Liveaboard Diving in West Caicos
WHAT TO EXPECT ON A WEST CAICOS LIVEABOARD
Liveaboards to West Caicos visit this uninhabited island, approximately 16km southwest of Provo, usually as part of a Turks & Caicos dive itinerary. With 25+ unsoiled dive sites, this area is not to be missed! With so many unparalleled dive sites to choose from, opting for a liveaboard dive trip is the only way to make the best of your time.
Extraordinary walls span nearly 9km of the west side of the island and to the east of the island, the Southwest Reef stretches for 2.5km. For those who are interested in observing more than just the magnificent marine life whilst on their liveaboard trip, this area is also a common ground for wild flamingos, pelicans, and osprey.
WEST CAICOS UNDERWATER
The diversity of West Caicos underwater allows for an excellent opportunity to witness large pelagic species passing through. Among such species are blacktip reef sharks, spotted eagle rays, barracuda, turtles, and even manta rays and hammerheads on occasion. Brightly colored coral and sponge species are prevalent here as well. Visibility is usually no less than 30m in this area. With astounding visibility and no shortage of sights to be seen, diving from a liveaboard dive trip is truly something to write home about!
DIVE SITES OF WEST CAICOS
Liveaboards dive itineraries that visit West Caicos will dive on numerous sites in the area, an overview on just a few of them are outlined below;
DRIVEWAY -This dive site gets its name from the sand chute that stretches down through the reef from 15m all the way to 30m. For a deeper dive, descend down the driveway through a ripe reef brimming with breathtaking species of coral, sponges, eels, rays, black durgons, and groupers. If a calm shallow dive is more your speed, float above the top of the wall among sporadic sprouts of a coral head.
GULLIES - A sensational wall dive that gets its name from the large split in the reef separating it into two definite sections. Beyond the split, the wall descends vertically. Rife with sponge, anemone, and coral covered undercuts, the wall is a popular spot for stingrays, barracuda, and reef sharks.
ROCK GARDEN INTERLUDE - A sand flat approximately 12m in depth that leads to a steep wall drop off. Garden eels, yellow-headed jawfish, rays, flounder, grunts, snapper, grouper, conch, and yellow coral shrimp are among the marine life frequently found in the sand flat.
THE ANCHOR/WHITEFACE - The name Whiteface comes from the expansion of dramatic white cliffs stretching along the shoreline. Whiteface is a wall dive with profoundly unique and remarkable columns of pillar coral. Angelfish, butterflyfish, grouper, barracuda, and parrotfish are several common species of this interesting dive site. Another notable feature is the anchor embedded in a crevice in the wall approximately 23m deep.
ELEPHANT EAR CANYON - A reef replete with immense orange Elephant Ear Sponge formations over 3m in diameter. Cruising among these glorious giants has an incomparable calming effect; what a great way to spend an hour! The reef is scattered with sand chutes that are home to garden eels, stingrays, and tilefish.
TOP TIPS FOR DIVERS
Packing light is highly recommended on liveaboard trips. While accommodations are quite comfortable, storage can be limited. Casual and lightweight clothing is acceptable to wear. A lightweight jacket or sweater may come in handy for evenings, as temperatures on the water are usually cooler than on land. High quality, biodegradable sunscreen is a necessity in the strong tropical sun.
The weather and water temperature around West Caicos are ideal. Warm and tranquil waters make diving a dream. A rash guard or a 3mm shorty wetsuit is typically all that is necessary for the near-perfect conditions of Turks and Caicos.
Be sure to pay close attention to the dive brief and leads, as well as your depth gauge while diving. Maximum depths are carefully considered to ensure diver safety. It can be easy to exceed the depth limits on a wall dive if distracted. Never exceed the depths of the dive lead in accordance with the RDP.
West Caicos is a largely protected marine park. Therefore, it is imperative that divers take only pictures and memories, and leave only bubbles. Disturbing marine life in protected areas is not only frowned upon, but it is also illegal.
GETTING THERE
Because West Caicos is an uninhabited island, the best way to visit the plentiful dive sites this area has to offer is with a Turks and Caicos liveaboard dive tour. Arrive on an international flight to Provo island, where your luxury liveaboard yacht awaits embarkation.
