On Board with Wake to Wake Tours
A Look at Turks and Caicos’ Thriving Watersports Business
Like many great businesses, Wake to Wake was born out of a passion. When Mark de Fraine decided to start the watersports company with one of his friends, he had no idea what it would become today. One boat has turned into a fleet. The company has seen rapid growth since its inception over a decade ago; they now stand as the number one watersports boat tour on Providenciales in Turks and Caicos.
Offering wakeboarding, wakesurfing, waterskiing tubing, and beyond, Wake to Wake gives guests a chance to explore the adventures of Turks and Caicos’ crystal blue waters (and perhaps ride with a dolphin or two). Guests choose their own adventure—be it a full day of watersports or a secluded beach hideaway, Wake to Wake makes it happen. Whether you’re planning a trip to Turks and Caicos or are merely curious to learn more, De Fraine takes us inside Wake to Wake.
The Wake Edit: How did Wake to Wake start?
Mark de Fraine: Wake to Wake started back in 2013 as just two friends doing what they love! I had been posting a lot on social media whilst living in Turks and Caicos and was getting a lot of tourists messaging me asking what there is to do on the islands. I realized from this that there was a demand for the activities we were doing in our spare time—so we purchased a boat and set up the business using social media to advertise. It quickly grew and we were having lots of the top athletes in our industry coming down to film with us which in turn helped grow the business even more. The fact that we have such beautiful crystal clear waters and dolphins that frequently surf with us really helped our content go viral and generate enough charter bookings that we were able to expand quickly.
TWE: What is the most popular watersport that your customers book?
MF: The most popular watersport we offer is by far wakesurfing. It is very easy to learn and due to the slow speed you go, and the fact you’re not strapped to the board, it is very safe and accessible to all ages and abilities. The fact that we have dolphins frequently join in with our surf sessions really makes that sport so much more exciting for our guests and leaves them with lifelong memories.
TWE: What is your favorite watersport to teach and why?
MF: Our favorite watersport to teach is also wakesurfing as the rider is right at the back of the boat, allowing us to talk to them as they are surfing, making it much easier to give them tips and improve their riding whilst they are on the wave. It’s also great to be so close to them and see their smiles as they learn a new skill, whilst also being with all their friends and family cheering them on in the boat.
TWE: What makes Turks and Caicos the best spot for your business?
MF: Turks and Caicos is the best location for our business for a few reasons: We often have very calm waters on the open ocean, and if it’s choppy out there, we have mangrove channels that are always calm. The water stays warm throughout the year and is crystal clear providing an experience that is unmatched around the world. Finally, the fact that we have multiple friendly dolphins that enjoy surfing our waves as much as we do is something that has to be seen to be believed—it truly is a one of a kind experience that I don’t think is available anywhere else in the world.
TWE: What is the best part about running a watersports company?
MF: The best part of running a watersports business on the personal side is being able to enjoy the boats in our down time with our friends and family. I have two young children now (3 years old and 7 months old) and there is nothing better than being able to take them out on the water. My 3-year-old has started surfing and loves it—I’m so excited to train her and my son when he is old enough. We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful place and I want to make sure my kids have access to it whenever possible.
On the work side of things the best part of running a watersports business is meeting all the amazing guests we take out from around the world and seeing how happy they are when going out on our boats. It’s so rewarding to see how happy and proud parents are when their child learns to surf for the first time, and it stokes me to see them making lifelong memories just from what we have built and can offer.
TWE: Do you hope to grow into other markets? What does the next 5 to 10 years look like for Wake to Wake?
MF: We have already started expanding and are now the dealers for MasterCraft boats, allowing us to sell them in Turks and Caicos and also service and maintain them for private owners. We have had a lot of guests that loved the experience Wake to Wake offered so much that they have purchased a boat through us and a house on the island so they can get out on the water even more. We also hope to offer more options to experience the islands (e-foils, kayaks, jetskis etc) whilst maintaining a safe and professional experience our guests have come to expect. We also hope to expand on our social media following and the brand we have created to sell merch around the world to those that want to be a part of our movement but maybe can’t afford to fly to Turks and Caicos. We also hope to expand Wake to Wake to other Caribbean islands one day and continue to make lifelong memories for all those who trust in what we do.
