Trip Report East Bay Resort: South Caicos Oct 2 - 9, 2021

[mddyver]

One form per person.

One form per person. If asked if someone is traveling with you, you're traveling alone. Period. No exceptions.

 

[mddyver]

On Friday January 7th my travel partner and I were tested at a site for a rapid response antigen test. We received the results within 2 hours. Completed the TCI Travel Authorization online request around 1830 and got the approval to travel around 0130 on January 8th, about 60 hours ahead of our arrival time. It took 30-45 minutes to complete the application with do overs and repeats and general website design cluster****ery.

Without access to a guaranteed rapid test turnaround we would still be awaiting results as I write this, had we chosen to get the standard CVS Pharmacy self administered, Labcorp tested, PCR Test with 1-3 day suggested turnaround. Recommended turnaround times as I write this from Eastern NC are 2-6 days.

For the foreseeable future, have all your kit ready to go a week or more in advance of your arrival and give at least several days to get your testing and paperwork in order and budget some cash in advance for a rapid test in case the SHTF.

 

[mddyver]

We made it to TCI and finally to East Bay. The paperwork review at imigration was perfunctory. So long as you have the TCI approval letter, everything is fine. No further questions asked. Still waiting for my results of our PCR test from CVS. My partner got theirs as we were sitting on the tarmac.

 

[AggieDiver]

Seen any whales yet? They posted a video on facebook the other day, but I couldn't tell if it was a recent video or not.

 

[mddyver]

Seen any whales yet? They posted a video on facebook the other day, but I couldn't tell if it was a recent video or not.

No. But the crew is still talking about last week's sighting. Two divers thought they heard a whale singing on this morning's dive at Deep Grotto. Whale spout spotted on the way to Grand Turk earlier this week, however, so that's an almost sighting.

 

[mddyver]

Several of our guests, ourselves included, noted that the answer to the question, "are you seeking medical exemption for a covid vaccination?" is pre-marked "yes". If you don't mark it "no", the website rejects your test results. Two guests marked the answer "no", then "yes", then "no" again and were able to submit the test results. So far all our guests have been able to complete the form in advance of their travel, although most struggled at some level.

 

[Cornellxc]

Whales around GT now for sure. Hearing them on most dives and reliably spotting them when out on the backside of Salt Cay. Tis the season.

 

[AggieDiver]

No. But the crew is still talking about last week's sighting. Two divers thought they heard a whale singing on this morning's dive at Deep Grotto. Whale spout spotted on the way to Grand Turk earlier this week, however, so that's an almost sighting.

Mddyver, would love to see a trip report on how your group liked East Bay Resort when you have the time. We have a trip planned there for late March and would love to see some reports from folks who have been there since the ownership change. Thanks!

 

[mddyver]

Mddyver, would love to see a trip report on how your group liked East Bay Resort when you have the time. We have a trip planned there for late March and would love to see some reports from folks who have been there since the ownership change. Thanks!

I can't promise a comprehensive trip report, but you can get a sense of what we saw on our Facebook page.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

I'll try to work a report up for SB in the meantime.

 

[AggieDiver]

I can't promise a comprehensive trip report, but you can get a sense of what we saw on our Facebook page.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

I'll try to work a report up for SB in the meantime.

I totally get not having alot of time to do a comprehensive report. Even if you just give some general impressions, water conditions, and overall process discussion, it would be very helpful. With the new ownership and not much in the way of recent reports out there even before that, it would just be nice to set our expectations before we show up in late March. Thanks for the link to the photos. Nice to see the large stingrays and eagle rays and that they didn't seem to be too skittish around divers. Hopefully that doesn't change over time.