Dive Review of Sea Eye/Turks Head Inn in
Turks and Caicos

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Sea Eye/Turks Head Inn, Jun, 2003, by gloria Freund, Va, US . Report 530.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This was my best yet diving experience. My only disappointment was not getting desired instruction in the u/w photography for which Cecil@ Seaeye is justly renowned. Shortly beforehand I learned SeaEye’s rental nikonos weren’t working which prevented a real photo course. I resigned to renting SeaEye’s point/shoot MX-10 but was halfway through my trip before getting the camera, care instruction and a few pointers. The quality of diving and by our SeaEye Divemaster, Smitty, more than took up the slack. As a working stiff from N. Virginia, its hard improving skills diving only once a year. Our small Seaeye dive groups allowed for personalized attention. After short, pithy briefs, Smitty let folks explore walls on their own or accompany him. Choosing the latter, we had the benefit of Smitty’s coaching to refine our technique and notice more critters. Smitty artfully weaves intimate knowledge of those reefs and walls with an intuitive, almost spiritual relationship with the environment; anyone, regardless of their experience, can learn something from him. So, with him, we slowed down, relaxed, shed nearly a third of our lead and consumed less air. Never rushed, we enjoyed bottom times of an hour-plus. Dive plans tarried at the best spots. We had arches, swimthroughs, gorgonians, elephant ear, rope, barrel, black, pipestem and other coral formations. Smitty pointed out critters we might have missed, and introduced us to resident groupers and hawksbill turtles willing to pose for photos. We saw several sea horses, yellow frogfish, batfish, scorpion fish, minute shrimp, spiney lobsters, barracuda, eel. Smitty’s “ugly” site (The Pits) was a fascinating extended safety stop amongst the old tires, crates, pylons and human debris in which sea creatures have established their castles. Most exhilarating was our dolphin encounter while commencing a safety stop at English Point. Four approached in a tightly-orchestrated frolic to w/in a few feet of each of us for mutual appraisals, braiding around each other and eyeing us from several vantages before moving on. Topside, Grand Turk is often said to offer little to non-divers. Indeed Grand Turk lacks glitz, upscale shopping, chainstores, fast food, commercial amusements. It is niether lush nor landscaped. It is nearly flat, dry, scrubby, and in some spots, spewn with trash. Amusement must be self-made or in contented relaxation. So whats to love? Beyond lovely, nearly un-peopled beaches and great snorkeling, Grand Turk has an individuality and warmth rarely found. Travellers will be happy who enjoy quiet, funky charm, genuinely friendly populace, and simple pleasures. Having no wheels, we availed of Smitty’s Island tour offer, so ‘experienced the place through the eyes of someone to whom it is beloved home. Old Cockburn town has many delapidating old plantation mansions that give parts of it a ghosttown feel. There is no gentrification here. (Many old structures remain in use -- churches, library, Eunice lodge, a great national museum.) Smitty drove us along North Creek past feral horses and donkeys to see feeding flamingoes, to a the lighthouse near the old Navy Base (now community college), and up along the ridge where spacious dream homes are slowly rising. The ridge overlooks both sides of the island to oceans beyond, including Cockburn town and old salt flats-turned-wildlife refuges. Cross-seabreezes give lift to egrets and herons. Lovely. Meals along Front street were good but pricey at $20-plus. Sunsets accompany good seafood at Water’s Edge. Regal Begal served reasonable fish & chips. But we found the best and most unique dining-experience at Chubby’s (aka Sap’s) a few miles north of town. Hours vary -- best call (242-1723 ). Open since summer 02, one won’t find a friendlier, more generous or accomodating host, nor fresher/better seafood at more reasonable prices. Chubby also treated us to stories of growing up a fisherman’s son (his father runs the fish market) and a rundown of Island goings-ons. An outdoor expansion should be done in summer 03 so guests can enjoy ultra-fresh grouper, lobster, or just-plucked-from-the-water conch under the stars. Chubby also offers other Island tour services. We stayed at Turks Head Inn for historic charm and convenience. Its shaded courtyard hosted our included breakfasts and the hammock, post-dive relaxing. Turks’ Head staff was accomodating; “deluxe” rooms on which we splurged were comfortable and spacious. Good showers had hot and cold water whenever needed. Re Saturday night Kareoke: all guests get the audio blast anyway so be downstairs with the crowd for the full effect. I left Grand Turk refreshed by the quiet, small community feel -- awakening to roosters’ crows and seeing cattle, feral donkeys and horses wandering about. Folks greet and readily chitchat with visitors who make the time. Everyone seems to know everyone else. Within a day or so after arriving I felt more relaxed, accepted, safe and at home above and below the water. Anxiety set in only when learning that Holland America may start developing a cruise ship pier as soon as late 03. A broadened economic base is argued, given loss of the salt industry by the 1960’s. Too often poverty and inadequate opportunity do accompany quaintness so appealing to visitors, and Grand Turk has its issues. But some Islanders share deep worries for what sudden, homogenizing cruise ship infrastructures of duty free shopping malls and mass-appeal amusements might impose on this small, open-hearted community. What will become of Grand Turk’s delicate reefs, natural treasures and gentle, welcoming termperament? One prays for Grand Turk politicians, the wisdom to absorb and pace any such development without sacrificing its most precious human and natural gifts. Many Carribean dive destinations invite exploration but can be satisfied with a single visit. Between its great reefs and and way of life, Grand Turk beckons returns.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	26-50 dives
Where else diving	Grand Cayman, Hawaii, Virgin Islands, Dominica, Florida
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm, noCurrents
Water Temp	76-80°F / 24-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-90 Ft/ 18-27 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	come back alive
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Sea eye rents and instructs on nikonos and MX-10 but during my visit, all nikonos were in repair and I could only get an MX-10 for part of the stay.

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Dive Review of Sea Eye/Turks Head Inn in Turks and Caicos

Sea Eye/Turks Head Inn, Jun, 2003,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Sea Eye/Turks Head Inn in
Turks and Caicos