The Northeast Reef is a shallow reef lying to the northeast of Grand Turk and running 2.8 miles into the sea. It lies in the Turks Island Passage, which has stood along trade routes from Jamaica, Cuba, and Hispaniola back to Europe since the finding of the New World. Some estimates indicate that maybe 1,000 shipwrecks occurred in the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Northeast Reef has been the most infamous cause, responsible for hundreds of wrecks. Shipwrecks off the Northeast Reef carried all kinds of cargoes, including coal, lumber, kerosene oil, salt, potatoes, and codfish. Many of these items were used over the years in provisioning and building Grand Turk.

Photo: Mike Stroud

Photo: L.T. Stroud

Photo: The Northeast Reef Marker

Photo: The Northeast Reef Marker

Photo: Mike Stroud

Photo: Mike Stroud