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Category: Best Dive sites in Turks and Caicos
Our team of experts from Big Blue (in Providenciales) and Bohio Dive Lodge (Grand Turk) have helped us pick the best scuba diving spots in the island. So grab a tank and take the plunge if you want to experience how the ‘other half’ (the finned ones, that is) live in Turks & Caicos:
Turks and Caicos Scuba Diving in Providenciales and Vicinity
- Sandbore Channel (West Caicos). Always a feeding ground for the big stuff, and and part of an excellent West Caicos day trip
- G-spot and 3) DD (French Cay): Well worth the 60 minute or so boat ride as a sheer vertical drop and amazing corals await. Frequent visitors include manta rays, sharks and other curious creatures
- West Sand Spit (Out there): It’s a haul, but makes for a great day trip
- Football Field (Pine Cay): Is that American football, or soccer? Doesn’t matter, a convenient spot just minutes from Leeward Marina but with an active reef and a very cool, natural stretch of sand that the local residents – grouper, lobsters, barracuda - might just use for kicking the ball around when there are no divers there.
- Black Coral Forest / Amphitheatre (NorthWest Point, Provo). Northwest Point is nice two tank day trip, with a number of spots along its wall. This is one of the best with an amazing natural coral environment that looks like it could have been man made. During your surface interval, see if you can spots and celebs at nearby Amanyara Resort.
- Driveway/ Whiteface (West Caicos): Another prime example of the beauty of West Caicos’ breathtaking wall diving. Slide down the ‘driveway’ over the wall and into the blue abyss.
Turks and Caicos Scuba Diving in Grand Turk
- Aquarium. The Aquarium is named because of the incredible number and variety of fish that you’ll find here. It is one of the deeper dives at the north end of the Grand Turk wall. Depth range is 50-130ft. Look out for Hawksbill turtles.
- McDonalds. So named after a large arched coral formation. The permanent marker buoy is in 30ft of water about 300 yds from the shoreline. Always keep one eye out into the deep for passing sharks and dolphins. The swim-thru at the arches is big enough for two. Don’t forget your flash flight to check out all the nooks and crannies of the arch.
- Black Forest. You will find three different types of black coral on this dramatic dive, again, take your flashlight to really see its hidden colour. The corals are at about 80ft but this is also a suitable dive for novices as it is well protected and visibility ranges from 80-150ft.
- Coral Gardens. Located towards the south of the Grand Turk wall you will often see ‘Alexander the Grouper’ on this dive. He is a very friendly Nassau grouper but beware, he will often lure you down to much deeper than you planned. This dive is made up for different plateaus which is in contrast to the dramatic wall topography of the more northern sites.
- Chief Minister. There are lots of small fish and critters to be found at this site. The fringe reef here is very lush, literally covered with hard and soft corals, a photographers dream. There are enormous coral buttresses which extend outward from the fringe reef and you can see Blue stripped grunts, schoolmasters and goatfish.
Turks and Caicos Scuba Diving in Salt Cay
- Point Pleasant. This is a shallow dive on the northwest end of Salt Cay. Spectacular stands of elkhorn and pillar corals rise to the surface. Also a very good snorkeling site. Suitable for novices allow there can sometimes be a surge or tidal current. Depth surface – 25ft.
- Kelly’s Folly. You will find many stands of pillar and elkhorn coral 1-5ft high. The slope drops steeply from 40ft to the top of the vertical wall at 80-90ft. Sea fans, plumes and rods cover the plate and star corals. Marine life is abundant and varied at this site. Depth 25-80ft.
- The Rockery. Huge deepwater gorgonians and black coral trees cling to this beautiful wall which reaches up to 40ft. Though the wall drops to dizzying depths its best features are found above 70ft. This site offers excellent wide angle photo opportunities. Depth 30-70ft.
For a second opinion on cool dive sites, check out this posting from veteran dive writer Nick Lucey: www.nicklucey.com
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