French Cay

French Cay is a low uninhabited island about twenty kilometres south of Providenciales on the edge of the Caicos Bank, protected as a sanctuary. Above water it is a nesting site for frigatebirds, boobies, terns and ospreys, with a beach and low scrub and nothing else. Below, the drop-off along its edge is one of the best dive areas in the territory: Caribbean reef sharks are reliably present, nurse sharks rest on the sand, eagle rays cross the walls, and in the winter months humpback whales pass through the deep water beyond. It is far enough out that trips depend entirely on the weather.

The landscape

• Reef sharks - reliably present along the drop-off.
• The seabird colony - frigatebirds, boobies and terns nesting on the cay.
• The wall - dropping away from the bank edge into deep water.
• Humpbacks - passing offshore in the winter months.

When to go

November to May is the calmest, and January to April is when humpbacks pass through the passage. The crossing is an hour of open water and trips are cancelled in wind, which happens often in winter fronts.

Things to know

The crossing is long and exposed and trips cancel frequently. Landing on the cay is restricted during nesting. There are no facilities of any kind. Shark diving here is not baited by the better operators, which means sightings are good but not guaranteed; anyone promising otherwise is chumming.

Nearby

Providenciales is an hour north; West Caicos is northwest.

Key facts