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Osprey Beach Hotel (Mitch Rolling)

The gardens at Osprey Beach Hotel (Mitch Rolling)

Turks and Caicos Explorer II (Explorer Ventures)

Plenty of room for cameras aboard Turks and Caicos Explorer II (Explorer Ventures)

Stateroom on Turks and Caicos Explorer II (Explorer Ventures)

The comfortable salon aboard Turks and Caicos Aggressor

Fantastic turtle encounters in the Turks and Caicos Islands (Explorer Ventures)

Flamingo Tongue (Explorer Ventures)

The Caribbean

THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS

A tranquil and unspoilt diving paradise

Chain Moray (Alex Mustard)

In the Turks Island Passage, which links the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the warm, tropical Caribbean Sea, a string of small islands trails off the end of the Bahamas. These are the Turks and Caicos Islands. To the west lies Cuba, to the south lies Hispaniola. Only eight of these 30 islands and small coral cays are inhabited. Several hundred years of salt producing industry have left their mark. Vegetation is sparse on these low-lying islands as, in the past, almost every tree and palm was chopped down in an attempt to discourage rain, as year-round desiccating winds and low humidity converted trapped sea water into natural salt.

Gin clear water shading from deepest cobalt to pale turquoise surrounds the islands with their many largely-undiscovered dive sites that have, as a consequence, remained in a near pristine condition. The government are making every effort to conserve and protect their wonderful natural resource and have established several marine national parks.

A fascinating parade of interesting marine life passes through the waters of these islands, including the awesome sight of the Humpback Whale migration. Between February and April the humpbacks migrate through the Turks Island Passage to reach their breeding grounds on the Mouchoir and Silvers Banks on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Divers frequently hear the beautiful and eerie sounds of calling whales (and Turks & Caicos Aggressor offers special whale charters to snorkel with these fantastic creatures). In the summer months these blue tropical waters hold Manta Rays. As the Great Blue Herons come to feed at the pools, wild dolphins leap and dance offshore amongst the waves. The Turks and Caicos Islands are nature lover’s islands, where the adventurer and the escapist will find peace and tranquillity.

THE CAICOS ISLANDS

If you elect to take a cruise on Turks & Caicos Explorer or Turks & Caicos Aggressor you will have the chance to explore a wide range of dive sites around the northern and western Caicos Islands. Vertical walls are found off the coast of many islands and it is here that unusual and magnificent corals and sponges thrive. A huge 3-metre diameter Orange Elephant Ear Sponge growing on the reef wall gives its name to Elephant Ear Canyon. Three species of the rare and highly prized black coral can be found overhanging the hollow cut in the reef wall at Amphitheatre. A school of Horse-eye Trevally cruises through the corals searching for food. A 5-metre column of coral grows vertically from the ocean bed dwarfing the usual 2-metre formations at Driveway. Fascinating growths of corals and sponges occur here and there is always a healthy population of Yellowtail Snappers, Yellow Goatfish, Queen Angelfish and surgeonfish.

Many lucky divers will experience the joys of encountering Bottle-nosed or Spotted Dolphins, either above or below the water. These playful characters sometimes stay with the boat for a long time and there can be few more gloriously spontaneous diving delights than leaping into the water with them and allowing the dolphins to show off like children in a playground. Squeals of delight fill the water as the dolphins exhibit their skills, leaping above the waves or diving suddenly into the deeps, or merely besport themselves to show their sleek undersides and graceful movements in the water. Southern Stingrays and beautiful Spotted Eagle Rays ‘fly’ in these waters and there are frequent meetings with eerie large barracuda that lurk in cuts in the reef or in the shadow of the boat. Large, friendly, dark-banded Nassau Groupers often come to greet the divers and hang around watching these unusual visitors to their watery world. Hawksbill Turtles flap serenely by on many of the dive sites and have even been known to follow divers on occasions! During the late summer months Nurse Sharks gather to mate in the shallows of French Cay. If the weather is right there may be opportunity to snorkel here and witness this wonder of nature.

