One of the most outstandingly enjoyable things to do in the Turks & Caicos Islands are deep sea fishing trips which come in all manner of shapes and sizes. Nevertheless, there are two distinctly different approaches to the logistics of the trip itself with equally large and supportive fan-bases.
On one side of the fence you have those who simply swear by organised charter trips where professional skippers take large groups in sophisticated boats out into the open ocean. On the other side however, you’ll find those who prefer to go it alone, renting their own boats, taking the helm manually and generally taking charge of the trip from start to finish. Suffice to say, the appeal of both options is pretty obvious to say the least and there’s much to be gained whichever you choose. Nevertheless, if you happen to find yourself in the Caribbean with just this one opportunity to take the fishing trip of your life, which of the two makes more sense?
Well, in truth it all comes down to both personal opinion and experience as there are pros and cons attached to both.
The Advantages of Organised Trips
Looking at organised trips first, these tend to be the trips of choice booked instinctively by most vacationers interested in a safe, simple and rewarding day’s fishing. And indeed there are several key advantages to taking part in such trips, which include the following:
- Better Boats – First up, the idea of hiring a boat privately is maybe appealing, but for most people in it would be simply impossible to stretch to the kinds of vessels available for organised trips. The very best charter service providers in the Caribbean operate extraordinarily advanced, sophisticated and indeed expensive boats the likes of which would cost a small fortune to hire out privately. And of course, better boats mean better safety and more comfort.
- Technology – Then of course there’s the fact that such sophisticated boats often feature equally sophisticated technology of finding the very best places to fish. It’s one thing to trust your instincts when it comes to fish finding – it is something else entirely to work with high-tech radar systems.
- Expertise – Those heading out on such a trip for the very first time will undoubtedly need instruction and supervision in order for them to pick up the basics required to net the catch of the day. This is something that usually comes as standard with an organised trip, making it the perfect option for newcomers.
- Relaxation – And in terms of relaxation, it’s always nice to know that there is somebody else in charge of things like safety, security, fish finding and indeed steering the boat in the right direction. So if you prefer someone else to take care of all the important things, organised trips make a great deal of sense.
The Advantages of Self-Drive Trips
As for self-drive trips, there’s something uniquely appealing about the thought of taking full control of your trip from start to finish – it’s an option that comes with many advantages including the following:
- Total Control – As mentioned, the fact that you have total control over everything means that you get to decide where you go, when you go there, what you do when you get there and how long you spend there. Travelling and fishing under your own steam and at your own pace can be enormously enjoyable.
- Complete Privacy – And then of course there’s the way in which to hire out a vessel for you and your party only guarantees you complete and total privacy for the duration of your trip. So if you’d rather not spend your time surrounded by other people, this could be the way to go.
- Costs – Last but not least, the fact that you are hiring a relatively modest vessel and don’t require the services of a professional skipper or fishing instructor means that you could be looking at a total fishing charter price that’s considerably lower than it would be to book an organised trip. And of course, the savings can be even bigger if you take along your own tackle, equipment and supplies.
So it’s easy to see, both have their distinct advantages and points of appeal so to call one of the two ‘better’ than the other wouldn’t exactly be fair. It all comes down to who you are, what you expect to get out of your trip and your current ability levels – speak to a quality fishing charter service provider for more information and advice.