Lignum Vitae Tree of Life

May 20th, 2013

A profusion of purple-blue flowers..........the Lignum Vitae trees are in bloom.

All of a sudden after the heavy rains recently, my Lignum Vitae tree has burst into bloom. I then started seeing these beautiful trees in the bush on a recent trip to the grocery store.

Flowers have five purple-blue petals and are a favourite of insects and nectar drinking birds.

The Lignum Vitae is also known as the “tree of life” and ironwood because the wood is incredibly hard and is so dense that it does not float. It is found throughout the Bahamas and in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Lignum vitae wood is exceptionally heavy and was used around the Caribbean for ballast in ships.

The Lignum Vitae had medicinal value and was considered the penicillin of the time. The bark was used as a cathartic, the fruit as a vegetable and the flowers as a laxative. In the Turks and Caicos Islands, the resin (locally called rosin) was collected for boiling in water to make a tea to treat muscle and back strains, particularly for men with lower back problems. Another use was to collect branches several inches in diameter which were honed down into heavy, smooth batons called “conch bruisers”. These were used to tenderise conch before cooking.

Teas prepared from all parts of the lignum tree were used for everything...to treat boils and swollen glands, fevers, aches and pains.

The ‘wood of life’ apparently derives from the tree’s medicinal qualities rather than any physical prowess.

A canopy of blue-purple flowers....beautiful.

Beautiful by nature, the lignum vitae has an honoured place in these islands. Take a look as you travel our roads and you will see a blue-purple haze on certain trees. The tree of life, Guaiacum sanctum or Lignum Vitae is spectacular when it is in bloom.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

 

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More Birds at Harbour Club Villas

May 17th, 2013

Sweet little fledgling just learning to fly.

All kinds of twittering going on today and I left my computer to go and investigate. There were two baby Blue-grey Gnatcatchers learning to fly while the mama flew around from one to the other. They are fairly common breeding residents on all islands of the Turks and Caicos.

 

He was pretty tiny as he peeped and called for mama to feed him.

 

Cuban crows are not often seen on Providenciales.

 

 

He flew from Coconut tree to coconut tree as the mocking birds attacked him.

This was a first for me and these Cuban Crows are more often seen on North and Middle Caicos. Now I have to catch photos of that pesky Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that is leaving holes throughout our coconut palms!! He’s really fast though and hard to capture in a photo.

Happy birdwatching.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Island Fish Fry and Miss TCI Universe

April 25th, 2013

Miss Salt Cay ready to compete in the Miss TCI Universe competition this weekend.

Great excitement this evening at the Island Fish Fry as everyone prepares to cheer on all six beauties vying for the Miss TCI Universe 2013-2014 crown. This has to be the largest crowd yet ….. a mix of visitors and locals enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of delicious fry fish, peas and rice, conch fritters, fish fingers, jerk chicken served up by many of the island’s great local restaurants. It was a chance for the six beautiful young ladies to strut their stuff infront of an enthusiastic crowd. Lively entertainment, a rake and scrape band and a Junkanoo rush by We Funk. Here’s some photos of this great event and don’t forget if you are visiting, come on down to the Children’s Park in the Bight on Thursdays.

These gorgeous contestants pose for all the cameras before taking centre stage.

 

Man, could this fellow play that saw and he had all the moves to go with it!

 

Six beautiful ladies on stage and ready to walk the catwalk.

 

Miss Salt Cay takes centre stage

 

Emcee David Bowen watching contestants trying to win Turks and Caicos Tourism sponsored bags and T shirts.

David shows how to "step on the roach".

 

Doing "around the world"

 

Henry the Conch leads the Junkanoo rush with We Funk.

 

One of the younger members of We Funk Junkanoo band.

Whistles and drumming, dancing to the Junkanoo band.

 

The booming beat of the drum and scraping of the grater makes the crowd join in and dance.

We Funk entertaining the crowds at the Fish Fry this evening.

Another sensational evening at the Island Fish Fry. Don’t forget to come on down.

See you there!

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

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Ripsaw

April 24th, 2013

Bending the saw to make music

One particular type of music in the Turks and Caicos Islands is called “Ripsaw” and it is also known as ”Rake n’ Scrape.” The main instrument is a plain and ordinary carpenter’s saw and some musicians have turned these instruments into a work of art.

