I fulfilled a bucket list item; I visited a Caribbean island for the first time in my life and found out what most of the world already knew, do not go to the Caribbean in the summer unless you like it sultry. It is hot, very hot; each day it was 95 degrees with 80% humidity.
When I vacation, I try to gather all the knowledge I can about the area, its history and people. The TCI, Turks and Caicos Island did not disappoint. I spent all my time on the main tourist area of Providenciales, but I now have the Grand Turks in my sights for the future when I need another dose of saltwater.
Despite being a British commonwealth with many cars having steering wheels on the right and cars driving on left side of the road, English is their language, and American money is the currency. The entire island chain consists of limestone on a giant coral reef that separates the Caribbean from the Atlantic. Once we discovered that as soon as you walked more than 100’ from the ocean you dripped sweat, we acted like fish most of our stay and stayed on or in the water.
Our hotel on the beach had a coral reef 100’ offshore; we snorkeled around many times. No waves and crystal-clear water were the norm anywhere we went. This was where we saw an eagle spotted ray and short nose bat fish among the many colorful fish. One time an 8” fish swam around my wife’s legs for what seemed an eternity. It shadowed her everywhere she went. When we invited it to dinner, it finally swam off, perhaps it feared it would be dinner.
Our day trip to snorkel with Captain Lucas and first mate Jules brought many highlights. At the coral stop some distance from shore we saw reef and nurse sharks while snorkeling. A trip to Iguana Island revealed many shy iguanas. Another stop on top of cannons on the seafloor from a dilapidated Revolutionary War era fort that had been decimated by hurricanes in the 1800’s.
My highlight was snorkeling over a 60-year-old cargo shipwreck and watching my wife dive for sand 2-dollars. They tried to correct me that they were sand dollars, but I stated inflation now makes them 2-dollars. This was where I broke a personal best of treading water for over 10 minutes. Keep in mind, the boat was always within 100 feet, but Midwestern farm boys are not known for their swimming prowess.
This boat trip revealed the two sides of law on the island. They demanded life vests while snorkeling the national coral reef and refuge, fearful of law enforcement action. However, the rest of the trip in open water involved whatever you wish. You could be as reckless as you wanted and risk drowning. The boat captain even smoked marijuana while we were at one destination. The excursion also had an unexpected visit from Jojo, the islands unofficial dolphin mascot and popular tourist attraction. We swam with Jojo and his mate and young offspring. It was an action-packed day that made me feel part Michael Phelps and Part Jacque Cousteau.
Another day trip to the mangrove island produced numerous sea turtles and fish visible through the clear water or the see through kayak floor. We saw a lot more Iguanas, that were not so shy and had a lengthy explanation of the diverse wildlife from out tour guide Benson. He showed us a Conch and coaxed it out of the shell and gave us a history lesson of conch on the island.
The island was covered with construction cranes. High rise hotels are springing up like herbicide resistant weeds in a field of soybeans. I had some interesting conversations with a few taxi drivers about the influx of new money for tourism growth and immigration on the island. There are many more tidbits I was able to glean from my visit, but I need to wrap up.
We loved the visit despite most hotels being less than 25% occupied during what they call the “low season.”. The island becomes quite crowded by November with more tourist each day than the islands actual population. The trip revealed that my wife is part Mermaid, she loved the water.
This weekend the saltwater on my lips will be replaced with soybean dust in my eyes. What a rude welcome back home.
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