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Dive Review of Caicos Adventures/Ocean Club West in
Turks and Caicos/Providenciales

Caicos Adventures/Ocean Club West, Aug, 2008,

by Jim Thomas, OH, USA ( 2 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 4267.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 2 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This is a superb dive operation with a very competent and friendly staff. The boats were the by far the best non-liveaboards I've ever dived, providing a very comfortable and enjoyable ride to the superb wall dives which lie 40-60 minutes away. I was there with my wife and her 2 teenage daughters, who all obtained their AOW certification on this trip. Emma, their British instructor, is a former nanny, and it showed in the genuine care she demonstrated throughout the training process. All emerged much stronger and more confident divers, while also having wonderful fun throughout the process. We also dove with Emma's husband Roger, who was a terrific divemaster. Together they exemplify the kind of staff that owner Fifi Kunz hires: seasoned, extremely competent, but also friendly and fun. Kudoes also to Wes and Bea, another divemaster/instructor couple, and Asa, who commanded the boat with authority and dry humor. What makes this operation stand out from other Providenciales groups is that their great boats allow them to dive the outer walls of West Caicos and French Cay every day. We started each day with a deep wall dive (100 feet or so) with beautiful, healthy coral, giant sponges, and a host of critters (usually a shark or two, turtles, big groupers, lobsters, crabs, and lots of reef fish). Even the surface interval was fun, with baguette sandwiches and chips offered and plenty of room in the sun or the shade, whatever your preference. The second (and third, on three-tank Thursdays) dives went to 60-70 feet, but still allowed a lot of wall action, as the top begins around 30-40 feet (and drops over a mile). During the girls' peak performance bouyancy test, an over-friendly grouper and a reef shark positioned themselves in the middle of the group with hilarious results.

Our accommodation was at the Ocean Club West, which was great, including a full kitchen where we could prepare all breakfasts and lunches on nondiving days. The beach and pool were never crowded. For dinners, a rental car is a near necessity unless you want to confine yourself to walkable restaurants. Our favorites were Baci and Aqua in Turtle Cove.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Cozumel, Hawaii, Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, Red Sea, Fiji
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 83-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 75-125 Ft/ 23-38 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions General guidance about suggested depths on successive dives, but no enforcement if you were competant. Divemasters provided for those who wanted a guided tour, which was helpful getting the most out of the dive.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities 3 stars
UW Photo Comments Camera tank provided. Lots of good subject material with very good visibility.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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