Information on Turks and Caicos Trip?

[Mayor]

One other question, how far is the islands from one another? Can an op on another island pick me up at my hotel before the dive? Any small 6 pack boats around or is everything just to far away?

 

[scubadada]

My son and I are going to Providenciales in May and have chosen to use Caicos Adventures. Appears they consistently utilize best sites and offer reasonable dive freedom. I would imagine we'll get near an hour from the 80s as we did last Spring on the wall dives off Grand Cayman

Good diving, Craig

 

[CODMAN]

Unless you really have great SAC, I don,t think you'll be getting 60 minutes in the dives off West Caicos. The top of the walls are fairly deep. 50-60 feet. So you can't really come up off the wall and stay shallow to get max bottom time. Unless you want to stay midwater... I remember getting 40 minutes back then, but I was quite inexperienced and my SAC has improved dramatically now.

Great diving though. caicos adventures are a great OP.

 

[mjtnyr02]

I recently got certified in T&C and loved the experience. I used Big Blue Diving, the instructors all seemed knowledgable and excited about diving. The boats were nice, and they kept the group sizes small which allowed them to provide excellent service. They do not have time limits, and also offer great eco-tours and other activities for non-divers. I highly recomend you consider diving with them.

 

[Mayor]

We are staying at Beaches Resort. My wife told me the dives were included in our package. Does anyone have any information on the op at this location.

 

[CODMAN]

Mayor, to be fully honnest, the resort dive operations "suck"... Places like Beaches and Club med take you to the closest, overcrowded, mediocre diving there (I know, I went with Club med in 2006). The really good diving around there is at West caicos and French cay, which I seriously doubt beaches will be bringing you to. Northwest point is also pretty good, but not nearly as nice as west caicos!

When we went with Club med, even though the diving was included, we ditched them on our last day and went with Caicos adventures to West caicos!!!! We were litterally blown away by the difference! Had we known beforehand, we wound not have dived a single time with Club med and gone for Caicos adventures every day. They go regularly to the good spots.

If I go back, I'll definetly be going with a dive operator that will bring me to West caicos or on a liveaboard. And if you want to dive the best of the T&C, I suggest you book at least one day with another operator that will bring you out to West caicos or french cay. And do this at the beginning of the week! If you do it on the last day, and realise what you were missing, you'll be kicking yourself.

On the other hand, if you just want to do a bit of laidback diving, I'm sure the beaches operation will be OK. Just not awesome, that's all...

Just trying to help!

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

CA's dive freedom policy really depends on who is on the boat. If Fifi takes the boat out himself you will likely have considerably more freedom than if one of the other employees is in charge. I never felt restricted but did notice considerably more restrictive behavior when Fifi wasn't present.

The Beaches op is geared for all-inclusive mind-set divers. It can be rather mediocre due to their desire to keep the cost to the resort at a minimum. That doesn't mean you won't enjoy the diving it just means that your chances of truly great dives go up is you use CA at lease for a couple days. Use CA once the first day and Beaches the second and then let your wife decide.

 

[mibaro]

Since my wife and I are planning to go to T&C this spring I found this thread very useful. I'm checking out Caicos Adventure dive shop now. Good to know to avoid the resort diveshops.
BTW...when it the best time of year to visit T&C? Or is it great all year long?

Michael

 

[Valwood1]

Another favorable review of Caicos Adventures. I dove with them for three days in May 2008, and was quite pleased. When I was there, the CA boats left from a marina on the other side of the island from Grace Bay; you'll need some time (30 minutes or so, I guess) to make that trip if you're in Grace Bay area.

 

[Mayor]

Another favorable review of Caicos Adventures. I dove with them for three days in May 2008, and was quite pleased. When I was there, the CA boats left from a marina on the other side of the island from Grace Bay; you'll need some time (30 minutes or so, I guess) to make that trip if you're in Grace Bay area.

I was thinking they would pick us up at the dock but now I understand they bus us over to the boat. Still thinking about what I'm going to do about the dive op. 3,4, or 5 days.

A few posts I read stated the beaches op makes all divers do a check out dive. Is this in the pool or in the ocean. The reason I ask my rig has changed and I would love to do a quick weight check. Santa was good to me last year!