We left for Turks and Caicos with normal expectations for an average Caribbean destination. . . which turned out to be far below what this overseas territory of the UK has to offer.

Club Med opening in 1984 started a "gold rush" in the tourism industry of the Turks and Caicos islands (T&Ci). However, there is far more to this destination than the white powdery beaches of Providenciales.

Show us Walking down Queen street in Cockburn Town, the capital city located on Grand Turk island, an elder gentleman salutes Oneika Simons, the super-efficient Tourism Board manager who guides us. He talks about De Gaulle's visit to Montreal, at the time he was 36. . . which makes him 97 years old now.

As he climbs the stairs to his second floor apartment he waves a strong goodbye. Lesson: Living in the T&Ci is probably very good for your health and makes you live longer.

Need more proof, meet Porter Williams, owner of the Island Thyme bar-restaurant on Salt Cay. The former marketing executive left the states with a bag full of pills-hypertension, high-cholesterol, acid reflux etc. Six months after landing on a dot on the map named Salt Cay, his doctor told him: "I don't know what you do buddy but keep doing it, you're basically out of medication!"

Williams serves excellent meals and concoctions that could qualify as weapons of mass destruction called "Monkey" and "Wolf"! His Haiti-born barman also invented the "Tanya's Deep Blue" drink, named after record freediving champion Tanya Streeter. (see sidebar- no pun intended.)

We had told Oneika, show us T&Ci and she did. As we sat with the elders on Salt Cay, we realized how they lived in quasi-slavery until the 1970s. Eight minutes away from Grand Turk by plane, the tiny island has a population of about 70 residents, a couple of inns, some great locally made candies and incredible stories of a hard life working in the salt ponds. You can rent a golf cart and tour the island-without a traffic jam!

From the pink-colored court house to the traditional architecture of the governmental buildings, Grand Turk has kept its local flavour. Visiting the most interesting National Museum tells you a lot about the original inhabitants, the settlers and the shipwreck history. The structure of the museum building is actually made from salvaged vessels masts and other parts.

Colin Brooker, owner of the Island House, shows us around, explaining that the horses and donkeys that walk along the streets have an owner-somewhere. This is a place where life goes on at a nice pace.

Middle and North Caicos With a population of about 280, Middle Caicos is not a bustling place, but the limestone caves and impressive cliffs adjoining deserted beaches makes perfect if you want to get out of the rat race.

Mudjin Harbor's beach, where we found a transatlantic-row boat used by a long gone record holder, boasts a small cay that you can walk-to, in waist-deep water. Bambara sounds African to most; this small settlement started when a ship named Bambara sank on the nearby reef.

On North Caicos, a scooter ride with Deep Blue Unlimited guide Mark Parrish took us to the Wades Green cotton plantation. The 18th century ruins were the living and working quarters of the British loyalists and their slaves. At a local bar we met Wonas "Dal" Williams, owner, freediver and consummate lobster catcher with a record of 200. . . that is lobsters. . . in a single day.

Mark also salivates as he explains how his team explored Cottage Pond, an inland blue hole that reaches deep and far into the limestone structure of the island.

If space was not limited we could go on with a lot more stories but you should rather go visit for yourself; now let's go diving!

Diving, nothing short of spectacular As we enter Turtle Cove marina after two weeks of liveaboard diving, we try to rank T&Ci against other destinations and it kept coming as first or second.

In fact, the only remark we had about diving the reefs and walls around West Caicos and French Cay was that the drop-off starts in 40-60ft. We like abyss that start in 20ft of water but-the sheer beauty of the reef, the fish population, its variety and the number of larger visitors that came to greet us made us forget about-depth, time, and other considerations that can put you into trouble. Fortunately, our computers have audible alarms, otherwise, we would still be laying on the reef!

Rock Garden Interlude Heather Limpert, the Toronto-born energetic instructor/videographer on board comes back to the deck with a large smile: "Make it left over the swim platform and about 100 yards from here you will find your treasure." Fifteen minutes later, Danielle's 60mm lens focuses on the tiny creature emerging from the sand. As she composes the image, the eyes of the soon-to-be-born yellowhead jawfish appear in the mouth of the male who fathered them.

We had casually mentioned to Heather that we wanted to capture a yellowhead jawfish with eggs in its mouth. Luck and expertise were on our side as we visited Rock Garden Interlude, off West Caicos. The latter boasts some of the most spectacular dive sites in the archipelago.

At another site, aptly named Black Forest, Michel explores the wall, finding colonies after colonies of black coral in less than 60ft of water. In some areas of the Caribbean you have to exceed the 100ft mark to find such treasures.

At the Gullies, a 30-inch long Nassau grouper lies motionless as Michel's strobes flash at tiny Pederson's cleaner shrimps that congregate around its gaping mouth.

Nowhere else in the Caribbean have we been able to capture as much variety and abundance on a single trip.

Maybe it has to do with Piers van der Walt, captain-owner of the Turks and Caicos Aggressor II. The former commercial diver loves nothing more than underwater photography and T&Ci rank at the top of his choices-worldwide. Wife and co-owner Annette also agrees as she comments: "Last year we went to Palau. Sometimes I would be swimming on the reef wishing I was back home, around French Cay, as this area is as good as it gets anywhere." We had our doubts but they would soon be gone.

A big surprise During our first week on board we saw at least one Caribbean reef shark on every dive. Sometimes there were more and they came pretty close, less than 3ft away, looking at us, trying to figure out why flashes were popping as if they were clones of Halle Berry. But these encounters were only appetizers!

As Piers finally makes the 2-hour passage to French Cay, the smile on his face grows from a simple grin to a Donny Osmond-Colgate ad look.

Descending to the 45ft-deep bottom, we meet four Caribbean reef sharks that followed us from the surface. Master of the territory, they perform a well choreographed ballet.

The sharks are curious and they come close, very close. At one point in time, Danielle gently pushes away a 6 footer that insists on rubbing its snout on the port of her housing. The images pile up as we capture different angles and lighting combinations, oblivious to the adrenalin rush that accompanies such encounters.

Since the shark are not fed, their presence is even more pleasurable.

Although we devote most of our time to the Carcharhinus species, we still manage to descend explore a reef in pristine condition. Annette is right: this is as good as it gets, with enough fish population and coral variety to keep a photographer busy for years.

Not to miss T&Ci do not enjoy as much publicity as other destinations and this is probably why not that many people come here to dive and visit. We urge you to go, as long as you keep the secret!