Diamond performs on his painted saw

The saw can be played with the serrated edge or teeth facing the body, though some players face them away. Also the saw can be held by the handle or the reverse end to produce a gentle bend in the center of the blade.

"Ripping the Saw" by using a knife in this case to produce a unique scraping sound.

 

An "S" curve in the saw will make it sing.

Our local musicians use a metal scraper of some sort, either a knife, a screwdriver or a fork  is raked and scraped over the teeth of the saw to make rhythmic percussion-type scratching sounds.

Ripsaw music is included in local folklore skits

 

The centre of the S curve is "the sweet spot" that creates sound when scraped.

 

Ripsaw musician with the Island Boys local band

Diamond in action

We are fortunate to be able to see and enjoy the abundance of local talent found here in the Turks and Caicos.  Head on out to some of the hot spots on island to enjoy the sounds of our Ripsaw bands.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

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Island Beaches

April 17th, 2013

Amazing beaches here in our beautiful islands........book that vacation now!

Fine, powdery, white sand beaches and the most turquoise coloured ocean that you’ve ever seen. It’s time to book your vacation and experience all this yourself. Hope to see you soon.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

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March 30th, 2013

Sapodilla beach with boats at anchor on a calm day

Sapodilla Bay is on the south side of Providenciales where visiting boats can clear customs at South Dock and then moor out and enjoy some perfect beach time. The water is shallow for quite a ways out before it deepens.

Lazing around and floating in such clear calm water.

Shooting through the rocks makes for some interesting effects

 

A sunset beach wedding at Sapodilla..........a beautiful spot to exchange vows.

A footprint left in the sand as the tide starts to come in.

One of my favourite photos with a flowering poinsiana or flamboyant tree framing my daughter and grandbaby.

Providenciales and the Turks and Caicos Islands have some of the worlds best beaches. There are so many of them and we hope on your next visit, you’ll take in some of them to include Sapodilla Bay on the southern shores of Providenciales.

 

Happy beach days!

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

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Birds at Harbour Club Villas

March 12th, 2013

Bananaquits are usually just too fast to photograph but this one posed prettily in our tamarind tree.

All of a sudden there seems to be lots of singing, chirping, cooing and squawking going on around Harbour Club Villas. I’ve managed to photograph quite a few birds in the last week that seem to like this area……….Bananaquits, Doves, a Green Heron that tries to catch fish and drinks from the pool, the Northern Mockingbird locally called “Preacher Bird” and many Bahama Woodstar Hummingbirds.

This little Mourning Dove doesn't seem to be afraid of me as it pecks away at something in the gravel under the neem trees.

There are several doves here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Every morning quite early, we hear the Zenaida Dove cooing. The Mourning Dove has more of a melancholy voice and has a long tail that fans out on take off and landing. We also have the Common Ground Dove and the White-winged Dove.

The Northern Mockingbird is a songbird, sometimes called the Nightingale or more locally 'Preacher Bird' because of their talkativeness and singing.

Every day the Green Heron visits the pool for a cooling drink. He'll squawk at guests to let them know this is his private drinking pool.

The Green Heron likes to fish and stays low to the water craning his neck out as he searches for food. Often, we can hear him in the trees grumbling to himself and making ’skuk skuk’ noises. Heaven forbid if you disturb him as he will fly up complaining loudly and this has given it the local name of the ‘Kow Kow’.

Stalking a lizard on a Coconut frond.

A Mockingbird perched high on a branch and singing away.

A little Bahama Woodstar Hummingbird let me get really close one night as it perched on a branch.

Bananaquit with beautiful yellow breast preens on a branch of the Tamarind tree.

I managed to get a photo of this dove as it sat on a barrel.

 

I caught this Great Egret walking down the road from Rickie's or Flamingo Bar.

 

He was not about to let go of his lunch...a curly tailed lizard.

I’m glad that I have my camera with me most days. It was pure luck to sight this Great Egret just walking down the road. He must not have liked what was on the menu at Flamingo’s. Enjoy these photos and we hope all you bird lovers , birders and birdwatchers will visit our islands soon.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

 

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Fish Fry on Provo

February 23rd, 2013

A great event every Thursday night..........Island Fish Fry.

