Grand Turk trip Report

[DiverDonn]

Just got back from 8 days on Grand Turk in T&C. This was my second trip there in about 5 years. The weather wasn't bad, and we only lost one day due to heavy winds and poor water visibility. IMO Grand Turk is a great dive spot for the beginner to medium divers. The wall runs parallel to the west side of the island and is only about 300 yards off shore. Very easy and quick to get to. The wall usually starts around 30-40 feet and goes all the way down. Generally very little current so you can go in, get to whatever depth you are comfortable with (usually 60-90 feet), do the first part of the dive, then ascend and do the balance of the dive at 30-45 feet.
This time of year, the water was slightly chilly-about 77-78F. We saw all the usual suspects including turtles, Drums, some small sharks, barracuda etc. I feel that the fish and coral were not as plentiful as my last trip, but I do know that Hurricane Ike played havoc with this small island a few years ago. The Coral is still magnificent in many areas and the very small creatues are plentiful.
I stayed at The Island House, this time, which is not on the beach, but the prices were better than most of the other choices, and they give you a car for the week as part of your rate. Island house has a great pool, and although no restaurant, the car makes it very convenient to drive the 5 minutes to the middle of town where most restaurants are. I booked a studio suite which is basically a one room with Kitchenette and sitting area, but because they were not crowded I got a complimentary upgrade to a 2 room suite which was VERY roomy and comfortable.
Finally, I dove, this time, with Blue Water Divers and can say they run a really nice operation. They use 24+ foot Carolina skiffs, which can hold 10 divers comfortably, but we never had more than 7, and most days only 4 divers on board. The D/M's Dan and Jesse were very helpful and accomodating- they would go wherever the majority wished to dive. The other thing I liked about BWD was that they may have had 1 or 2 divers from the cruise ships, but they never seemed to have more than that. This meant that all the "regulars" on board could remain comfortable with the level of their fellow divers. If or when I go back to GT I will certainly only dive with Blue Water Again. My only regret was that my U/W camera went Hinkey on me so I never got any decent photos.
Any questions, feel free to PM me. DD

 

[Chidiver]

Hi DD:
Your report was very timely, as I've been trying to figure out where to go this year. We were in Provo about 9 years ago, and liked it a lot (other than it was pricey for our income level back then). I thought GT would be cool, as it was even more "away from it all" than Provo, which sounds likes it's really getting built up. In looking at Oasis Diver's site, and doing some reading on Scubaboard, I was concerned about reports from Hurricane Ike damage. Did you find that to be obvious or a distraction from your trip? Can you comment on damage to the reefs or any reduction in marine life? Is there any advantage to renting a place to do your own cooking? I suspect it's not much cheaper, if at all, to buy groceries on GT, given its remote location. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

ML

 

[DiverDonn]

ML:
Topside, there was not many obvious signs of the damage from Ike. There were a few "abandoned" houses arround, but I would have to say that physically the island has recovered quite well. The great thing about GT versus Provo, is that on GT all the dive sites are within 5-10 minutes of where you board the dive boat- no long rides back and forth to the reef.
Although I felt that there was a noticeable reduction in marine life from my visit a few years ago, and parts of the reef were still pretty chewed up, there were still enough things to see and do underwater to make it a good trip.
As to renting a house, that is an option, but I found that staying at the Island House, with virtually a full kitchen, I had breakfasts and most lunches (after coming back from the dives) in my room. It was very convenient, and in spite of the cost of food, much cheaper than eating every meal out.
There are a few grocery stores on the island, and although the prices are higher than here in the states, they weren't outrageously so.
Hope that answers all your questions... DD

 

[Chidiver]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. How pervasive were lionfish there? Are any operations taking steps to eradicate, or does everyone have to watch this "beautiful" pest?

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for the report

 

[Revid1]

Glad to see that you liked GT. We stayed at the island house a few years ago prior to the cruise ships coming. It remains one of my favorite islands for diving. I'm sure that the reefs have been damaged from the cruise ships and the increase in the number of divers. Top side wasn't great, but the diving more than made up for it.