Big Blue Unlimited

The hurricane season is here for sure. Earl breezed by, put out some 30+ knot winds. Enough for about an hours worth of serious hangtime!
But that was about it. Fiona is on her way.
Instruction to resume late October/ early November.
Book now for some airtime.
info@bigblueunlimited.com

STAND UP PADDLE BOARD SPECIAL
The next three days are going to be still and the Leeward Channel is going to be very calm. Perfect for some late afternoon paddle boarding in the National Park. Explore the mangroves and see baby sharks, turtles and eagle rays.

Thursday 3pm
Friday 3.45pm
Saturday 4.30pm

Maximum 6 people $55 per person

Call 946-5034
5 TO BOOK YOUR SLOT!

Kiteboarding Instruction will resume normal operation in the last week of October 2010.
Our last lessons will take place through until 20/8/10.
Safaris/ downwinders will still be available.
Reservations for the 2010/2011 season are highly recommended.

TCI media house, Turks and Caicos FreePress has rated Big Blue Unlimited’s Stand Up PaddleBoards as the top tip for August. We could not agree more. Great weather, flat water are ideal for Stand Up PaddleBoard missions in and around the Princess Alexandra National Park.

July 10^th 2010 was Providenciales’ first annual Race for the Conch 1 mile eco sea swim. There was a huge turnout on Grace Bay beach near Flamingo Bar, with international and local participants. Big Blue Unlimited were a proud sponsor of the race, providing kayak and
paddleboard support during the race, complimentary biodegradable reef-safe sunblock for competitors, and had staff competing in the race.
Staff member Lynn Robinson manned the Big Blue tent and photographed the event, while members Ben Zirin, Cardi Ewing and Will Pollock supported the swimmers from the water on their kayaks and stand up paddleboards. Big Blue racers included Laura Ricketts, Jackie Walker and Alizee Zimmerman. Next year’s race will include both a 1 mile and 2.5 mile event, training begins now!

Wes, Big Blue’s very own kiteboarding instructor and Philip, owner, had 3 of the most epic kite sessions during the summer solstice. The stars aligned. We had massive high tides during the evening as the full moon rose. Winds at 20-25knots meant that we could boost some insane air over cays and mangroves way past our bedtime!! The thrill of getting high never ceases to inspire. Call us, join the fun and come kite boarding here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Another great day in the mangroves south of Bellefield Landing, North Caicos. The protected RAMSAR wetlands site continues to offer world class kayaking and birdlife. Ian Cross, legendary Australian wildlife documentary filmmaker & owner of Pilot Productions joins Big Blue together with his son for an afternoon of exploration. The lower tides brought hundreds of fish out from their hiding places including small barracudas (10-20cm in length) and an assortment of Mojarras. The reddish egret we had seen the week before continued to resolutely guard her nest and we were careful not to disturb her. The highlight was probably the flock of Sandpipers that scouted the way for us all the way up the mangroves, showing off their beautiful wings and making plenty of noise. To top off the day we even saw a small group of elusive Wimbrals and a spectacular yellow crowned night heron.

THE STUNNING REDDISH EGRET

This week’s Good Friday “Edge of the Banks” snorkel safari had a special and rare guest. A 25 foot whale shark off Molasses Reef. Moving to our second stop at the end of Molasses Reef, Lynn spotted what she thought at first were dolphins then realised it was much bigger and actually a whale shark, about 25 ft long. Jackie and a few of our guests snorkeled with it for a short while before it swam away. Cruising along the edge of reef while looking for it again Lynn was just about to give up when she saw it out of the corner of her eye on the far West end of the reef….Lynn and Jackie got in along with a couple of other guests and got some amazing video footage (on Facebook already!)….they followed it for quite a long time…..all the guests got in to snorkel with it…..bloody amazing!!
Check out the video!
Good Friday Whale Shark on Molasses Reef.

Today, after one month we sadly said our goodbyes to Betrand Fleurry (Wainman Kites) and Ian Alldredge (Naish Kites). They had come down with top female rider Tuva Jansen (Takoon Kites) and one of the sport’s leading photojournalist teams based out of Mauritius, Stephane Fournet and Leena Ballack who had left last week, to write and record a kite surfing story in the Turks and Caicos.
They were led by Philip Shearer (Big Blue) and Big Blue’s top instructor and wily pro Wes Matweyew (Cabrinha Kites). Hope Le Vin, our 16 year old local team and sponsored rider (Naish, Big Blue and Blue) was ever present with her enthusiasm and skill as was local rider Stephane Gaudet.
To say we had fun is an understatement. Even if the weather for the month of February was bizarre (with winds blowing out of the south and west for much of the time) and stacking the odds against us for that perfect cross off shore wave, we still managed to score some great sessions both in the flats and in the waves. That said a tremendous of hard work has gone into this story by all involved both in front and behind the camera.
The team were based in Leeward near Big Blue’s base and would venture daily to find waves and wind. We traveled from West Caicos to East Caicos and everywhere in between.
While we wait for the story and images and DVD to be released it is safe to say we enjoyed each others company and vibe a lot. Betrand, Ian, Tuva, Stephane and Leena were welcome guests. We learned from all of them. Stephane and Leena: your patience and professionalism. Tuva: getting the ball rolling. Betrand: great sense of humour and of course a brilliant rider thanks to Wainman Kites. Ian: natural skill and flair with a bit of “I don’t mind, whatever works” thrown in. Hope: infectious passion. Stephane: perfectionist. Wes “handy me my skimmy please” Matweyew: persistent all rounder. Philip “island time” Shearer: the art of self landing a kite!
Thank you one and all. We look forward to seeing you back here for some more cutbacks and sliders!! Safe travels. Philip.

The Humpback whales of the North Atlantic have returned. The last week of January saw the first big wave of their annual migration. Numerous sightings were made on the surface between North West Point, Grace Bay and Pine Cay. By far the best encounter had to be Jim and crew from the Yukon, who marked his return to the TCI and to Big Blue after 8 years with an stunning in water encounter on scuba at the Football field off Pine Cay! Welcome back Jim. More recently Chris, one of new our instructors and captains, has had the rub of the blue on arriving in the TCI with numerous sightings and then coming face to face with 4 whales at G-Spot off French Cay on Wednesday. Epic! The season is in full swing and the whales should provide us with encounters right until April.