Interesting Article on Water Clarity and Scuba Diving in Turks & Caicos
With the Turks & Caicos being fringed with over 200 miles of coral reefs, it is little wonder that a large proportion of visitors arrive ready to scuba dive, or are tempted to embark on their first aquatic adventures during their stay. However, unlike many Caribbean destinations, there are three characteristics of the local waters that are guaranteed to captivate novices and surprise even the most experienced divers. These are the amazing clarity of the coastal seas, the breathtaking reef drop-offs and the unerring frequency of encounters with charismatic marine life.
In general, the underwater visibility remains around 80-100 feet, but, when the conditions are right, a diver's field of view can often exceed an astounding 200 feet. This exceptional water clarity can be explained by a combination of the islands' geography, geology and biology. Being miles from any major landmasses and situated in nutrient-poor oceanic waters, there are no nearby rivers offloading their cargoes of sediment and little plankton is present to cloud the seas. Around the coasts, the underwater movement of the fine sand is kept in check by the abundant seagrass beds and when the rains eventually do fall on land, the water merely seeps down through the porous limestone bedrock.
But crystal clear waters are of little importance if there is nothing to see and, in this respect, the Turks & Caicos rarely disappoint. Even the topography of the reefs can capture the imagination, with intricately sculpted mountains of coral rising and falling in spellbinding undulations that finally plummet down sheer walls to depths of over 7000 feet.
Few types of dive can beat the sheer exhilaration of effortlessly hovering along the walls of such abyssal cliffs, their colossal majesty unfolding before a group of dwarfed divers. As if this backdrop was not enough, some of the more impressive denizens of the deep regularly swim by, casting a nonchalant eye towards those curious humans that fizz with bubbles like effervescent tablets.
Hawksbill, Green and Loggerhead Turtles are common passers-by, along with Southern Stingrays, Nurse Sharks, Reef Sharks and the always elegant Spotted Eagle Rays. Occasionally, Bottlenose and Atlantic Spotted Dolphins grace divers with their presence, while, at the right time of the year, it is possible to see the awesome Manta Rays and Humpback Whales gliding past the drop-offs.
Post Edited (yellow_bird) : 9/16/2005 4:19:35 PM GMT