Diving in the Turks and Caicos

Harbour Club Villas and Marina mooring dive boats a short walk away
Harbour Club Villas and Marina mooring dive boats a short walk away

The MARINA at Harbour Club Villas is home to two top notch dive companies. This makes for a very convenient, few minutes walk for our diving guests. If you are diving with Aqua TCI and Flamingo Divers you’re just a short easy walk away from your dive boat!

Harbour Club Villas and Marina has dive boats leaving daily for many of our spectacular dive sites.

Harbour Club’s six villas provide the best in dive accommodation on Providenciales. One bedroom villas fully equipped with kitchen, large living area and with pool and gazebo. These stand alone villas are just made for a great diving vacation for couples, families as well as small dive groups. Just a short walk takes you to the docks and dive excursions.

An open living and dining area, with sofa bed and couches.

The Turks and Caicos Islands have some of the most spectacular reefs and diving. We are blessed with the second largest reef system in the Western Hemisphere and divers will be amazed at the numerous dive sites (some 90 sites)………North West Point, West Caicos, Sandbore Channel, French Cay and Grace Bay.

We have about 300 miles of barrier reef and in Provo with boat rides of up to 40 minutes or so from our dock. WOW, the visibility is easily in the range of 80 feet or more. 

Guests have a short walk in the mornings to go diving

A short walk from the villas takes you down to the marina

 

A short walk down to Aqua TCI and other boats in the mornings.

Aqua TCI is just down the hill and the photo shows our tiki hut peeking through the trees.  A short walk further down the dock, you will find Flamingo Divers and Caicos Adventures. All are within walking distance from our villas……….so how convenient is that!

You can be up and out the door, walk down to the dock and be on your dive boat within minutes.

Scuba diving accommodation at Harbour Club Villas and Marina in the Turks and Caicos Islands with dive boats moored in the Marina

Scuba diving accommodation at Harbour Club Villas and Marina with dive boats moored in the Marina

Aqua TCI in Cooper Jack Bay just outside the Marina coming into the channel.

Harbour Club’s Marina is the eastern portion of South Side Marina where several dive operators moor their boats.

Provo’s best dive operators run dive boats from the marina at Harbour Club Villas

FLAMINGO DIVERS with Mickey and Jayne

“We love diving….we love people….so therefore we love taking people diving.”          Between these two lovely people, they have over 52 years of professional diving experience!!

Flamingo Divers are usually the first to head out for dive sites at West Caicos, French Cay or the North West Point………..there’s some 90 sites out there.

Mickey and Jayne are specialists in small group diving with never more than six divers.

Flamingo Divers provide “World Class, small group Scuba Diving At Your Fin Tips”.

A high percentage (some 83%) are returning divers and they tailor dive profiles to suit preferences and levels of experience so book early to save your space. 

Dive with Mickey and Jayne of Flamingo Divers.

Awesome diving with a humpback whale

Jayne writes “Stairway to Heaven at West Caicos. Well….this site earned its name today! We spent 60 minutes hovering and watching this gentle giant hang in front of us, and drift up every 15 minutes for a breath of air, and promptly swim back to us again. When our air consumption finally dictated our ascent, we swam to the anchor line and slowly began ascending, only to look behind and watch him follow us! With us hanging at 15 ft. and him at about 20 ft. we simply stared at each other for another 3 minutes until, bitter sweetly so, we had to finish our dive.”

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Great excitement on seeing a whale shark.

AQUA TCI  with Bill and Stephanie 

Bill and Stephanie …….diving with the best of the best

These two beautiful people have been diving for 20 years and their mantra is: “All that’s required from you is to relax, DIVE and chill!” They do all the work for you and all you have to do is ENJOY.  

They have recently added Chuck’s Mate dive boat to give guests options on a larger boat. It is a 36 foot Newton Dive special which will hold between 12 and 14 divers but capable of taking on a few more.

Aqua TCI dive boats heading out for diving off the reefs of Provo

Restaurant close by to Harbour Club Villas lodging on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Marina showing Bob’s Bar and Eats. A great spot for sunsets and delicious food in a casual setting

Grab your morning coffee and just walk to your dive boat in the mornings. Dive sites are about 40- 45 minutes away.

Heading out for the reefs of Providenciales and some fabulous diving.

 

Malcolm Roads beach and the Northwest Point – these dive sites, are approximately a 40 minute boat ride from Harbour Club Marina. The wall starts at 35 feet and plunges to more than 3000 feet. Divers will see black coral, tube sponges and wire coral with abundant schools of fish. 

Liveaboard out by Malcolm Roads beach

Great underwater photos are by Michael Morton.

Thanks Mike for the super photos!

Beautiful yellow tube sponges

 

Corals and fish in the clear waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands

 

Scuba dive boats heading to the many dive sites of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Aqua TCI heading out to French Cay on a calm day.

French Cay – is a tiny atoll about 15 miles due south of Providenciales and offers virtually no shelter from the seas so it simply has to be dived in good, calm weather. It is well worth the 50 minute boat ride with some of the best walls and reefs in the islands. It has two distinguishing features which make for great dives. First, the wall faces south and is usually well lit by the sun’s rays. Secondly, the top of the wall is relatively shallow at 40 feet and well covered with coral clumps rather than the sand bottom which is found on West Caicos sites.

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Coming out of the channel and on the way to French Cay………what a day………..flat calm.

French Cay is protected and is an amazing bird sanctuary

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French Cay is a protected island and bird sanctuary with numerous dive sites.

Colonies of birds like this brown noddy out at French Cay

Pelicans and noddies perched on a log.

