South Caicos, one of the smallest islands in the Turks and Caicos archipelago, is known for excellent scuba diving, deep sea fishing and bone fishing. South Caicos, located south of the Bahamas, north of Dominican Republic, east of Cuba consists of eight square miles of coral rock. Found in South Caicos are the processing plants, the former Coast Guard Station and The School For Field Studies which is located in the old Admiral’s Arm Inn. Students from abroad come here to study marine and reef ecology. Visitors find South Caicos to be a quiet community of approximately 1200 friendly people with an interesting history and intriguing scenery worth exploring.

SOUTH CAICOS EVENTS

The big event on South Caicos is the annual island party, the South Caicos Regatta, attracting locals from throughout the islands and adventurous visitors in large fishing yachts. This memorable event is held around the end of May each year.



WATER SPORTS

South Caicos is the fishing center of the islands for queen conch, spiny lobster and bonefish, most of which are exported to the United States. Local fishermen will hire out boat trips to the island reserves of Six Hill Cays and Long Cay, where exceptional fishing, beachcombing and snorkeling can be found. Divers can follow the wall edging a 7000 foot drop along the Turks Island Passage or weave around in the shallows through elk horn coral, exploring a couple of wrecks. Experienced divers may venture into caves found on the east end of the island and on Big and Little Ambergris Cays.

SIGHTSEEING ON BIG SOUTH

South Caicos waters are pristine and full of sea life including dolphins, manta rays, eagle rays, giant grouper, turtles, a wide variety of sharks and the infamous migrating humpback whales during the winter months January through April each year.

Exploring town, Cockburn Harbour is a photographers delight with an abundance of old buildings, walls and gates, old salt warehouses and many colourful boats of many types docked in the harbour. Stop to enjoy local cuisine in any of the little restaurants including Dora's who is famous for her lobster sandwich and Love's for a refreshing but intoxicating coconut rum with a splash of pineapple juice.

Nature walks will take you past the old salinas and the boiling hole, miles of non-populated beaches where beachcombing excels, through herds of wild horses and cows and flocks of flamingos, osprey and pelicans. Hike along the ridgeway of the Sail Rock hills ( elevation of 150 feet ) and you will have a spectacular panoramic view Belle Sound, fringing reefs, the Turks Island Passage and the bonefish flats of the Caicos Bank.

South Caicos also known as , "East Habour" , "The Rock" and "Big South" has the most protected and finest natural harbour of all the islands, Cockburn Harbour, once a hideout for the infamous Caribbean pirates and bustling port for a thriving salt industry. At the turn of the Century, South Caicos shipped the most salt of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Divers can see the granite ballast that was thrown overboard to lighten the ships as they approached the harbour to pick up their loads. Today the once famous port and township of Cockburn Harbour makes it's living from fishing, conch and lobster.

The Turks and Caicos Islands have been documented by H.E. Sadler who spent years of research writing this delightful, easily read history book filled with colorful pictures and fascinating history capsules. For students of history, residents and visitors to the Islands, this work is a revealing and authoritative account of the Turks and Caicos Islands from the earliest times to the present and and indispensable tool for further study or research on these Islands.

To find out more on "Turks Islands Landfall, A History of the Turks and Caicos Islands", click here.

South Caicos Maps

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