GRAND TURK

Grand Turk, six miles long and just over a mile wide, is the administrative centre of the Turks and Caicos archipelago. Delightful Cockburn Town, where the main street runs along the shore, is Grand Turk’s ‘capital city’. The colonial elegance and character of the town is reflected in the old timber buildings, with wooden shutters and weathered balconies, built along the beach road. Cockburn Town has a colourful past as pirates such as Calico Jack Rackman made Grand Turk their home and a centre for their buccaneering escapades!

Visiting the Grand Turk museum, under the direction of the curator, is a vital part of the holiday. It will give you a glimpse into history as you learn about the original settlers. The ground floor of this beautiful waterfront museum is devoted to the famous Molasses Reef wreck. Now known to have sunk before 1513, this is the earliest recorded European wreck in the New World. There are numerous wrecks round the island, very many of which have not yet been discovered. On Grand Turk there really is the chance of finding sunken treasure!

All diving is conducted within the waters of the Turks and Caicos National Park. As with diving in any national park, you are asked to observe certain rules simply in order to conserve the beauty of the reef. Because these laws prevent any form of fishing or anchoring in the marine park, it is delightfully refreshing to see that the fish show no fear of divers and you can feel a true closeness to nature. Grand Turk is famous for its wonderfully quiet, white, soft, sandy coral beaches and the spectacular and famous Grand Turk Wall.

Teeming with aquatic life, this wall on the western (leeward) side of the reef is very close to the shore, so that boat trips are short, with the farthest dive site being only 20 minutes away. The reef begins at depths of only 7 metres in some areas. The wall itself consists of a tumbling series of sheer rock faces, cracks, crevices and ledges plunging away dramatically to over 2,000m. There is ample opportunity to explore these canyons, caves and overhangs and become familiar with the staggering variety of sea life that occurs in these habitats. Keep looking above and behind you at all times – pelagic encounters are common here and there are almost always going to be impressive fish stories to tell back on the boat! If you have had the misfortune to be on overcrowded boats and over-dived sites and want a change, the Turks and Caicos Islands are the delightful and perfect antidote – undeveloped diving, a special treat!

At Black Forest, one of the prime dive sites on Grand Turk, the wall begins at 20 metres and drops almost vertically but with a severely undercut section over 30 metres wide. A dive light, to reveal the true beauty of the natural colours, proves very handy as much of the area is in shade until late in the afternoon. Here, because the undercut is sheltered from surge or summer storm damage, all five varieties of black coral, tube sponges and rope sponges grow in profusion. The top of the wall is home to the Great Barracuda. If you have never been the subject of the eerie, silent watch of the hovering barracuda, now is the time to try!

An ancient anchor, encrusted with years of coral and sponge growth, marks The Anchor, another remarkably fine wall dive where Spotted Eagle Rays may be seen cruising beyond the lip of the wall. The arch at McDonald’s is at 20 metres, and from there it is a straight drop into the depths. The reef fish in this area are exceptionally friendly and allow divers to come very close. Under the cloak of darkness, many invertebrates awakening from their sleep come out to feed, making this dive site an interesting choice for a night dive.

The Tunnels, one large and one small, cut through the prolific coral growth of a wall at a depth of 15 metres. For those with experience of deeper diving, keep finning through the tunnels and pop out of the other end at a depth of 30 metres!

A visit to South Dock should provide good views of some more unusual fish. Although there is little coral and sponge growth here, the shallow sea bed is home to Flying Gurnards, Frogfish, delightful little seahorses and several varieties of batfish, including the rare and bizarre Pancake Batfish.

SALT CAY

Remote Salt Cay can be reached by shore-based operators on Grand Turk on days when the weather permits. At Kelly’s Folly the top of the reef is at about 12 metres and is decorated with both hard and soft corals. A sand-bottomed canyon, falling at a gentle angle, leads out onto the wall. You can search here for interesting invertebrates, such as anemones and urchins, or look outwards into the blue for great views of Queen Triggerfish, Queen Angelfish, Blue Tangs and Blue Parrotfish. Sometimes washed with a fairly strong tidal current, Point Pleasant is a shallow dive of only 5 metres. Huge coral heads and stands of Elkhorn coral rise to the surface and it is possible to see a surprisingly varied collection of fish in the swim-throughs and overhangs. Tiger Groupers, schools of Blue Tangs and African Pompano can be found here with the occasional Nurse Shark making its way round the reef.

