Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands

March 13, 2008


Grand Turk Island is named after a species of cactus on the island, whose top is said to resemble a Turkish fez. Grand Turk first came to international attention in 1962 when John Glenn’s Mercury spacecraft landed off the southeast shoreline in the vicinity of the island. A replica of the spacecraft is on display at the entrance to the airport. Although historians do not have conclusive proof, it has been suggested that Grand Turk was the possible site of landfall for Christopher Columbus during his discovery of the New World in 1492. The Turks and Caicos Islands are comprised of eight main islands and twenty smaller islands. The Caicos Islands are the larger group, with almost 96 percent of the land area and 82 percent of the population (around 3,000-4,000 people total!) As a British territory, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the sovereign.. In its long history, many different nations have controlled the islands and they were a popular hideout for pirates and a source of slaves for many of the controlling nations. The primary economic resource is tourism and offshore financial services. Upscale resorts appeal to tourists – mostly coming from the United States and The United Kingdom to take advantage of the beautiful beaches and crystal clear blue waters.

It was those crystal clear waters that drew my attention for shortly after leaving the ship I boarded a snorkeling boat and was soon floating above the beautiful and colorful fishes. Our first stop was most interesting as we anchored just on the edge of the reef. The water just beneath us was about 35 feet deep and hosted scores of large and small fish...one more colorful than the next. As one of our guides dove deep into the water he opened a small plastic bottle filled with food and the fish suddenly swarmed the area....how much fun. The poor guy could hardly surface for the hundreds of fish that engulfed him.

At the edge of the reef the depth of the sea plunged to a staggering 7,000 feet. It was very dramatic to see the difference in the color of the water and how the fish stayed on the reef with a few brave souls venturing off every so slightly into the deeper water. Very beautiful and very dramatic.

Our next stop was in a much shallower area...I would think about 10 feet or so! Here the reef was much more colorful with slowly waving “fans” of coral...lots of brain coral...and tons of exotic fish. What a relaxing day in this most beautiful part of the world. It would be fun to come back here and stay for several days to take full advantage of the beautiful waters!