TURKS AND CAICOS

October 6 - 13, 2001

PLANNING GUIDE FOR YOUR TRIP ABOARD M/V SEA DANCER

LOCATION: The Turks & Caicos Islands are located approximately 575 miles southeast of Miami (about 1 1/2 hours flying time) with the Bahamas 30 miles to the northwest and the Dominican Republic 100 miles to the southeast. The country consists of two island groups separated by a 22 mile passage. To the west are the Caicos group: West Caicos, Providenciales, North, Middle, East and South Caicos. To the east are the Turks Islands: Grand Turk and Salt Cay. The total land area is 166 square miles.

DIVING: The Turks & Caicos Islands provide some of the best virgin diving to be found in the Caribbean and is ideally suited for the more adventurous diver. Aboard M/V Sea Dancer the normal itinerary is to dive the uninhabited islands of West Caicos and French Cay as well as the most populated of the Turks & Caicos Islands, Providenciales’ northwestern wall. As always the itinerary is weather permitting and subject to change at the sole discretion of the Captain. You can expect mostly wall diving with visibility averaging 100’+. The drop offs are spectacular and the chance to see cruising eagle rays, sharks and other pelagics exists at each dive site. The reef itself is virgin and pristine with sponge and coral life abounding.

INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE: Round-trip transfers from and to Providenciales airport are provided if you arrive and depart on M/V Sea Dancer’s schedule (Saturday). Your stateroom aboard for seven nights is fitted with a private head and shower (except the Twin Cabins which share), vanity basins, and windows (Main Deck Staterooms only). Breakfast cooked to order, buffet lunch, and gourmet dinner are served daily in addition to fresh mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are complimentary while on board. Bathrobes are available in your stateroom for your use on board. Linens are changed mid-week and fresh towels are placed in each stateroom daily. Government room taxes are included. Guests have the opportunity to do between four and five dives a day. Filled tanks, weights and weightbelt are included (additional charges apply for Nitrox fills). The cost is $100 for the 7 night trip if paid in advance at the time of booking, otherwise $150 at the boat for the 7 night trip or $10 per fill.

TRANSFERS: Should you arrive at any time other than Saturday afternoon, it is your responsibility to arrange your own transportation to the M/V Sea Dancer at your own expense. You may contact Nell’s Taxi Service at the Providenciales Airport for transfers or you may contact the M/V Sea Dancer directly on Saturday mornings at 649-946-5276. Passengers may board M/V Sea Dancer at any time after 4:00 pm Saturday afternoon. M/V Sea Dancer usually leaves the dock at the Caicos Marina & Shipyard between 4:00 and 5:00 pm., though times may vary due to flight schedules and/or tides.

NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE: Airfare, beverages while on shore, airport departure tax ($15.00 per person), dive gear or photo rentals, boatique charges.

NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE: No air transportation is included in the M/V Sea Dancer package. Instruction, dive and photo equipment rentals and "Boatique" purchases must be settled on board prior to departure. No meals or beverages on shore are included.

GRATUITIES: Aboard the M/V Sea Dancer gratuities are not included. We prefer that our guests reward our crew based on their performance. If the crew performs to your expectations, may we suggest that a gratuity of approximately 10% of your package price would be considered normal aboard a liveaboard dive boat. Payment of gratuities is entirely at the discretion of the guest. It is the policy on Dancer Fleet vessels to pool any collected gratuities and divide these equally among the crew, since we believe no one crew member has the opportunity to give exceptional service without the assistance and support of all other crew members.

PRE-TRIP PREPARATION: Air reservations from any city can be arranged through Omni Divers Underwater Services, L.L.C. Your package is from Saturday to Saturday, and most flights can be arranged to arrive and depart on Saturday. If you wish us to assist with your flight arrangements, be sure to contact us.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: American and Canadian citizens must provide proof of citizenship, i.e., passport or birth certificate with state seal embossed and a valid picture I.D. Guests of any other nationality should check if further documentation is required.

TRIP INSURANCE: We strongly recommend that each guest purchase comprehensive accident, medical, baggage and trip cancellation/interruption insurance when space is reserved. Trip insurance will protect you from financial disappointment in the event unforeseen circumstances prevent the vessel from making its scheduled trip. In the event it is necessary to cancel or interrupt a charter due to weather or any matter beyond the control of Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., there will be no refund or credit issued. We also recommend diving accident insurance. Please inquire with our reservation office for assistance.

