Grand Turk

Blue Water Divers, Salt Raker Inn, December, 1994. "Uncrowded, friendly island. Diving operation eager to please. Maximum of eight divers per boat. Excellent wall diving ­- good variety of healthy corals and sponges. Did not encounter many pelagics. Good underwater photo opportunities. 80 degree water, 70­150ft. visibility. . . . Salt Raker being gradually renovated. Comfortable. Excellent place to relax. Would go back in a minute. Enjoyed the peace and quiet (the noisier, disco crowd would prefer to remain on Provo)." Maurice and Trish Giraudier, Portland, OR

Blue Water Divers, Salt Raker Inn, February, 1995. "Seas calm and flat; no currents; water temperature 78°; visibility 50­ 60 feet; could dive own profile; computer controlling; otherwise limited to 100 feet. Coral bleaching, sand­covered walls, sadly only soft corals seem healthy. Charming inn with friendly people." N.R. Chickering, Nevada City, CA

Blue Water Divers, Salt Raker Inn, June, 1995. "The diving was fun and we will return, however, the 80-foot limit is restrictive." Wood, Houston, TX

Blue Water Divers, Salt Raker Inn, July, 1995. "Good diving. Large and varied game fish such as grouper, jacks, permit, mackerel, etc. Excellent close look at a feeding manta. Great night dive with many orange­ball anemones, three species of lobster. Seas calm and flat; no currents; water temperature 80° 82°; visibility 60­80 feet; could not dive own profile; enforced 90­foot depth but no time limit. Bad: Island is filthy; locals throw trash everywhere. Also overpopulated. Food expensive, frequently frozen (was violently ill one day with symptoms suggesting food poisoning. Hotel staff was polite, but not outgoing or friendly. Accommodations basic, superficially clean; many business clients; Salt Raker Inn is not a dive lodge. Dive staff friendly, polite and helpful. Only shortcoming: little in­ depth knowledge of local marine life. Overall rating: diving was in the top quarter of my Caribbean trips; island, food, and accommodations were in the bottom quarter." Si Campbell, Deland, FL

Blue Water Divers, Salt Raker, July, 1995. "Grand Turk a real find, decent diving close. Reefs are in good condition and fish life is good for Caribbean. Blue Water easy to dive with. Mitch and Nancy and Carl are excellent guides. Salt Raker is a pleasure, kind of funky but fun. Good was very good. Island is a typical sand bar with a few nice beaches though." John Anderson, NY, NY

Blue Water Divers, Salt Raker Inn, September, 1995. "The Salt Raker Inn is quaint, quiet, and relaxing. Nothing fancy but clean and comfortable, in the style of the 'old' Caribbean. Grand Turk is historic and friendly. . . . Blue Water Divers comes by boat to pick you up for a one tank dive at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. every day. You can request a two-tank dive if you want and they will do it. The diving was excellent. The more we looked the more we saw. Orange ball corralomorphs, Florida Corralomorphs, swimming crinoids, longsnout butterfly fish, banded cleaning crabs, not to mention juvenile fish of all kinds. A manta, nurse sharks, black-tipped reef shark, schools of blue tang, black durgeon, groupers and lots of shrimp. This reef is healthy and does not get too much diving pressure. . . . Boats were small and fairly wet. No oxygen on board but dive sites between 5-10 minutes away. Only negatives were cost of airfare to get to Grand Turk and cost of meals on the island. A meal package would be a real benefit. Highly recommend Salt Raker Inn and Blue Water Divers." Maxine and Fred Botti, Napa, CA

Cecil Ingram's Sea Eye Diving, Hotel Kittina, October, 1994. "Laid­back divemaster gave general guidelines; those with computers could do more. Good: Provo gets all the publicity, but I believe the better diving is off Grand Turk. It's similar to Bonaire in that the boat rides are short (five to seven minutes) and the seas are calm. If you're looking for the big party, stay on Provo. If you want great diving, divemasters who aren't overbearing, and some peace and quiet, make the extra effort to get to Grand Turk. Bad: Turn your watch to 'island time.' Not much to do outside of diving." Laurie O'Connor, Hurst, TX

Cecil Ingram's Sea Eye Diving, January, 1995. "Winds kept us off best dive sites. Could not dive your computer. Not overly helpful dive staff. One owner left for DEMA, other running for political office -­ not available. Staff showed lack of supervision. . . . Hotel run down, food mediocre, service slow but pleasant. Go in summer not winter." Alan Rothstein, Marietta, GA