OSPREY BEACH HOTEL & BLUE WATER DIVERS, GRAND TURK

For many years we have been sending divers to enjoy the hospitality provided by Jenny Smith, who previously managed the well-liked Salt Raker Inn on Grand Turk. When Jenny informed us that she had bought her own hotel, the 39-room Osprey Beach Hotel right on the beach and just up the road from Salt Raker Inn, and that she was moving all her staff, we knew that it would be best to move our clients with her! All the comfortable and pleasant rooms are equipped with private bathrooms, ceiling fans, air-conditioning, refrigerator, cable TV, telephone, computer linking facilities, refrigerators and private balconies or patios. Perched right on the beach and with its own freshwater swimming pool, Osprey Beach Hotel’s schedule is run to match the diver’s routine, rather than the diver matching his or her routine to that of the hotel (late dinner is available to accommodate night divers).

Osprey Beach Hotel has 27 beachfront rooms which all overlook the warm Caribbean Sea. The Premier Suites, Queen Suites and King Rooms have one king-sized bed (many are four-posters) or two queen beds and are elegantly furnished with all-white fittings and cool tiled floors. All the rooms have a true sea view and fully face the sea. Ground floor rooms have a patio and first floor rooms have private balconies. All the suites and rooms are air-conditioned, have cable TV, coffee maker and telephone. Suites have a full kitchen with refrigerator, cooking equipment and utensils in addition.

The 12 Atrium Rooms are spacious and elegantly furnished but do not have beach or sea views. They are situated on the upper level and are accessible via the courtyard by Michael’s Restaurant across from the Osprey beachfront area. All the rooms are air-conditioned and have ceiling fans and refrigerators. Atrium Balcony Rooms share a large west-facing balcony with seating and hammocks. There is a choice of two queen beds or one king bed. They have great views down charming old Duke Street. Atrium Courtyard Rooms have a queen bed and a single bed, or a queen bed.

Close to Osprey Beach Hotel is Michael’s Atrium Restaurant which serves great breakfasts. Just minutes from your room you will find the atmosphere here very relaxed and welcoming, so pop down for coffee, juice, fruit platter or a cooked breakfast as well as lunch and dinner daily. Michael’s specialises in local and Jamaican dishes.

For lunch and dinner it is difficult to beat The Birdcage Bar and Restaurant at the hotel. The atmosphere is very relaxed and informal. There is a tasty tapas menu and the famous Osprey Beach Hotel BBQ is held twice weekly, with live entertainment. You might well recognize the entertainer – especially when you hear the words he sings – ‘he’ll take you diving all day ... then you drink some rum and listen to him play’ – yes, it’s Mitch Rolling from the dive centre and his High Tide Band (complete with saw player)! Mitch has cut a number of CDs and will happily sell you one to take home and remind you of your sunny Caribbean days. The bar is well stocked so enjoy a cool drink while soaking in the warm Caribbean sun. A full range of cocktails, wine, soft drinks and beverages is available. There are plenty of sun loungers in shady areas where you can relax when the sun gets too much, or just slip into the swimming pool and dry off in the sunshine. The Birdcage is open from 1000 until guests leave in the evenings (which can be anytime up to midnight).

Our chosen dive centre on Grand Turk is the exceptionally friendly and caring Blue Water Divers. The owner, Mitch Rolling, personally supervises the diving and the tuition, working very hard to make sure that each diver gets the type of diving experience they are looking for. Blue Water divers offers a full range of PADI courses, which are taught in small groups, often one to one! Dive boats take small groups of 10 divers maximum. Shore diving is available at any time, day or night. Simply request a tank and make sure you have a buddy! Our dive operators are very keen and enthusiastic to share their knowledge of the beautiful Grand Turk Wall with visitors.

