Dive into sheer bliss
Diving enthusiast Penelope Granycome sinks into the translucent seas of the Turks and Caicos Islands for thrilling aquatic adventures and a hiatus from her anxious mind
and expert training is vital as you build experience and confidence – but the best instructors know what you need and how to achieve it.
Turks and Caicos is a diver’s dream. Sheer walls covered in corals, sponges and gorgonians drop hundreds of feet and you can swim daily with sharks, rays and turtles. Dive sites are found all over Providenciales, and we are fortunate to have consistently calm seas, warm waters and great visibility.
My first port of call for this breathtaking adventure is with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Dive Centre. PADI’S partnership with Sandals Resorts International began in 1997 and daily dives are included or, if you’re a novice, instructors will teach you. More than 100,000 PADI Diving certifications have been issued across both Beaches and Sandals, described as ‘a monumental accomplishment’ by Erica Wedepohl, PADI worldwide territory director for the Caribbean and Latin America.
Mark Healey, the Beaches watersports manager, drops by to chat and I congratulate him on the centre’s Green Star award for dedication to conservation as one of the top five dive operations in the western hemisphere.
Later, I amble down to the sea for a swim – to drink in the fresh air and wash away my cares. Curling up in a lounger in the warm evening sun, sipping rum and cola and looking out into the Atlantic, it’s as if the universe is delivering a simple message – ‘rest’. After a luxurious dinner of sushi – having been escorted to the restaurant by my personal butler – I do more of what the universe instructs in preparation for the following morning. Our group meet bright and early to gather diving equipment, provided by the dive centre, and we head to south Providenciales to board the fully appointed dive boat, enjoying a 50-minute crossing to West Caicos. The salty air, warmth of the Caribbean sun and our own exuberant, anticipatory laughter light us up with a fuzzy and elated feeling.
Our first two dives deliver curious sharks, a lazily grazing turtle, an enormous lobster, scorpionfish and an eagle ray, and one of the guides spears a lionfish. No friend to these waters, this species is a menace – a non-endemic, invasive and voracious predator that harms reef systems while competing for space with overfished native stocks and killing off helpful species.
We watch a reef shark approach and seize the dead fish because, unfortunately, the indolent sharks will not hunt
“Our first dives deliver curious sharks, a turtle, a lobster, scorpionfish and an eagle ray”
them when they are alive, and leave all the hard work to divers. Lionfish out of mind and in celebration of the incredible seafood here, we enjoy a fresh catch of our own, cooked and prepared by the chef at Neptunes, one of Beaches’ top restaurants.
Sandals Foundation, a non-profit organisation, has assisted more than one million people living in the Caribbean, a culmination of three decades of funding projects in education, community and the environment. The World Travel awards has recognised the Sandals Foundation for making an outstanding contribution to corporate social responsibility projects. The resorts are also endorsed by Earthcheck, a programme measuring performance in the areas of energy, water and waste management.
Whether your relationship status is single, together for years or about to tie the knot, or you are looking for a family break, you will love the sense of connection and community at Beaches Turks and Caicos and, of course, the thrill of diving in its brilliant waters.
The following day, we gasp with delight as dolphins jump across our bow and a humpback whale breaches ahead. Our hearts leap with awe and the glorious wonder of being alive.
A seven-night stay at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa, staying in a French Village luxury double room, costs from £2,865 per person, based on two adults sharing. Price includes all-inclusive accommodation, return economy flights with British Airways from London Gatwick and resort transfers. Price is valid for travel on select dates between 1 September and 31 October 2021. Pricing is subject to change and may vary. Subject to availability. Price includes £150 booking bonus and 45% off. For more information about Sandals holiday deals for the family, go to beaches.co.uk