Jerry Camp South Caicos

Jerry Camp is small natural landing used as a launching point for kayaks, paddleboards, and small boats, located on South Caicos on the northwestern side of the island’s far northern peninsula. The landing provides easy access to the stunning tidal creeks near Plandon Cay Cut and Stake Bank, which is one of the finest kayak and paddleboard locations in the Turks and Caicos. The sheltered lagoon of the Bell Sound Nature Reserve is located to the south of Jerry Camp.

The creeks to the north of Jerry Camp offer different experiences according to the tide, and it’s difficult choose the superior time to explore the area. At the full tide lag, water clarity is usually at its peak, and the blues, aqua, and turquoise hues are incredible. At lower tides, expansive sandbars, with pristine white sand, are exposed, which creates a different yet equally scenic setting.

The Jerry Camp area shows minor evidence of use by the pre-Columbian Lucayan people, with bits of old shells and ceramic shards still appearing. This is somewhat common throughout the islands, as locations that were well-suited for fishing and water access were often show use of various peoples and cultures thorough the ages.

The Channel Cays

Between South Caicos and East Caicos are a series of small and uninhabited cays and rocks, and this system is one of the most beautiful natural areas in the country. Directly adjacent to the Jerry Camp landing is Big Cay and Sand Bore Cay, which are wetland islands that support mangroves. The remains of the old U.S. Coast Guard LORAN station are also nearby.

On the edge of the open ocean are the larger Plandon Cay, Middle Creek Cay, and McCartney Cay, which have high bluffs that bordered the Turks Islands Passage that separates the Caicos Islands archipelago from the Turks Islands group. These cays support varied terrain, with thatch palm forests, mangrove wetlands, and coastal dry forest.

Wildlife

Jerry Camp and the channel cays are an incredible location for wildlife sighting. In the shallow creeks are numbers of stingrays and juvenile nurse sharks. The deeper sections often have larger sharks, and schools of bonefish and permit roam.

Birdlife is also abundant. Ospreys, tropicbirds, frigatebirds, pelicans, and a number of different seabirds are common.