DIVING PAPERWORK: Please bring your certification card and log book(s) for verification of your dive training/experience. You will be required to complete and sign a standard release and waiver form prior to your arrival. Please remember that you alone are responsible for determining your medical and physical fitness to dive or to take part in any other activities during this trip.

DIVING ACTIVITIES ARE CONDUCTED AT YOUR OWN RISK: We take no responsibility with respect to your determination. If you have any questions concerning your medical or physical fitness to dive or take part in any such activities, please consult your personal physician.

PACKING: Please plan to travel light, as on all liveaboards space is limited. We recommend that you pack your gear in soft luggage such as duffel bags for easy stowage and leave those large, rigid suitcases at home which will add to your comfort in your stateroom. Clothing should be lightweight, comfortable sportswear and bathing suits are a must, and a sweater or jacket is ideal for evening - especially during the months of December through March. A light rain jacket is a good idea for the occasional squalls. Dress aboard M/V Sea Dancer is always casual. Additional items you may want to bring are sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat or visor and bug spray or lotion. Strong currents and winds may cause moderate movement of the vessel at times. If you have a tendency toward seasickness we strongly urge you to bring some sort of over the counter motion medication or consult your doctor about prescription brands like the Transderm Patch. Chewable ginger tablets or capsules of powdered ginger have also proven to be very effective. You may wish to pack your regulator, dive computer, mask, bathing suit, change of clothes and essential items in your carry-on bag. This will make it easier in the event your luggage is delayed.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES: The M/V Sea Dancer crew is trained in first aid and diving accident management. The boat is equipped with a complete first aid kit and a high capacity oxygen system. The nearest recompression chamber is located on Providenciales. If this chamber is unavailable or more comprehensive treatment is required, air evacuation to Miami must be arranged through the U.S. Coast Guard or by other private means. Since emergency transportation and treatment cost is the responsibility of each guest, we strongly recommend that you obtain special insurance for divers such as DAN or PADI Accident Insurance. Your family may contact you in the event of an emergency by calling our Miami office at 1-800-9DANCER during business hours or using the emergency pager number (954-209-8538) after hours.

ENTERTAINMENT: M/V Sea Dancer has a complete entertainment center including a 25" Sony monitor, VHS, SVHS and 8mm tape decks, a compact disc player, cassette deck and stereo. The crew will have slide and video presentations during the week and guests are encouraged to do likewise with the photos and videos they take. If you have a favorite movie, a slide show or a video to share, we encourage you to bring it along! You may also bring your own favorite musical tapes, CD’s, etc.

FOOD: The ship’s menu is excellent and consists of American and Island style meals. If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise our Miami office as soon as possible so we can prepare to adequately meet your needs. Please understand that certain special dietary and beverage requests may not be available on a consistent basis in the Turks and Caicos Islands due to the remote nature of this location.

BEVERAGES: Our selection includes milk, fruit juices, soft drinks, beer, wine and a limited variety of mixed drinks at the bar. We encourage you to consume lots of non-alcoholic liquids during the week to avoid dehydration. If you have a favorite libation you cannot do without we suggest you purchase this at a Duty Free shop and bring it with you as our selection is sometimes limited by the nature of our location. REMEMBER: Alcohol and diving DO NOT MIX. For your safety, we recommend that the consumption of any alcoholic beverage be delayed until your dive day is complete. FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS DRINK AND DIVE!

SMOKING POLICY: No cigarette, cigar or smoking of any kind is permitted on the M/V Sea Dancer, except in the designated outdoor smoking area of the Lido Deck. Smoking is not permitted in any area where all guests must be assembled for any reason, for example, dive briefings.

LOCAL CURRENCY: The local currency is the U.S. Dollar.

BOATIQUE: The M/V Sea Dancer has a small on-board "boatique" which sells a selection of logo clothing, sundries, diving accessories, film, batteries, logbooks, etc. A crew member will gladly assist you with your boatique purchases at any time during the week. We accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, travelers checks and cash. NO PERSONAL CHECKS ACCEPTED.

