Snorkelling & SNUBA in the Turks and Caicos Islands
Snorkelling
Perhaps scuba diving is not for you! No need to miss out entirely on the gorgeous underwater world. With the proper snorkel gear and just a little practice, you can enjoy our shallow-water fish and corals.
Snorkle Girl! Photo by Jay Hiltz.
Full watersports facilities offer snorkelling instruction and practice sessions. Equipment is for sale or lease at various locations. Sailing charters and power boat charters provide snorkelling equipment for use on their excursions.
Our shallow reefs offer excellent and exciting snorkelling relatively close to shore. Some favourite sites are easily accessible from the beach. Smith’s Reef near Turtle Cove and the Bight Reef are popular with visitors. Out towards Northwest Point, Malcolm Roads is a worthwhile out of the way snorkel destination.
Snorkelling on The Bight Reef
While you can snorkel anywhere, you will see the most interesting creatures over coral heads, darker areas in the water, and along jetties. Your dive or excursion operator can direct you to our most popular snorkel sites. Guide books or cards to help you identify the various fishes, turtles, rays, corals, sponges, gorgonians and sea shells you will encounter are readily available.
In order to preserve our underwater world for others it is important to avoid killing any corals by touching or standing on them. If you are not a strong swimmer floatation devices can be used. Nothing may be removed from the marine parks and reserves and nothing should be left behind. Underwater cameras are a popular way to record your sightings.
SNUBA
Swim a little deeper with the turtles. Photo provided by SNUBA TCI.
Does the whole family just love snorkelling? There’s a new sport on island called SNUBA that’s related to its counterpart, SCUBA, however, with SNUBA, the individual is not self contained, but the tank floats on a raft at the surface. That’s Surface Nexus Underwater Breathing Apparatus. As a SNUBA participant you’ll be one of a group no larger than four exploring Provo’s fascinating fringing reef teeming with sea life including turtles, rays, and countless colourful fish. Your introduction takes place on the beach in front of the WINDSONG where you’ll be set up and escorted into the waters of the Bight Reef for a burst of excitement on a personalized guided tour at a maximum depth of twenty feet! SNUBA is absolutely perfect for the family (age 8 and up) that wants to try something entirely new. You can even ask that this family adventure be recorded through underwater video or still photography; the disc or photos are dropped off that very day at your hotel so you can share your memories back home.
If you do not wish to get wet or cannot or do not wish to swim, you may still enjoy our underwater world by going on a Glass Bottom Boat Tour or in the air-conditioned comfort of the Undersea Explorer Semi-Submarine.
