We knew we wanted to get out on the water while we were in Turks and Caicos but weren’t particularly interested in snorkeling or an open water boat trip. Kayaking seemed more our speed and the mangroves seemed like the perfect location. A quick internet search brought up a lot of options for clear kayaks. Although it seemed gimmicky to me at first, the waters are so crystal clear that it made sense to make the boats clear so that you can see what is swimming underneath you.
There were a lot of companies with great reviews and we narrowed it down to two. Island Adventure TCI offered a kayaking tour that included a stop on Iguana Island, which sounded like a fun add-on, so we booked with them.
Because the water is so shallow, the tour is beholden to the tides and only offered in the morning. Island Adventure TCI picked us up at our hotel and brought us to the marina in Leeward. There we were fitted for life jackets and given paddles and a kayak. They were two person kayaks and we were a group of five so I volunteered to go with our tour guide, Mitch. (This proved to be a genius move because he did most of the work!) We headed out across the shallow water to iguana island, and it wasn’t long before we spotted our first turtle.
After about 25 minutes we arrived at the island across the channel and pulled our kayaks up onto the beach. We hung out on the small rocky beach for a bit while Mitch was wading in the water looking for a conch. He soon returned holding a beautiful spiral shell with a little critter peeking its way out. He gave us a lot of great information about conch and it was really amazing to see the entire snail emerging from its shell. I had no idea it was such a large and bizarre looking creature! The conch retreated into its shell and we all got a chance to hold it and check it out up close before returning it to the water.
Next we took a very short (literally 2 minute) walk down a sandy path into the middle of the small island. There was a clearing and Mitch laid down some berries on the ground. Soon several iguanas emerged from the brush and started running all around us. Mitch taught us all about the islands’ Rock Iguanas and we enjoyed watching them scurrying around. There was one male and many females, which Mitch said was a good thing because when two males meet, they often fight to the death. We were all glad not to have to witness that!
We got back in our kayaks and I was a little disappointed that we hadn’t seen more interesting (or abundant) marine life. I thought we were wrapping up and heading back across the channel but our kayaking adventure was really only just beginning. Instead of crossing back over, we followed the shoreline of the island and were soon in the mangroves. The scenery was stunning and despite the fact that there were quite a few kayakers already there, it felt so calm and peaceful. Mitch was again extremely informative in teaching us about the mangrove ecosystem.
And the turtles! So many turtles! It was amazing to see them swimming all over the place and getting a perfect view of them through the crystal clear water. They popped their heads up to the surface every few minutes for a breath and we all marveled at their beauty and grace.
Aside from the many sea turtles we saw in the mangroves, we also spotted some sharks! Harmless lemon sharks and nurse sharks can be found in the mangroves. We spotted a few, although they move a lot faster than the turtles and were hard to get a good look at. Mitch did wade through the water at one point to gently lead one in our direction so we got a better view.
While we were in the mangroves, Mitch kept telling me I didn’t have to paddle and could just enjoy the views while he did the work. At one point he said “you remind me of my mom.” I was waiting to see if he was insinuating something about my age and I should be insulted 🙂 , but he added “you can’t just relax and let other people do things for you.” I thought that was sweet and really appreciated him doing the bulk of the work and letting me enjoy the experience.
We all really enjoyed our clear kayak tour with Island Adventure TCI. While I didn’t really find myself looking through the bottom of the kayak, the clear sides definitely improved visibility and enhanced the overall experience. Mitch was a fun and informative guide. Iguana island was a neat stop but the mangroves really made the trip. The natural beauty and the abundant marine life made this a unique and amazing place to visit.
