Shamus, the answer to your question extends far past the numerous patch and
fringing reefs which makes South Caicos, and the Turks and Caicos Islands in
general, a premier diving destination.
On a direct level, an increase in the number of divers (both skin and SCUBA)
that come to South Caicos means an increase in the number of inexperienced
divers. The single biggest direct impact on coral beds is the result of misuse by
recreational divers. Coral, which are extremely delicate formations, can break
off from an accidental kick by a diver’s fins. So you can imagine the impact that
an anchor, dropped by an inexperienced diver, could have on a reef. Slipping
anchors can permanently scar hundreds of feet of reef, and the largest anchors
can actually crack the reef’s infrastructure.
An equally serious matter here on South Caicos is the impacts that other parts
of the tourist industry have on the environment. Currently, South Caicos relies
on cisterns to collect rainwater to meet the daily demands for fresh water. You
can imagine the sudden rise in water demand should a 100-room hotel open,
and the potential for disaster should a water shortage occur. Of course, there
are other water-supply options available such as reverse-osmosis (converting
salt water into fresh water), but they require too high of a supply of energy to
be a feasible resource alternative at present.
Before large-scale tourism begins, you also must address the need for a
deep-water channel, as many of South Caicos’ prime dive sites are only
accessible by small skiffs. For more divers to reach these remote locations, an
access channel needs to be dredged. Dredging would seriously undermine the
integrity of the reef system as a whole and could stir up so much sediment that
corals may no longer be able to survive. The end result of such a situation
would be loss of coral reef habitats, the exact reason why all the divers come
down in the first place.
So, as you see, the development of South Caicos into one of the world’s
premier destination dive sites is a major topic of importance here, both
economically and environmentally. If done with care and respect to the
environment, then all of South Caicos’ beauty, both below and above the sea,
can be enjoyed by everyone for generations to come.
How much does the weather on South Caicos Island change from
season to season? ...Wendy M., Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
by Sylvia Gill, 2/21/97, South Caicos Island
There are different seasons down here on South Caicos. In late fall, winter and
early spring, the temperature cools enough to require people to wear warm
clothes or to sleep under a warm blanket. In the summer and late spring, the
nights are hot and the days are even hotter! There is a constant wind blowing
from the northeast which cools the island down, especially at night and in the
early morning.
The seasonal changes are mostly felt by divers. During winter, wetsuits are
required for SCUBA/free dives, but in the summer, you can go swimming with
just your bathing suit on. Late fall is the hurricane season! If the conditions are
right and winds are favorable, a hurricane can form and bring with it welcome
rain. Periodic showers occur when hurricanes aren't passing through. The rain
may last anywhere from 30 seconds to an hour. From these infrequent
showers, we collect all of our fresh water for drinking, showering, and
laundering.