DIVE EQUIPMENT: Equipment provided aboard the M/V Sea Dancer includes tanks, weights and weightbelts. The basic diving equipment required is a regulator, depth and pressure gauge, watch or bottom timer, buoyancy compensation device (BCD), mask, fins and snorkel. Be advised that we require each guest to carry AT LEAST TWO light sources on all night dives. Chemical (Cyalume) light sticks are highly recommended and you may bring your own or purchase them on board. Additional recommended equipment: dive computer, dive light (with extra batteries or charging unit) and a dive skin and/or wetsuit. Water temperature from May to September is 80 to 84 degrees F. Winter temperatures range from 76 to 80 degrees F. With up to five dives per day offered, you will probably require extra thermal protection.

EQUIPMENT PROHIBITED: Game taking equipment is prohibited. NOTHING may be removed from the sea.

NITROX: The M/V Sea Dancer is equipped with Enriched Air facilities. Nitrox fills of up to 32% are normally available to all CERTIFIED Nitrox divers. Nitrox certifications are also available on board to all certified divers. All diving must be conducted using compressed air tables or compressed air computers regardless of whether your tank is filled with compressed air or Nitrox. Our purpose in providing enriched air Nitrox for the use of our guests is to give those who are unfamiliar with this new technology an opportunity to become certified Nitrox divers and to give those already certified a greatly enhanced safety factor in the face of extensive, repetitive dive profiles in remote regions of the world. Nitrox is not offered for extended range diving.

RENTAL DIVE GEAR OR PHOTO EQUIPMENT: M/V Sea Dancer has a limited number of diving equipment sets available for rent. We offer Deep See masks, snorkels, fins, and wetsuits, SeaQuest Companion computers, SeaQuest Spectrum 1 BCD’s and SeaQuest Mirage XP regulators and gauges. The Photo Shop offers Sea & Sea MX-10 setups, Nikonos V bodies, SB-103 strobes, lenses from 15 to 35 mm, Macro Tube Close-up Kits, Sony TR Handycams and Stingray Housings.

Photo opportunities are abundant. No matter what system you have, you will probably experience excellent results. Be sure to pack your photo equipment carefully in a durable carrying case and bring any unique spare parts and back-up equipment with you.

E-6 PROCESSING/ON-BOARD EDITING: Our Photo Lab is fully equipped to process E-6 slide film. On most days, we can process your film the same day you shoot it. We strongly recommend that you process your film on board to enable you to make any necessary adjustments in your shooting style. The processing cost is only $10.00 per roll of 24 or 36 exposures (the 6th roll is free!) On-board editing and sound dubbing equipment is available for the production of custom videos.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Controlled substances and illegal drugs are strictly prohibited aboard M/V Sea Dancer. Penalties for the sale, use or possession of controlled substances in the Turks and Caicos Islands are SEVERE and Sea Dancer (1991), Ltd., Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., its officers, agents or staff can accept NO responsibility for any person(s) encountering difficulties with local authorities due to that person’s involvement with the sale, use or possession of such controlled substances. M/V Sea Dancer and Peter Hughes Diving, Inc. subscribe to the ZERO TOLERANCE policy of the US Coast Guard.

Prior to any diving from the M/V Sea Dancer, you will be required to provide us with acceptable evidence of your diving certification and your level of experience. You will also be required to execute a legally binding release of Sea Dancer (1991), Ltd., Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., their officers, directors, employees and agents from any claims, causes of action, damages or liabilities which may arise from or in connection with your diving activities and to acknowledge that you understand the risks attendant with diving and to personally assume all such risks.

While we provide dive briefings prior to dives and limit our diving to no-decompression sport diving, each diver is responsible for his or her individual profile consistent with the standards and limitations of his or her certifying organization.

REEF PATROL: PLEASE respect the environment and dive safely. M/V Sea Dancer and Peter Hughes Diving, Inc. encourage PERFECT BUOYANCY skills and basic ecological concepts in order to minimize any detrimental effects of divers and scuba diving within the reef system. We also offer and strongly encourage awareness-oriented courses such as Reef Ecology and Zen Diving (weightless).

Omni Divers Underwater Services, L.L.C.
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This page was last updated on Sat Feb 10, 2001 11:00:00 PM- Created by All Are Rights Reserved