Cecil Ingram's Sea Eye Diving, Hotel Kittina, February, 1995. "Dive guides were friendly and accommodating. Operation was fairly well run. Great wall diving. Visibility low due to weather. Hotel Kittina bills itself as remodeled in 1994. Don't believe it. Door fell off hinges, bath tub leaked. Cleanliness left something to be desired. Furnishings were old and faded. Hotel was repossessed by bank, and being managed via long distance by accountants." Charlie Denham, Lexington, KY

Provo

Art Pickering's Provo Turtle Divers, Turtle Cove Inn, November, 1994. "Art runs a great operation. The diving can't be compared to any other place in the Caribbean. The walls are beautiful and huge. Make sure you go to West Caicos and Northwest Point. Every dive was great - all 14 of them. Saw sharks on five of 12 dives. Turtle Cove Inn a nice hotel. Good restaurants in the area. Island is expensive. Will go again." Milton Provel, Edison, NJ

Art Pickering's Provo Turtle Divers, Turtle Cove Inn, November, 1994. "Second time at the resort. Turtle Cove Inn is laid back ­­ good food and bar, close to Pickering's Turtle Divers. Good help on boats ­­ very safety oriented; 130 ft max, computers ok, 80 degree water. 45 minute boat rides. . . . Plenty of looking around and shopping and dining for nondivers." Ralph Knode Jr., Sheridan, WY

Art Pickering's Provo Turtle Divers, Ramada Turquoise Reef, 1995. "Hotel is excellent but pricey. Great pool, wonderful beach, spacious rooms. I recommend against dining at the hotel; many better restaurants nearby. . . . We also chose not to use the local dive operator at the hotel, Dive Provo. We did go out with them one day and found them to be adequate, but less friendly, organized or accommodating as Provo Turtle Divers." Anon.

Art Pickering's Provo Turtle Divers, April, 1995. "Art Pickering's dive operation, boat guides and boats are excellent. Boats left on time, dive locations were well briefed, guides available if desired. Fresh water shower on new boat, soft drinks and water free. Air fills were good. Dive site selections were all buoyed and were varied each day. No hassle diving." R. Bruce Longman, Mt. Prospect, FL

Art Pickering's Provo Turtle Divers, May, 1995. "Dive operation was excellent. Boats were fast and well maintained. Dive guides were experienced and helpful. All skill levels of divers can enjoy diving with Provo Turtle Divers. Arrange for a private charter to French Cay -­ the highlight of our trip. . . . Caution: Several dive operations have similar names - be careful not to confuse operations." Anon.

Art Pickering's Provo Turtle Divers, Turtle Cove Inn, August, 1995. "We enjoyed our diving. They were efficient, friendly and we visited several excellent dive sites, including sites off Pine Cay and West Caicos. The reef is in excellent shape and is loaded with juvenile tropicals. A night dive showed the extensive variety of life: squid, upside down jellyfish, turtles, tulip snail, several species of shrimp, lobster, crabs, all on one isolated coral head. . . . Turtle Cove Inn is nice, clean and friendly. Beautiful pool with their own restaurant and several others nearby. Food is expensive and a room with a kitchenette would save some bucks. . . . Most dive operations will pick you up and return you to your hotel although I have no problem recommending Provo Turtle Divers. Experienced divers who like macro invertebrates will find Provo a paradise. New divers will find Provo exciting and rewarding with lots of small fish and chances for really big ones. Long boat rides and cost of food were only negatives." Fred and Maxine Botti, Napa, CA

Club Med Turkoise, March, 1995. "I planned to dive five days but could only dive two because it was so windy the dives had to be canceled. (20­50 ft. visibility). Trip to West Calcos was canceled because not enough people signed up, although I understand that the wind wouldn't have adversely affected that location. Due to poor conditions, we did not go to the better dive sites around Provo. Thus, my poor ratings don't reflect the location as much as the poor conditions I encountered. I don't know if I would dive with Club Med again. We had to swim to the dive boat with our gear because the dock was too short; the boat was crowded (because one boat was broken) and the divers were more interested in getting as much as they could out of the package price than paying a little extra to visit the better dive sites. . . . Good stuff: Club Med is one of the few places on the island with any evening things to do. In addition, food on Provo is expensive and most of the restaurants (with the exception of the Anaconda at the Grace Bay Club) were not that good. Club Med all inclusive meals were a good deal even if the rooms (no phones, TV or refrigerators) were just adequate." Kathleen Deutsch, Miami, FL

Club Med Turkoise, August, 1995. "Visibility was much better same time of year before, but seas were much choppier. Best day of diving was day­long excursion to West Caicos ($80 extra) with 'Fi Fi' of West Caicos Adventures - better visibility, lots of animals (several reef sharks on each dive), nice walls, all­ around excellent experience." Alison Peck, Middlebury, CT

Dive Provo, October, 1994. "Dive Provo manager told everyone to dive his profile or they will spend the rest of the week with the snorkel fairy. He never asked divers their experience; everyone had more than 10 years. Allowed more freedom. Great walls, good reefs. Lots of turtles, great beach, long ride to good dive sites - 45 minutes to one hour." Anon.

