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Your Guide to Diving Turks and Caicos
Including Grand Turk, South Caicos, West Caicos, Providenciales, and Salt Cay

All of Undercurrent's information on diving Turks and Caicos, including articles, reader reports, Chapbook sections, ...

Diving Turks and Caicos Overview

This island group, south of the Bahamas and north of the Virgins, features awesome walls and clear water. Provo, the glitzy tourist island, has spectacular beaches, but shallow water and it's an hour's boat ride to the better diving of South or West Caicos. Grand Turk is a funky, laid-back island that has a dramatic wall right offshore and occasional fishy surprises. Salt Cay has pretty diving plus the wreck of HMS Endymion, a British 18th Century frigate, and the boats visit Grand Turk's wall. Bring a sweater in the winter; it can get cool in the evenings. The flight to Provo from Miami is a little over an hour. Hurricanes? The islands took a double blow from both Irma and Maria in 2017.

Turks and Caicos Seasonal Dive Planner

During the rainy season, June through November, average monthly rainfall averages about 2.5 inches (more than 6cm) a month. The dry season runs from January to May, and the monthly average drops to about 1 inch (25mm). Winter temperatures can drop to 60°F (16°C) but average about 77°F (25°C). Bring a jacket for evenings, since the wind may kick up and it gets chilly. Northerly winds can disrupt the diving periodically. Summer brings temperatures back up to 90°F-plus (32°C). Water temperatures range from a low of 71°F (22°C) in winter to a high of 80°F-plus (27°C) during summer.

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Diving Turks and Caicos Reader Reports and Feature Articles

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Latest Reader Reports from Turks and Caicos

from the serious divers who read Undercurrent

All Reader Reports from Turks and Caicos

All 10,000+
Reports
Blue Water Divers/Osprey Beach Hotel Report in Turks and Caicos/Grand Turk Island
"Cannot recommend Blue Water Divers, Osprey Beach Hotel, Grand Turk"
filed Feb 5, 2024 by NEAL LANGERMAN (Experience: Over 1000 dives, 16 reports, Contributor )
1 stars

The British West Indies are part of the island chain separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. As such, the islands tend to... ... Read more Photos available


Dive Provo Report in Turks and Caicos
"Provo Still Offers Excellent Diving"
filed Jan 3, 2024 by Philip Karp (Experience: 251-500 dives, 4 reports, Reviewer )
4 stars

I've been a two previous dive trips to Turks and Caicos, diving with Dive Provo both times. But the last trip was in 2012, and I had r... ... Read more


AquaTCI/VRBO Report in Turks and Caicos
"Trying T&C for Diving"
filed Nov 29, 2023 by Francis Loncar (Experience: 251-500 dives, 13 reports, Contributor )
4 stars

T&C is all wall diving, thus it can be intimidating for novices, one needs control as the wall plunges down 150+ feet from a top of 50 ... ... Read more


Dive Provo /Ports of Call Report in Turks and Caicos
"Land Based Limitations on Providenciales"
filed Nov 13, 2023 by David Van Ryn (Experience: 501-1000 dives, 10 reports, Sr. Reviewer )
4 stars

Our annual educational dive group made a trip to T&C in November. Our plans changed in Spring and we were lucky to find room for our gr... ... Read more


Provo Turtle Divers/vrbo Report in Turks and Caicos
"Best ever surface interval"
filed Nov 12, 2023 by Stacey Garrison DDS (Experience: 101-250 dives, 4 reports, Reviewer )
3 stars

Turks and Caicos is a beautiful island. Friendly people safe to travel and a lot of fun even though they drive on the wrong side of the... ... Read more


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Complete Articles Available to Undercurrent Online Members; Some Publicly Available as Indicated

Diving Turks and Caicos Articles - Liveaboards

Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Raja Ampat, Belize, live reefs, dead reefs, liveaboards, shore diving, 3/23
The Caribbean, Hawaii, the Galapagos, Florida, everybody sees sharks these days, 3/22
South Caicos, Jupiter, St. Vincent, Cozumel South Caicos, Jupiter, St. Vincent, Cozumel -- Publicly Available, Undercurrent subscribers are traveling again, 10/21