Sandbore Channel – Lying halfway between Providenciales and West Caicos, Sandbore Channel is outside the marine park and has some of the best diving with walls that are sloped or sheer. Good area to watch for for eagle rays, dolphins and sharks.

Spotted eagle ray glides past

 

A chance to see beautiful sharks gliding by

West Caicos – Located 10 miles southwest of Providenciales, West Caicos is an uninhabited island offering six miles of protected leeward side walls that are found about 100-150 yards from shore. The wall starts from 35-45 feet, dropping to approximately 6,000 feet and there’s more than 2 dozen dive sites. .Caribbean, black tip reef shark, and eagle rays are often seen along the sheer walls. This is your best chance to spot wild flamingos, osprey and brown pelican. West Caicos is approximately 45 minutes from our dock.

Coming straight at you……up close with a shark

 

A school of pretty grunts on the reef

 

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And YES, you may be lucky enough to see JoJo the dolphin. This photo is by Jodi from Snuba TCI

I wanted also to mention our friend Jodi, the “snuba lady” as she’s fondly called. Jodi operates Snuba TCI and in the winter months will sometimes dock her boat at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. If you’re not quite ready for some diving, Jodi will ease you into an amazing underwater experience with a snuba introduction. You are attached to a breathing tube that’s connected to tanks in a raft that floats above you. You’ll be able to see the coral reefs, fish and undersea life right up close. Snorkeling is available too!!

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Snuba TCI with Jodi also keep their boat in our marina but only during the winter month’s when sometimes it can be rough on the North shore and Grace Bay.

 

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Snuba TCI with Jodi and sometimes (quite often) you will see turtles.

A little note for those who don’t dive. No need to be left behind as ‘Bubble watchers’ can come out with the divers on all the boats.

Book a villa at Harbour Club close to the dive boats…..let’s go diving.

And so, when you are ready to plan that dive trip to the Turks and Caicos, give us a call or send us an email. We have most of the dive operators within walking distance of our villa accommodation. We can book everything for you and as you can see, we have the best dive operators right here. These dive operators all leave daily from close by Harbour Club’s Marina and head for Providenciales’ most spectacular diving – uninhabited West Caicos and French Cay, located on the edge of the Caicos banks where the wall drops to deep blue depths of 7000 feet.

 

Marta  

 

Turks and Caicos Islands….Open for Business

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina has a new look with new, white metal roofs…….Yes we are open for business after Hurricane Irma.

Yes, we can now say that we survived a Category 5 Hurricane!

It has been a chaotic and traumatic time for all of us here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We were hit hard with damages especially to all the roofs. Our red tiled roofs are no longer, ripped off by the horrific force of the winds and left in piles after Hurricane Irma.

Now some 50 days after, we have new white metal roofs and clean up is almost complete. The Turks and Caicos Islands are open for business and better than ever…….restaurants are opening, dive boats are back in the water, snorkeling is great and we’ve seen so many turtles and our bonefishermen are back in the lake and on the flats, excursions and more.

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Red tiles are no longer but fresh looking, white roofs

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Grace Bay Beach at the Bight Reef is as beautiful as ever so book your vacations now. This was taken a few days ago

Our beaches are all as stunning as ever with the prettiest sparkling water you’ll ever see. All my photos have been taken recently and quite honestly, if you want beaches that have few people on them, now’s the time to come. We are waiting for you so head down for some fun in the sun and on the beach.

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Our first flower appears after the wrath and devastation of Irma and it was so beautiful to see.

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A rippling effect as the sunlight plays on the waters of Grace Bay

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Young flamingos were sighted in Flamingo Lake close by the villas at Harbour Club

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A spectacular sunset over Flamingo Lake

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Stark silhouette of leafless trees that were stripped by Hurricane Irma

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Footprints in the sand along the edge of the water on Grace Bay

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A little hummingbird sits on a rope left over from tying our trees together for strength against the hurricane……..so where do they go during hurricanes?

Not ready for scuba diving......call Jodi at Snuba TCI.

Not ready for scuba diving……call Jodi at Snuba TCI.

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Peaceful and serene on the south side of Provo where our villas are located.

Dive operators are ready to take you out for some scuba diving.

Dive operators are ready to take you out for some scuba diving.

There’s some great diving waiting for you…….four of the island’s dive operators leave from the marina at Harbour Club or close by: AquaTCI, Flamingo Divers, Provo Turtle Divers and Caicos Adventures. Give them and us a call for all your diving needs………grab your buddy and come on down.

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Snorkeling Smith’s Reef after the hurricane…..so many juvenile hawksbill and green turtles were sighted.

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The Bight Reef on a clear day recently…still debris lying on the bottom but thankfully the reef looks really good.

Sailing along Grace Bay with the Atabeyra just this past week

Sailing along Grace Bay with the Atabeyra just this past week

There’s many water based excursions you can choose and one of the best is sailing on the Atabeyra……….so relaxing, do a snorkel or a sunset cruise and watch that rum punch!!!

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Here’s my version of “Fall” colours on Provo !

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Bonefishing in Flamingo Lake and yes, we saw fishermen last week.

Provo Ponies is ready to take you for a leisurely ride on Long Bay beach

Provo Ponies is ready to take you for a leisurely ride on Long Bay beach

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This could be you in one of these lounge chairs?

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Those adorable potcakes…….so many of them waiting for good forever homes.

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Forever shades of blue and turquoise.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are open for business after the hurricanes and we invite you to join us. We want to show you our special “beautiful by nature” islands and friendly welcoming people.

Hope to see you all very soon.

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com