Carribean Explorer- Turks & Caicos?

[WOODMAN]

Okay, this time I am looking at expanding our diving expeditions into the Turks & Caicos area, and am looking hungrily at the Caribbean Explorer II that frequents this area. Anyone have any recent experience with them? How deep is the diving usually with these guys? And how bad is it getting into Providenciales by air? It seems like they have very few flights into there, and I would be getting in about 8PM. Looks like I might have to come a day early and soak up the local ambience until sailing time. Any suggestions on a hotel (or whatever?) for that one night? Thanks for your help. Woody

 

[Guy Carrier]

Woody,

I did a trip report on the Turks and Caicos Explorer II trip that my wife and I did 3-10 June 06.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=146141

As far as getting into Provo we had no problem going from Dulles IAP outside Washington DC to Provo via Miami in the same day and got into Provo at around 12:30 PM. If you're going from farther you may need to get in the day before. If you can get to Miami by about 10:00 AM I believe there is a flight to Provo for you.

Also, I would recommend booking an early flight out on the following Saturday unless you intend to stay over. They kick you off the boat promptly at 9:00 AM so they can reprovision for the next weeks trip and wandering around Provo with your luggage or sitting at the airport for hours until your 2:00 PM flight departs did not sound like fun to us. We had a flight at 8:00 AM on the final Saturday and it went well. There was a long line at security in the Provo airport even at 7:00 AM.

Guy

 

[Damselfish]

Okay, this time I am looking at expanding our diving expeditions into the Turks & Caicos area, and am looking hungrily at the Caribbean Explorer II that frequents this area. Anyone have any recent experience with them? How deep is the diving usually with these guys? And how bad is it getting into Providenciales by air? It seems like they have very few flights into there, and I would be getting in about 8PM. Looks like I might have to come a day early and soak up the local ambience until sailing time. Any suggestions on a hotel (or whatever?) for that one night? Thanks for your help. Woody

I think you mean Turks and Caicos Explorer, not Carribean Explorer II - that one goes between St Kitts and St Maarten.

Provo has pretty good air service compared to alot of islands. Mostly on American, but a couple jets a day. At least from the east coast, it's usually cheaper and easier to get to than a lot of places in the Carribean.

 

[RJP]

Woody,
We had a flight at 8:00 AM on the final Saturday and it went well. There was a long line at security in the Provo airport even at 7:00 AM.

When was your last dive on Friday?

 

[Guy Carrier]

RJP3,

They do two dives on Friday starting with a dawn dive at 6:00 AM. We stayed shallow on both dives <50 ft and we were on NITROX. With an hour surface interval we were out of the water on the last dive at 8:45 AM.

I know its only 23 hours and 15 minutes of decompression time (45 minutes short) but we chose to take the early flight rather than spend 7-8 hours in the terminal. Flame away.

Guy

 

[RJP]

I know its only 23 hours and 15 minutes of decompression time (45 minutes short) but we chose to take the early flight rather than spend 7-8 hours in the terminal. Flame away.

LOL - I was diving with an instructor for my Dry Suit course a few months back and he said as we were entering the water for the second dive of the day... "Just think, tommorow you'll be sitting behind a desk..."

"Not me," I said "I've got an 8am flight to Los Ange....OH SH!T!"

This was around 10:30am and I completely forgot I was flying first thing in the AM.

Fortunately I was diving 36% and was no deeper than about 30ft. I did the second dive at 10:30 and was out of the water by about 10:40.

A calculated risk, but worked out because as predicted, my flight was delayed by about 2 hours.