Available to the Public
No Side-Mount Tanks on Aggressors?, 6/18
Turks and Caicos Explorer II, great boat, great food, but degraded reefs, 6/16
What’s Going on with the Aggressor Fleet?, $500 vouchers may not be enough to quiet complaints, 8/15
Turks & Caicos Explorer II, Plenty of fish - - and mysterious gnomes, 10/13
Turks & Caicos Explorer II, the best of the Caribbean, 8/06
Dancing in a Sea of Diversity, Aboard the Sea Dancer in the Turks & Caicos, 8/97
Sea Dancer, Turks And Caicos, B.W.I., Can A Hotel Chain Run A Liveaboard Dive Boat?, 10/87

Diving Turks and Caicos Articles - Land Based

Oasis Divers, Osprey Beach Hotel, Grand Turk, BWI, an old haunt revisited after the long lay-off, 4/22
The Bicycle Thief, 4/22
East Bay Resort, Reef Divers, South Caicos, TCI, superb property, but the jury is out on the diving, 2/22
South Caicos, 2001: Will The Diving Be The Same?, 2/22

Available to the Public
Dolphins in Grand Turk Home Swimming Pools?, 7/16
Gnomes Below?, 10/13
Turks & Caicos, Grand Cayman, Costa Rica, plus advice about Mabul diving and your passport pages, 10/11
Kiribati, Yeah; Kri, Nay, important updates for dive travelers, 5/06
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, Unspoiled for another month, 1/06
Thumbs Down, 2/05
Old Providence, The Caribbean, the most prolific fish in the hemisphere, 3/03
South Caicos Ocean Haven, a return to yesteryear, 5/01
Provo Off the Beaten Path, Flamingo Divers leaves Grace Bay behind, 8/00
Diving the Wild West Caicos, going the extra distance with Fifi, 9/99
Turks & Caicos Hideaway, Languid Salt Cay is my kind of place., 7/98
The Grand Turk of the Turks & Caicos, Caribbean charm of yesterday, 6/98
Trouble in the Turks & Caicos, Divers complain of overcharges and underservice, 6/97
Club Carib, South Caicos, Diving on the edge — beyond the big-name resorts, 1/97
Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands, B.W.I., A Great Place to Visit à, And The Diving is Pretty Good Too, 8/93
Providenciales, Turks And Caicos, B.W.I., Worth A One-Week Stand, 4/87
Grand Turk Update, 5/83
Grand Turk, British West Indies, Ready For The Right Business, 3/83
Grand Turk Reservations, 3/83
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, B.W.I., Where Diving Transcends Polities, 2/83
Bora, Bora; Turks & Caicos, #NAME?, 9/80
Update: The Turks And Caicos, 9/80
Third Turtle Inn, Provo, Turks And Caicos, One Of Those Magical Moments, 3/80
Update: Prospect Of Whitby, North Caicos, 3/80
Prospect of Whitby, North Caicos, So virgin that you name the reefs, 7/79
Admiral's Arms, South Caicos, B.W.I., #NAME?, 10/78
Grand Turk, B.W.I.,, Hurry up Leni; the word is out, 4/78

Turks and Caicos Sections from Our Travelin' Diver's Chapbooks

Reader Reports filed for that year
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Turks and Caicos Liveaboards

For Members Only

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For Public

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2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
2003 2002 2001          

Land Based Dive Resorts in Turks and Caicos

For Members Only

2024 2023 2022          

For Public

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
2004 2003 2002 2001        
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Editor's Book Picks for Scuba Diving Turks and Caicos
Including Grand Turk, South Caicos, West Caicos, Providenciales, and Salt Cay

The books below are my favorites about diving in this part of the world All books are available at a significant discount from Amazon.com; just follow the links. -- BD

Travel Edition of Reef Fish Identification: Caribbean, Bahamas,
South Florida. Travel Edition of Reef Fish Identification: Caribbean, Bahamas, South Florida
by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach

Today's airline weight restrictions not only limit the amount of dive gear and cameras you can pack for overseas trips, but also those valuable prized marine life identification books. And with spotty Internet access overseas, it's not like you can look a critter of or fish up easily online. For the divers who still want a book in their hands post-dive to look up the fishes they encounter, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach are offering "Travel Edition of Reef Fish Identification: Caribbean, Bahamas, South Florida." It's lightweight enough to thrown in your carry-on but rugged enough to withstand frequent saltwater washings on board.

