eating out
When all is said and done, Turks and Caicos Islands is not only one of the premier diving sites in the world but also boasts a wonderful array of eating establishments. Seafood, of course, is the specialty in these parts and recommended restaurants in the area include Hey Joses, Jimmy’s, Le Deck, Portofino and the Tiki Hut. And there’s an array of entertainment to choose from. The islanders here love their music. Recommended: Smokey’s On Da Beach where every night you can hear the best blues and Caribbean music performed by the best musicians in the region. And Dora’s is also a great place for blues and reggae; they generously offer the best conch fritters on the island for free during all performances!  For more information about the Turks and Caicos Islands, please click to the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board at www.turksandcaicostourism.com.