No Turkeys At 85 Feet!

Providenciales is located in the heart of the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of the Bahamas in the British West Indies. The Ghunnies spent Thanksgiving in Turks at the Regent Palms Hotel on beautiful Grace Bay (voted “Best Beach in the World” by Conde Nast), driving on the left side of the street (whoa!), visiting the world’s only conch farm, partying one night at the Club Med, playing with the island dogs (potcakes), and most memorably - scuba diving at the West Caicos Wall (a breathtaking 6,000 foot vertical drop)!
While we were really looking forward to the clear blue water, warm weather and white sand beaches that we had seen in travel magazines, we were most anxious to dive at what we had read were some of the finest dive sites found anywhere in the world, home to colorful reef systems and bountiful fish habitats. On our second day of diving we went to a spot known for it’s sightings of large pelagics - eagle rays, sea turtles and sharks. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we encountered an enormous turtle, 4-5 feet in length, resting on the bottom while his shell was being cleaned by tiny blue fish. As I poised above him with my camera he decided to rise to the surface passing just feet in front of me. Watching the video back I realize just how massive the turtle was, his flippers as large as the fins of a diver trying to scurry out of his path. Moving further along the reef our divemaster slowed us to a stop and motioned toward a shark hovering about 50 yards away.

I was lucky to get off 3 shots as he suddenly turned and swam towards us before veering away. Back on the boat we were told that the shark was 6 feet long. Left mouse click for an up close look.

Click here to see more photos of the Ghunnies in Turks.