Dive Review of Big Blue Unlimited/Sands At Grace Bay in
Turks and Caicos

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Big Blue Unlimited/Sands At Grace Bay, Apr, 2003, by Gregory Oppenhuizen, MI, USA ( Reviewer 4 reports). Report 436.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Big Blue Unlimited is a very good operation for divers who prefer to dive their own profile. You may stay down until you are ready to come up (60+ min). I would recommend nitrox for this area to increase your no deco limit, since most of the diving is in 50-80 ft with no shallow 15-30 ft reef.For experienced divers, you can do your own thing and nobody will hassle you or for novices you can be guided. The boat is a 39 ft twin hull design well suited for diving and in good repair. They provide soft drinks, sandwiches, fruit and snacks.The food is good since many sights are nearly an hour away.You leave at 8:20 AM and may return as late as 2:30 PM for two tanks. Big Blue takes no more than eight divers but does charge about 10% more than the other dive operations which may carry 20+ "guided" divers. BB dives all the sights including the nice sights around Provo which I found as good or better than West Caicos and French Cay. I enjoyed "Football Field" and "Northwest Point" best, both of which are off Provo. I dove for 7 days. The dive personal were friendly, capable and equiped to assist with modest technical problems. The Sands At Grace Bay is a nice resort with its own restaurant less than 10 years old. It is somewhat expensive, but all prices in Provo are nearly comparable to Grand Cayman. A typical fish entree will be $22-29. With soup, salad, and wine expect nothing less than $50/person for dinner. You can do sandwiches and beer for quite a bit less or go to IGA the first day and get light food, beer and wine, or bring your own wine with you. The Sands provides a shuttle for a fee (they claim less than the taxi) to restaurants and stores although there is complimentary pickup and return to the airport.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Carribean/Pacifc
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	76-77°F / 24-25°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-80 Ft/ 15-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	You were given Carte Blanche freedom to dive within your experience, training, and confidence with conditions.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	I did not observe a dip tank on the boat, but there was space on the boat to securely place cameras as well as a functional fresh water shower.The biggest advantage for photographers is an unlimited dive profile.

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Dive Review of Big Blue Unlimited/Sands At Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos

Big Blue Unlimited/Sands At Grace Bay, Apr, 2003,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Big Blue Unlimited/Sands At Grace Bay in
Turks and Caicos