Click here to buy it at Amazon.



World Atlas of Coral Reefs
by Mark D. Spalding, Corinna Ravilious, Edmund P. Green, United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center.

If there is one book that belongs in every traveling diver's library, this is it. The superb World Atlas of Coral Reefs has everything you want to know about the reefs from Costa Rica and Cuba to the Coral Sea and Cayman. The information is specific and up to date. The photos, maps and layout superb. And the price, for this 424 page, full color, hard bound volume, is a steal at $31.50

The Atlas was released in September by the United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center to document and conserve the world's coral reefs. Clearly written with divers in mind, it's an invaluable resource for global travelers. Here's what you'll find.

  • 94 maps, including global maps of biodiversity and reef stresses, regional maps showing 3-D bathymetry and high resolution maps showing reefs, mangroves, population centers, dive centers and protected areas.
  • 280 color photographs, showing reefs, wildlife, people and places, Including 84 photographs taken from space by Shuttle astronauts.
  • Text explaining the formation, structure and ecology of coral reefs; their various uses and abuses at the hands of humans; and the techniques used in coral reef mapping.
  • Detailed texts describing the distribution and status of coral reefs in every country.
  • Data tables listing information on biodiversity, human use, and protected areas. These include statistics on coral reef area, biodiversity, fish consumption, and threats.

For example, you can learn about pollution damage to the reefs at Providenciales and the lack of human impact, as well. Or, where extensive bleaching took place in Honduras 1998. You'll read that Milne Bay in Papua New Guineas has the most extensive reef system in that country and where, in Fiji, the bumphead parrotfish and tridachna clams will not be found, thanks to overfishing. Order now.



Reef Fish ID Reef Creature ID Reef Coral ID

The Reef Set: Reef Fish, Reef Creature and Reef Coral (3 Volumes):
Paul Humann ID Books
by Paul Humann, Ned Deloach

The three set fish, creature and coral ID books by Paul Humann are the unparalleled sources for information on Caribbean sea life and identification. Paul and his partner Ned Deloach recently released updated and expanded editions of each, with scores of new critters, even better photos, and information unavailable anywhere else. Why, the Reef Fish Identification book, at more than 500 pages, is 20 percent larger than the previous volume, which came out in 1994. Whenever I travel to the Caribbean, I tote all three books and spend my down hours figuring out what I saw and where to look to find rare creatures. Paul's splendid Reef Creature book (420 pages), covers sponges, nudibranchs, octopus, crustaceans, Christmas tree worms and plenty more. His Reef Coral ID book (276 pages) helps you identify all the hard and soft corals, spawning, and even the growth on top of corals, as well as algae and other plant life. Beginners may want to ID only fish, but I'd recommend that all three books be part of every diver's library. And, if you have an old set, by all means replace it. You'll be delighted at the additions and improvements. Each book normally retails for $40, but are discounted when you order here. And the boxed 3-volume set is available now at a bigger discount, up to 30%. Click below to buy them at Amazon:

* Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas,
* Reef Creature Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, and
* Reef Coral Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas
* The Boxed Set of all three (you can save up to 30%)



Coral Reefs of the Caribbean A Guide to the Coral Reefs of the Caribbean
by Mark Spalding

This book doubles as a guide to the natural history of the coral reefs and a diver's travel guide. In addition to providing information about some of the most popular diving and snorkeling, it also offers practical suggestions to divers who want to protect these sites. Author Mark Spalding, a coral reef scientist who has worked on coral reefs in over thirty countries, delves into the eco-problems with a focus on what each person can do to protect the reefs. The guide section covers 35 dive destinations with key information on the reefs, marine parks, remote places, and unusual species as well as excellent maps and a photographic field guide of the marine flora and fauna.
Order Now at a reduced price of only $16.47.



Diving Southeast Asia There's a Cockroach in My Regulator
by Undercurrent

The Best of Undercurrent: Bizarre and Brilliant True Diving Tales from Thirty Years of Undercurrent.

Shipping now is our brand new, 240-page book filled with the best of the unusual, the entertaining, and the jaw dropping stories Undercurrent has published. They’re true, often unbelievable, and always fascinating. We’re offering it to you now for the special price of just $14.95.

Click here to order.



You might find some other books of interest in our Editor's Book Picks section.

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