How It All Began - The Early Days of the Turks and Caicos Field Seminars

R. M. Lloyd¹, S. D. Kerr³, Ronald D. Perkins², and Steve A. Cole^4
1Petroleum Geologist, Houston, TX
²Duke University, Durham, NC
³Petroleum Geologist, Denver, CO
⁴Field Trip Coordinator, Stuart, FL

In the late 70’s logistical and security issues made it difficult to run Modern Carbonate Sediment Seminars in the classic locations of the Florida Keys and Bahamas. In response to an increased demand for such Seminars we began looking for alternative solutions. One of us recalled viewing the Caicos Bank during a commercial airline flight from Curacao to Miami and recognizing all of the familiar carbonate facies (reefs, tidal flats, grainstone shoals, etc.) in a compact area. A preliminary reconnaissance trip revealed that all of the necessary logistical needs (hotels, restaurants, boat rentals, etc.) were available on Providenciales (“Provo”) Island and would put us less than an hour’s boat ride from each of the depositional environments.

Marshaling our combined experiences and guided by aerial photo mosaics we were able to collect all of the necessary field “props” (rocks, sediments, cores, photos, etc.) in two weeks. Back home we prepared manuals, posters and impregnated cores and within six months of our first visit began running Seminars.

The logistics on Provo were so simplified we were able to run multiple trips often back-to-back. Over a ten-year period we taught more than 800 students.

As with any new field location there were observations and discoveries made which merited further investigation. With the help of our sponsoring companies we invited and supported a number of graduate students in their field work. These efforts yielded six Masters theses, and five publications. Soon after we began our Seminars the research and teaching potential of the T&C Islands were recognized by other investigators who added additional useful insights. Activity has continued and expanded through the years -- which is why we are all here today.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas