Our Philosophy

Our eco philosophy permeates nearly every aspect of our business. It continues to guide our business and decision making every step of the way.

Less is more.

Quality over quantity.

Our love of the small group adventure is aimed to minimize our footprint while maximizing all of our experiences and is the essence of the Big Blue philosophy.

Both founders, Mark and Philip, take environmental impact very seriously and are active supporters of local conservation and heritage preservation. They sit on present and former boards of the TCI National Trust, TCI REEF Fund and National Museum. Many of Big Blue Collective’s ecotours and adventures have been designed to support these conservation initiatives. 

Small Groups – Less is More!

Why snorkel or dive surrounded by droves of people when you can share the magic with a few kindred spirits?

Tours, Excursions and Adventures in small groups is the best way to see and experience the Turks and Caicos islands

More terrain

Small groups allow us to access more terrain. Our captains and boats can get to places other vessels simply cannot get to or even know how to find.

Flexibility

Our options, choices and time are so flexible. We leave earlier and stay longer. We can adjust before and during any trip for any reason i.e. longer dives, in water encounters, a magic sunset, taking photos and personal requests. Small groups are simply on a totally different level. #FIRSTINLASTOUT

Safety

Safety in numbers? No chance. The smaller the groups the easier they are to manage and the safer they become. We are able to pair people up with similar abilities, react quicker and communicate much more effectively.

Impact

Minimizing our environmental impact is our top priority. In small groups we can be better guides, advise, help and organize so that we all maintain our focus to reduce our footprint.

Meet

Get to hang out with people just like you. Explore with those that love nature, adventure, living in the moment and getting most out of these islands rather than just booze cruising.

Water Clarity

The incredible water clarity that can be experienced around the Turks and Caicos warrants an explanation.

The upper layers of oceanic waters surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands have very low levels of dissolved nutrients. This results in a lack of phytoplankton production despite the plethora of sunlight. It is phytoplankton that would otherwise provide a green hue to the ocean depending on its concentration. These desert like waters are consequently devoid of life and very clear. In addition the Turks and Caicos Islands are made of limestone and very porous. There are no rivers or streams and the minimal rainfall that is received soaks very quickly into the water table held within the rock. Coupled with the limited soil there is very little run-off or sedimentation that would otherwise dirty the water as experienced along the edge of continents or soil-rich islands. No nutrients, no phytoplankton, no soil/sediment runoff = Great Visibility!!

Water Colour

Explanation of water clarity leads to the next big question; why is the colour of the water in the Turks and Caicos such an amazing hue of blues and turquoise?

This essential component of this answer is related to the absorption of light waves in water. Red, orange and yellow light waves are absorbed first. Blues on the other hand are not absorbed so quickly. This is why the ocean appears deep blue in colour, especially in clear water with reduced nutrients and phytoplankton.

The white limestone origin of all Turks and Caicos sediments helps to provide the range of amazing colours seen in the shallower coastal waters. Light reflects off the white sand and the hue depends on the depth and degree of light absorption. Sediment suspended in the water column will also effect the reflection of light which contributes to the attractive colour of Chalk Sound National Park and the changing colour of the water during unsettled sea conditions when the sediment is lifted into suspension by wave action and sea currents.

Best Practices

Every little action counts and we believe it is the small things that make a difference. We acknowledge that we have an impact on our surrounding environments, but we also know and embrace that we have a responsibility to reduce our negative footprint whenever and where ever possible.

EDUCATION: Educate is part of our fabric. As a collective we love to teach not only about wildlife or a sport but also through awareness of best practices and low impact activities like paddling and in water guided small group diving and snorkelling.

LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH: Whether in the mangroves or over the coral reef, the less we disturb the better. With more and more visitors arriving every year this only becomes more and more important.

ANCHORING: Is a huge issue for us. We do our absolute best to not drop anchors on the reef and certainly not next to moorings. The negative impact is devasting. We have watched first-hand how, over the last 25 years and especially in the last 5 years, lazy and thoughtless practices have destroyed and destroy our reefs. This is one of the reasons we have stayed with small groups but also why we drift snorkel when we have to. It’s so worth the extra effort.

NO EXTRACTION: There is a time and place for most things BUT conch, fish and lobster extraction out of season or from our National Parks and Reserves is not acceptable. Truth is, it is now a common practice on a multitude of day boat operators, all of whom operator in our parks, none more so than on the North Shore. Chose wisely. Be part of the solution not the problem.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• We use YETI reusable bottles and cups instead of one-time plastic on all trips
• We no longer offer plastic bottles for drinking water.
• We make our own ice, reducing the number of dozens of plastic bags every single day
• We adhere strictly to the local recycling program of the TCI (glass, cans, plastic bottles and card board)
• We only allow and sell biodegradable sunscreen (see sunscreen page)
• We use biodegradable boat, dish soap and laundry detergent

Our Oceans

• Coral Reefs are home the 25% of the world’s marine life
• The Oceans produce most of our oxygen
• Coral bleaching and disease have decimated most of our coral reefs
• Sunscreen pollution is a major cause of this decline
• What you put on your skin will end up in the ocean, where ever you live

Ingredients

Non- Nano zinc is the only active ingredient that does not damage corals
The following ingredients, common in nearly all sunscreens, are dangerous active ingredients often mislabelled as “reef safe”, “eco” or “natural”. Be `AWARE

Choosing Sunscreen

• In Feb 2019 the FDA updated sunscreen regulations
• Of the 16 approved SPF ingredients ONLY TWO are regarded as safe (Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide)
• May 2019, FDA released studies re/ chemical sunscreens and how common ingredients seep into the blood stream for up to 7 days exceeding FDA limits by up to 40 times.
• Choose broad spectrum non nano zinc oxide protection
• Choose SPF 30 or higher
• Choose water resistance for 80 mins +

Chemical vs Physical Sunscreens

• Zinc and Titanium Oxide are physical blockers.
• Titanium Oxide is a hybrid blocker that scatters UV light and absorbs some UV radiation.
• Zinc sits on the skin scattering and reflecting both UV light and rays.
• ONLY Zinc Oxide blocks BOTH UVA and UVB rays.
• Chemical absorbers interact with the skin and ABSORB UV rays.
• Chemical sunscreen mixes protect against full assortment of UVB but not against UVA