Dive Provo, January, 1995. "New Pro '42 will extend Dive Provo's range to previously unaccessible islands and sites and cut transportation time by half or two­thirds to West Caicos. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, great diving, and plenty of night life and nondiving activities. Flights directly into Provo from Miami via American Airlines." Matthew Havlik, Tucson, AZ

Dive Provo, Grace Bay Club, May, 1994. "Maybe the nicest hotel that we've visited anywhere in the Caribbean. Great room, located on the beach, good amenities. Expensive relative to other options (e.g., Ramada), but infinitely more charm. Restaurant on premises was excellent, but like hotel, expensive. . . . Overall diving was excellent. Coral in good shape, visibility was good, and great potential for pelagics (though we saw relatively few this trip). Recommend going in the spring/summer; though you sacrifice whale shark potential, the water is much more calm and the visibility is better. Dive Provo did a good job, but major discrepancies between divemasters. Some let you do your own thing (i.e., dive your computer), but others were far too restrictive in terms of dive times. No depth limit restrictions. Problem may have been that the restrictive dive-masters were brand­new. Maybe they'll get better with experience." P.A.P., New York, NY

Dive Provo, Turquoise Reef Resort, July, 1995. "My second trip to Provo was not as good as my first. First was wonderful, but you cannot guarantee the fish will be waiting. Dive operation very good, hotel is having a hard time but facility is excellent. Reef Resort was Ramada, but now Turquoise Reef Resort. I would go to again. Water is wonderful, sand beautiful." Jenny Singleton, Fayetteville, N.C.

Flamingo Divers, March, 1995. "Depth and time restrictions enforced. Great dive operation with small groups and personalized service. Boat rides to good dive sites are one to 1­3/4 hours, often in rough water. Water (77 degrees) considerably colder than in most of Caribbean, and windy, cloudy days made air temperature seem cold when we were wet. Visibility 60­100+ feet; Climate and water are better later in year, but boat rides are always long. NW point and West Caicos sites are spectacular." Sean and Bob Kirkpatrick, Russellville, KY

Flamingo Divers, May, 1995. "Long boat rides but worth the trip, especially to French Cay and West Caicos Dive Sites. Flamingo's staff friendly and accommodating. I would definitely go back. Provo is not inexpensive, but with competition and increase in tourism since my last trip three years ago, the quality of the food and accommodations, the prices are now more in line with the more popular dive destinations in the Caribbean." Danny Days, Stoneham, MA

Turtle Inn Divers, Turtle Cove Inn, November, 1994. "Turtle Cove Inn reasonably priced, comfortable, clean rooms, and only steps away from dive boat. Conveniently close to a good snorkeling and sunbathing beach, and within walking distance to several good, reasonably priced restaurants. . . . Turtle Inn Divers has quick, roomy and stable catamaran with easy entry and exits. One of the most comfortable boats we've ever dove from. Dive-masters helpful if asked and captain competent and safety conscious (though his personality was rather coarse). Tanks, weights, and rental gear all 1st class. Good variety of dive sites, however, lacking any wreck sites. Good value for the dollar, and easy to get to. Would go back." Susie and Steve Gargrove, Castalia, OH

Salt Cay

Mt. Pleasant Guest House, February, 1995. "Terrific people and service, great weather, terrific food. Coral and fish less than St. Lucia - but lots of historical information. Wreck was the best of all dives. Quiet, rustic island - which we prefer - can't beat good hospitality and Brian provided that." Katherine Dockerill, McKinney, TX

Mt. Pleasant Guest House, June, 1995. "Brian operates a unique, small-island guest house that lets you feel part of island life. This is not for anyone who demands luxury, as accommodations are basic - no air conditioning, share a bath, etc. But the food (ask for key lime pie and you get one baked) and diving are excellent, although the divemaster and boat captain's attitudes are not terribly accommodating. The weakest part of the stay at Mt. Pleasant was a surly attitude from the dive staff. Brian needs to hire more 'willing to work dive people.' All other employees were friendly and eager to please, however." Carol Block, Mosinee, WI

Copyright 1996 by DSDL, Inc., publishers of Undercurrent. All rights reserved. No portions of this report may be reproduced in any way, including photocopying and electronic data storage, without prior written permission from the publisher. For more information, contact DSDL, Inc., P.O. Box 1658, Sausalito, CA 94966.