Turks and Caicos vs Utila

Hey guys - I would like some feedback on which Aggressor trip to take - Turks and Caicos or Utila. I just placed 3rd in the Aggressor 2010 Photo Contest and this is part of my prize. Two stipulations - it has to be a Carribean Aggressor trip and I have a year to take my trip.

What type of diving is in each place? And how is the marine life?

I just got back from Grand Cayman - so would like to choose another spot.

I have already been on Aggressor trips in the Pacific - so no need to convince me on liveaboards.

I have not dove Utila (but have been to Roatan several times, but now over 6 years since diving there).

I have not ever dove in the T&Cs.

Feedback with UW photography in mind please.

Thanks for the help with this. - DiverPam

Since you have been to Roatan, I would suggest T&C. I believe almost half the diving the Utila Aggressor does is around the island of Roatan and you've probably done most of those sites. It looks like they do most of the north side stuff that Anthony's Key does, including Mary's Place. The other diving at Utila is of interest to me, but doing all the same sites the day boats do on Roatan makes me less interested in the Roatan portion of the trip.

I've been to T&C twice and I love it. Great coral health and both times I saw reef sharks on most every dive. Compared to your Cayman trip, the reefs are more similar to what is found on Little Cayman; great shape, very fishy, not much or no current.

I highly recommend T&C to anyone looking at a dive trip in the Caribbean.

DiverPam...

First of all congrats!!

Secondly, it is probably dependent on what type of subjects you like to shoot. Turks and Caicos is well known for a lot of shark diving (presuming you are going anytime of the year besides the 6 weeks in spring when they use the boat to snorkel with humpbacks, which is pretty darn awsome two).

I have been on the TCI Aggressor, but not the Utila, and I was very happy. If you are a macro shooter go in the mid summer to shoot yellowheaded jawfish with eggs! (I believe my friend won the first prize in amature with this type of shot). There are also secretary blennies, sailfin blennies, and all the usual carribean subjects. The crew is great and the photo pro is a nice guy.

I have been on the Belize and TCI Aggressors before (and have probably 1000 dives in cayman)...and all though I havent yet to visit Utila...I think that TCI aggressor takes the cake as far as those carribbean liveaboard option. Try sneaking on in June with the Jim Church School of Underwater Photography for an added bonus if theyll let you!

Hope this helps, congrats again

Joe tepper

Since you have been to Roatan, I would suggest T&C. I believe almost half the diving the Utila Aggressor does is around the island of Roatan and you've probably done most of those sites. It looks like they do most of the north side stuff that Anthony's Key does, including Mary's Place. The other diving at Utila is of interest to me, but doing all the same sites the day boats do on Roatan makes me less interested in the Roatan portion of the trip.

 

I've been to T&C twice and I love it. Great coral health and both times I saw reef sharks on most every dive. Compared to your Cayman trip, the reefs are more similar to what is found on Little Cayman; great shape, very fishy, not much or no current.

 

I highly recommend T&C to anyone looking at a dive trip in the Caribbean.

JohnsPierce

Also, Im in TCI right now diving with dive provo. Little choppy out there but you are right...the coral health is very good for Caribbean and cannot say no to the guys in the grey suits patrolling the wall!

If I can remember that far back (8 yrs?) we saw the Agressor anchored just offshore Grand Turk the week we were there. It seemed they dove the same sites we did with the land based ops, although they may have visited some of the other small islands also. I would check and make sure they offer different sites (or more remote/difficult to reach) than the land based ops. We dove the Nekton Rorqual in Belize 5 yrs ago and spent the entire time on the most remote areas offshore.

Congrats on the award!

OK -- my two cents! I have worked on the T&C Aggressor for a few years, and I can tell you that they only intentionally dive off of Grand Turks twice a year (on their way to the whale charters), unless the weather is really bad and coming from the West (that may happen only a few times a year). The VAST majority of the time, the T&C Aggressor dives off of Providenciales, West Caicos and French Cay. The diving is great no matter if you like Reef sharks and Eagle Rays or gaudy clown crabs and cleaning shrimp. Although there are better spots in the Caribbean for individual types of animals, In my opinion (having dived most of the C. -- including utila) I believe the Turks & Caicos Islands offer the best overall diving in the Caribbean! Off of each of the three islands you tend to see slightly different marine life. In my opinion, Providenciales offers great macro subjects (my favorite stuff), French Cay is a great place to find Wide Angle stuff like sharks, Rays and beautiful reef scenes, and West Caicos offers the best of both macro and WA. All three islands are terrific!

I have also lived in Utila for short while (land based) and although the visibility while I was there just about the best I have ever seen, I found the fish life a little disappointing. The Sea Mounds surrounding the islands are the most diverse and of course, in Utila you always have the possibility of spotting a whale shark.

The T&C Aggressor boat is very nice and quite comfortable however the Utila Aggressor is less then a year old now and while I haven't been onboard the Utila Aggressor, I have heard great things about the new boat!

I hope this helps, and if you have any specific questions, please feel free to Message me. I am also a photographer so I would be happy to discuss specifics with you if you like!

Happy Diving!

Melissa

Thanks for all the feedback so far. It really helps to hear from those that have been on these trips. I am really leaning towards T&C with all of the info from you and since it will be somewhere I have not been at all.

Sounds like the photography options in T&C is very nice. I really like macro, but I have been getting much more comfortable with CFWA and would like to spend time doing both on this next trip.

Melissa - I may PM you shortly about more specifics - thanks.

Any other thoughts out there, please let me know. Happ diving guys - Pam

Hey DiverPam!

I did most of my diving so far on Utila and must say that compared to T&C or elsewhere in the world there is unfortunately not much left to see on Utila. There are a few VERY nice dropoffs on the north plateau and a nice little underwater mount called "Black Hills" in the south-east. But apart from that there is not much fishlife going on.

Of course when you pick the right season (march-mai or end august-mid october) you do have a high possibility to see some whalesharks and some shops (Utila Dive Centre) also gets you very close (in a non harassing way for the fish) to these animals so you get the chance to do some snorkeling with them.

You can find some photos from Utila on my website (only on land and 2 from a whale shark).

So if you choose between Utila and T&C --> take T&C and get the chance to see a lot of nice things up there!

Thomas

Hey DiverPam!

 

So if you choose between Utila and T&C --> take T&C and get the chance to see a lot of nice things up there!

 

Thomas

Thomas - Thanks for the info. I went ahead and made plans on the T&C Aggressor in Sept. All of the feedback has been helpful. One of the many things I love about wetpxiel.

Thanks also for sharing you pics. Happy diving - Pam