Whichever dive site is chosen for the day’s activities, each morning you will be collected from the beach right by the hotel and taken out to dive. Since the dive sites are usually no more than five or ten minutes boat ride away, the usual schedule is to depart in the morning for a two-tank dive and return to the hotel at lunch time. Extra dives can be arranged locally, in which case you will be returned to the hotel for lunch and picked up at the beach again for the next dive. Night diving can also be arranged locally. The best shore diving on the island is at Governor’s Beach.

Price: from about £71 per night (from about £31 per night without diving). Includes: room-only accommodation on a twin/share basis in an Atrium Courtyard Room at Osprey Beach Hotel; 2 boat dives a day and unlimited shore diving tanks, dive guide on boat dives. Airport transfers are not included. Taxis are safe and freely available and the one-way cost is about US$12. Deposit: £200.

Single Occupancy Supplement: from about £27 per night.

TURKS & CAICOS EXPLORER II

The 106-foot MV Turks & Caicos Explorer II underwent a refit and renovation in 2005 and can now accommodate up to 20 passengers in ten cabins. Eight crew work hard all week to look after guests and make sure that their diving holiday is a trip of a lifetime. All staterooms have portholes or windows, individually-controlled air conditioning and private en suite bathrooms. The two VIP Staterooms are situated amidships on the upper, Boat Deck. Each room has a queen-sized bed, a TV, a desk, a chair and a dresser, ample space to hang and store clothing and a private bathroom. These staterooms are for couples only. The five Main Deck Staterooms are similar but have one large bed or two single beds (and lack a TV). The Three Lower Deck Staterooms have two single beds one above the other, portholes, a hanging closet and private bathroom.

The crew of Turks & Caicos Explorer II really take the effort out of diving. Once you have set up your gear on the first day they will look after it for the rest of the week, leaving divers free to enjoy what they have come for – diving! There is an awning-covered flybridge which is accessed via a staircase from the Boat Deck and features sofa seating for 12-15. Here there is a barbecue, wet bar and the helm station. From the flybridge’s open area, passengers can marvel at the beautiful scenery, or, when the diving is over for the day, select a drink from the well-stocked bar and watch the warm sun disappear into the Caribbean Sea. The Boat Deck features a large area for relaxing in the sun, has comfortable lounge chairs and provides an outside walkway to the two VIP Staterooms. The Main Deck (with the diving deck aft) features a comfortable air-conditioned salon which is used for serving breakfast and dinner, watching slide shows and DVDs or simply relaxing after a good day’s diving. The five Main Deck Staterooms are situated forward of the main salon. The dive deck is fully equipped with individual lockers, a camera table, recharging station, air and Nitrox filling station, wetsuit hanging area, freshwater showers and a bathroom. A large stairway leads down to the diving platform where 2 in-water ladders hang to make for easy access to and from the water. The Lower Deck is where the compressor is situated along with the dive gear storeroom, a camera room, communications room and crew cabins. The three Lower Deck Staterooms are situated at the front of the boat and accessed via a staircase from the main salon.

Diving takes place directly from the boat by giant stride into the water; at the end of the dive you simply climb aboard by one of the ladders. Underwater photographers have special facilities on board Turks & Caicos Explorer II. The dive deck has a large multi-level photography table for storage and servicing and there is a special stabilized charging station. Two separate rinse tanks are designated as camera-exclusive. Thorough briefings with site descriptions are given at each new dive site and, although divers are given a great deal of freedom, the buddy system is maintained at all times (unless you are authorized to dive solo: see below). Computer diving is encouraged to get the maximum profile from each dive. Turks & Caicos Explorer II anchors at specific sites in the morning or the afternoon for divers to enter the water when they wish (rather than have to dive with the whole group). Divers can expect up to 5 dives each day, including night dives. Solo diving is available for those who have completed a Solo Diver Course. The course is available on the boat for those who have PADI Advanced Open Water, are over 21 years of age, have over 100 logged dives, and can complete a 200 metre swim in full scuba gear, without stopping.

Meals on the Turks & Caicos Explorer II are freshly prepared every day. There is a choice of eggs, cereal, toast, tea and coffee for breakfast each day. Lunch and dinner are served buffet-style, with the occasional barbecue on the top deck. A selection of beverages is always available.

