The Turks and Caicos islands are a paradise for those seeking a fun and relaxing place to spend their time off. These islands are home to white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and plenty of activities to occupy travelers of all ages. Those who love adventure can participate in water sports like boating, fishing, swimming, and diving. One of the most fun experiences a guest can have is to go wreck diving around the islands. An especially great location for this is around Providenciales, or Provo, the most populous of the islands found in TCI. The water is so clear that divers can easily see everything around them while underwater. There are even several locations that offer visitors the opportunity to dive and explore shipwrecks.
The reefs around the Turks and Caicos Islands have proven to be quite dangerous for many ships in the past due to the many coral reefs and shallow depths. These hazardous conditions have led to a lot of wreckage around the islands. In fact, the total number of shipwrecks is estimated to be around 1,000. Some wrecks can be easily explored by recreational divers, others are only accessible to experienced divers, and a few are entirely inaccessible due to their depth. Many of the wrecks have dissipated over the years and broken apart, but some are still easily reached by boat for those interested in a diving adventure. One of the best locations to explore shipwrecks is off the northwest point of Providenciales. This area was so dangerous that a wreck salvage station was opened there in the 1800s to clean up the mess made by all the lost ships.
For those interested in shipwrecks but not diving, artifacts from the wreckage of the Molasses Reef have been excavated and are on display at the Turks and Caicos National Museum. This shipwreck is believed to have occurred around 1513, and the Molasses Reef is the oldest exhumed European wreck in the Western Hemisphere.
There are also several areas where adventurous types who want to get in on the action themselves can view current shipwrecks and even the remains of airplanes under the water. The Cessna 401 and Lucky Lady were both sunk intentionally in 2010 to provide a reef for marine life and an easily accessible diving spot. These two vessels are located in shallow water and make great dives for beginners.
The Cessna 401 was a small plane that crashed on approach to the airport, causing minimal injuries to the passengers and pilot. The Lucky Lady, a small fishing boat, was sunk during a hurricane in 2008 and was later relocated to its final resting spot. Another very famous dive spot is the HMS Endymion, a British warship that struck a reef and sunk in 1790. The area is now known as Endymion Rock and is registered as a historical site. In the same vicinity is the wrecked General Pershing, which struck an obstacle in 1921 in the very same area as the Endymion. Both of these sites are relatively easy to reach and require visitors to dive to a depth of around 40 feet. Divers can view the remnants of the anchors, chains, and other debris.