Theoretically, Columbus first set foot on Grand Turk (during his historic voyage to the New World in 1492); South Caicos was most likely the next island he saw.
The island’s advantage over other islands in the nation—which they truly don’t naturally provide—is that it has a protected natural deep-water harbour.
On South Caicos, various businesses have been established over the years.
A fungus blight disease killed off the sponges and put an end to sea sponge farming, which was first attempted in the 1930s and was only moderately successful at first. Also tried was a lobster cannery. Conch shells for aesthetic use were first exported to the United States in the 1950s by a Canadian merchant.
None of these endeavours succeeded for very long, and over the past few decades, South Caicos has usually seen a decline.
The unpleasant subject of drug smuggling would have to be covered in-depth in a history of South Caicos. Drug runners were a problem in the Caribbean during the 1970s and 1980s, and Turks & Caicos was no exception.
The Turks and Caicos proven to be a well-liked stopping point for fuel because it is located roughly midway between Colombia and the United States and because of its isolation. The government seized a lot of aircraft and ships, and it was at this time that South Caicos earned the moniker “The Big South.”