Turks & Caicos Explorer II operates from Turtle Cove Marina in Providenciales for 7 nights cruises, departing every Saturday throughout the year.

Price: from £779. Includes: 7 nights cruise on Turks & Caicos Explorer II on a twin/share basis with full board (except dinner on Friday evening), including soft drinks and alcoholic drinks; 5 full days of diving (up to 4 or 5 dives daily, including night dives) plus one or two dives on the last day. Reductions for non-divers and extra weeks. A port charge of US$55 and a fuel surcharge of $85 (subject to change) are not included in the package price and will be collected on board. Dinner on the last night is not included, but guests will go as a group to one of the local restaurants. If your log book shows that you have not dived for over a year you will have to take a short scuba review course on the first day which costs US$75, payable on board. Airport transfers are not included; taxis are freely available. Deposit: £450.

Single Occupancy Supplement: 50% of the cruise cost (but you can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share a cabin).

TURKS & CAICOS AGGRESSOR

Turks & Caicos Aggressor II is a very comfortable liveaboard that carries a maximum of 16 passengers in 8 staterooms. The Master Suite has a double bed and private head and shower, five Deluxe Staterooms each have a lower double and a single upper bed and private head and shower, two Twin Staterooms each have two single beds and share a head and shower between them. Each stateroom has TV/VCR units and individually controlled air-conditioning. Six crew provide superb service throughout the cruise and make sure your diving holiday runs smoothly. Between dives guests can relax on the sundeck (either in or out of the shade) or try the amazing hot tub!. The salon has an excellent collection of books, videos and music to enjoy. A personal computer station provides e-mail facilities (for a small charge) along with a colour printer.

The dive deck covers the aft third of the main deck. Large gear lockers double as seats and line the rails and centre. Two tanks are mounted at the back of each locker, so it is easy to don your equipment at your seat or ask for the tank to be taken to the dive platform. Dive information is displayed on a large board which shows depth and marine life information. A large three-tiered camera table has plenty of space for camera assembly or preparation and separate rinse tanks are kept for cameras and videos. The photography department provides rental cameras and accessories as well as the services of the photo pro if you require a model or expert advice. A range of PADI and NAUI speciality courses are offered on Turks & Caicos Aggressor including Nitrox training and facilities. A full range of diving equipment is available for rental by pre-arrangement.

For after the dive there is a freshwater shower and clean towels awaiting, as well as the chef’s freshly prepared snacks to appease the after-dive hunger pangs! Delicious barbecues, American-style and local dishes are served; breads, biscuits and baked snacks come strait from the oven. Most meals are served buffet-style.

Turks & Caicos Aggressor operates out of the harbour at Turtle Cove Marina, Providenciales for 7 nights cruises in the northern and western Caicos Islands, departing every Saturday between April and January.

Price: from about £1285. Includes: airport transfers; 7 nights cruise on Turks & Caicos Aggressor on a twin/share basis with full board, including soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits; 5 full days of diving (up to 4 or 5 dives per day, including night dives) plus one or two dives on the last day. Reductions for divers 65 or over, non-divers and extra weeks. A local bed tax of US$45 (subject to change) is not included in the package price and will be collected on board. Dinner on the last night is not included, but guests will be provided with guidance about good local restaurants. Deposit: £700.

Single Occupancy Supplement: 50% of the cruise cost (but you can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share a cabin).

FLIGHTS: Prices from about £903 to Providenciales (plus from about £86 onwards to Grand Turk if you are visiting that island). There are daily flight connections to Providenciales (and Grand Turk). We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on routing, season, current fare levels and booking class availability. Our quote will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge. The usual airfare deposit is £300.

COMBINATIONS: Why not combine a stay on a Turks & Caicos liveaboard with a relaxing visit to ‘laid back’ Grand Turk? Alternatively, if you are travelling to Turks & Caicos via Miami, you can combine a visit to the islands with any other Caribbean destination. Talk to us about the possibilities.

Schoolmasters and diver