Celebrating Young and Old in Turks and Caicos

CREDITS | Text By Michele Westmorland; photos by Michele Westmorland
A TWO-WEEK LIVEABOARD in Turks and Caicos was the first dive trip I’d taken in 18 months, and I quickly learned that this small island nation has plenty to offer adults and children alike. It was Family Week, so I got to spend time with the younger generation of divers and their parents.
West Caicos provided great sites for all ages, especially the Gully, with barracuda, sharks, turtles, stingrays, groupers, cowfish, and more. But in my opinion the best of the best is The Dome, which is shallow and easily accessible. Its occupants, from schooling species to the tiniest blennies, mesmerized our entire group. The newest divers, some as young as age 9, got to experience spectacular fish, octopuses, groupers, and eels at a safe depth, where they could also pay attention to their instructors, gauges, and time limits.
We changed the itinerary one morning and went on dry land. There is a lagoon in the center of West Caicos where, if your timing is right, you might see flamingos. The island’s rich history is evident in the salt-mining relics, and nature is on display during a walk to watch for birds and along the extraordinary shoreline that was like a petrified forest of coral.
A TWO-WEEK LIVEABOARD in Turks and Caicos was the first dive trip I’d taken in 18 months, and I quickly learned that this small island nation has plenty to offer adults and children alike. It was Family Week, so I got to spend time with the younger generation of divers and their parents.
West Caicos provided great sites for all ages, especially the Gully, with barracuda, sharks, turtles, stingrays, groupers, cowfish, and more. But in my opinion the best of the best is The Dome, which is shallow and easily accessible. Its occupants, from schooling species to the tiniest blennies, mesmerized our entire group. The newest divers, some as young as age 9, got to experience spectacular fish, octopuses, groupers, and eels at a safe depth, where they could also pay attention to their instructors, gauges, and time limits.
We changed the itinerary one morning and went on dry land. There is a lagoon in the center of West Caicos where, if your timing is right, you might see flamingos. The island’s rich history is evident in the salt-mining relics, and nature is on display during a walk to watch for birds and along the extraordinary shoreline that was like a petrified forest of coral.

As the week progressed, it was not hard to feel more and more engaged with the kids and what they were learning, seeing, and accomplishing. It became apparent that these activities don’t have to be restricted to Family Week. I watched in awe at how many families can learn on many of the yachts, especially in the Caribbean, where the sea conditions are more amenable to youth activities. Sharing the sport of diving is more than just an adventure. It’s learning new skills and discovering the marine environment.
Parents can find their own moments while still building family bonds. I found such joy and moments when the youngest generation of divers inspired me. I want to spend more time with them — their enthusiasm can teach all of us what appreciating the underwater world looks like.
Although our operator holds Family Week only three times a year, you can take a trip with your kids at other times or have a similar experience locally. The operator’s specialists were extremely helpful with identifying needs for specific certification levels, travel times, and the best locations for all the family members to enjoy.
Parents can find their own moments while still building family bonds. I found such joy and moments when the youngest generation of divers inspired me. I want to spend more time with them — their enthusiasm can teach all of us what appreciating the underwater world looks like.
Although our operator holds Family Week only three times a year, you can take a trip with your kids at other times or have a similar experience locally. The operator’s specialists were extremely helpful with identifying needs for specific certification levels, travel times, and the best locations for all the family members to enjoy.

If you plan to take a family dive trip, find an operator who is receptive to your questions and offers helpful advice to make the most of it and find safe and engaging diving that everyone can experience. If a longer trip to a faraway destination isn’t in your plans, the dive shop or dive professional at your local site or another accessible dive destination may be a resource to help you have a similar experience. However you can make it happen, I encourage you to consider involving the young people in your life and sharing your love for diving with future divers.
Posted in Alert Diver Spring Editions
Tagged with Dive Travel, Turks and Caicos, DAN members, Liveaboard
Tagged with Dive Travel, Turks and Caicos, DAN members, Liveaboard
Categories
2022
January
February
UNCERTAINTY AFTER DIVING: Case Report and Recommendations #1.UNCERTAINTY AFTER DIVING: Case Report and Recommendations #2UNCERTAINTY AFTER DIVING: Case Report and Recommendations #3UNCERTAINTY AFTER DIVING: Case Report and Recommendations #4DIVERS LOSING ACCESS TO EMERGENCY CAREPreventing Breathing gas Contamination
March
When Should the Rescue Begin?Celebrating Young and Old in Turks and CaicosScuba Cylinder RundownChasing WeedsUnderwater Smartphone PhotographyAir and a SpareUnderwater Photographer: Fred BuyleBuilding Better BalanceLow-Visibility DivingMore Than a Sore ShoulderNot Only for DivingLaryngospasm and AnxietyPulmonary Hypertension and DivingTitan Meets TitanicPool Operation: Know Before you GoThe Argonaut Octopus and the jellyfishShort but Beautiful Lives
April
A Sense of PurposeMexico’s Sardine RunHigh-Pressure Hose injuriesA Hole in My HeartGoing UpConcussion and Return to DivingMarfan Syndrome Recommendations.South African Sardine Run by Walter BernardisSouth African Sardine Run By ProdiveSardine Run Port Elizabeth by ProDiveSardine Run Port St Johns by ProDiveScuba Diving In MauritiusScuba Diving in TanzaniaScuba Diving in the SeychellesScuba Diving in Nosy BeScuba Diving in MalawiScuba Diving in KenyaScuba Diving in South AfricaScuba Diving in Mozambique
2021
March
Old Habits Die HardSave a Diver, Save YourselfCylinder SafetyUndercover CrabsReef safe sunscreenPhysics, Biophysics and Decompression SicknessModels and Marine LifeSunscreen and CoralCristina Mittermeier: Commitment to ConservationDiving After a StrokeCurrent DivesThis Bites: Prevention TreatmentEnvironmental Considerations for Disinfection
April
Aqua Pool Noodle ExercisesUnderwater Photographer and DAN Member Madelein Wolfaardt10 Simple Things You Can Do to Improve Your Underwater PhotographyCOVID-19 and Diving: March 2021 UpdateDiver Return After COVID-19 Infection (DRACO): A Longitudinal AssessmentGuidelines for Lifelong Medical Fitness to DiveExperienceFitness Myth or Fitness Fact?The Safety of Sports for Athletes With Implantable Cardioverter-DefibrillatorsCardiovascular Fitness and DivingHypertensionPatent Foramen Ovale (PFO)Headaches and DivingMiddle-Ear Barotrauma (MEBT)O’Neill Grading SystemMask Squeeze (Facial Barotrauma)Sinus BarotraumaInner-Ear Barotrauma (IEBT)Middle-Ear EqualisationAlternobaric VertigoDecompression IllnessOn-Site Neurological ExaminationTreating Decompression Sickness (The Bends)Top 5 Factors That Increase Your Risk of the BendsHow to Avoid Rapid Ascents and Arterial Gas EmbolismUnintended Rapid Ascent Due to Uncontrolled InflationUnexpected Weight LossFlying After DivingWisdom Tooth Extraction and DivingYour Lungs and DivingScuba Diving and DiabetesDiving after COVID-19: What We Know TodaySwimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa)Motion SicknessFitness for DivingDiving After Bariatric SurgeryWhen to Consult a Health-Care Provider Before Engaging in Physical ActivitiesFinding Your FitnessHealth Concerns for Divers Over 50Risk Factors For Heart Disease