We had a great evening last night at the Island Fish Fry held every Thursday night at the Children’s Park in the Bight. Local restaurants served up the most delicious fry and grilled fish, peas and rice, macaroni, lobster and conch and fresh corn. It was my first taste of “gullywash”…….. I took a small sample and just had to fill the glass up to the brim it was that good. Oh yes…..for those of you like me that don’t know what gullywas is, it’s a drink usually served in a coconut not a glass so rum and coconut milk are the main ingredients. Visitors and locals were all treated to some of the best island entertainment from V6 Rake n Scrape Band and with performances by the Breezy Beach Dancers and of course emceed by culture director, David Bowen.

Uncle Dough's has the best #1 conch salad and the most delicious "gullywash"!!!

 

Amongst his many talents, David Bowen emceed, sang, danced and played harmonica with V6 Rake and Scrape Band.

The lively island sounds of V6 Rake and Scrape Band

Dancers getting ready to perform.

Henry the Conch was dancing and greeting people at the Fish Fry.

Henry the Conch was a real hit with everyone as he stopped for many photo opportunities with visitors and local kids. We were treated to some folk story telling and skits, the maypole
plaiting and a junkanoo rush by “We Funk.”

The young dancers braided the Maypole as the crowds watched and cheered.

Everyone joined in and danced to We Funk Junkanoo band.

These drummers were sensational.

How low can you go?

This youngster was wearing several hats as he blew his whistle.

Ripsaw player in the Rake and Scrape band.

On stage at the Fish Fry held every Thursday.

 

Here's the young lady who had be up dancing with everyone and to the Junkanoo band.

Please remember that the Fish Fry is being held every Thursday down at the Children’s Park in the Bight. Bring the kids and head down for a few hours of fun, entertainment and the most delicious fry fish! See you there.

 

Marta.

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

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Harbour Club Villas Wins 2 Trip Advisor Awards

February 19th, 2013

Harbour Club Villas and Marina looking out over Flamingo Lake

Harbour Club Villas and Marina has announced that they have received not one but two awards this year from Trip Advisor. They have been named winners of the 2013 Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Award in the categories of Top 25 Hotels for Service in the Caribbean and Top 25 Small Hotels in the Caribbean.

View from Jim Hill looking over Flamingo Lake towards Harbour Club Villas

“This is such an achievement especially since our location is not on Grace Bay” says owner Barry Morton who owns and runs the villa with his wife Marta. “We have made a name for ourselves marketing the natural beauty and tranquility of the southern shores of Providenciales where the villas are located. Our guests are drawn towards quiet enjoyment of the natural beauty that surrounds us. We have guests coming for the excellent “catch and release” bonefishing in Flamingo Lake and Turtle Lake and the nearby ocean flats, scuba divers that return year after year and leave from our marina docks, birders, photographers and birdwatchers that enjoy the water birds, flamingos, egrets, herons, ospreys that are in our area and kayakers that love to explore the Cooper Jack shoreline and Delou’s beaches.

Six, one bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens for your vacation rental on Provo's south shores.

The villas were built in 1998 on the southern shore of Providenciales and comprise six, one bedroom villas, a pool and gazebo, a private marina with several dive companies close by including Ocean Vibes, Flamingo Divers and Caicos Adventures. Here’s some photos of Harbour Club Villas and Marina on the south shore of Providenciales.

Gazebo with pool for just lazing around and relaxing.

The Marina at Harbour Club Villas from where several dive companies leave in the mornings for the dive sites at West Caicos and French Cay.

Contact Harbour Club Villas for all your diving needs, dive packages with several dive companies operating out of the marina just a short walk away from the villas.

Bonefishing just steps away in Flamingo Lake right infront of the villas.

The villas are located very close to two bonefishing lakes and flats about a mile down the road. Grab your rod and fish whenever you want to. If you don’t fish, no worries as we are always happy to share our knowledge of this beautiful island paradise especially all our great beaches.

Villa with gazebo and pool with a barbecue/grill for guests to use.

Stone walkways and tropical vegetation.

Poolside .......... relax and read a book and catch some sunshine.

Sheltered gazebo where guests can barbecue and have a drink or two.

Entrance to the pool at Harbour Club Villas

Flamingos in front of the villas in Flamingo Lake...a great spot for other water birds too

Breakfast on your own private patio with lake views

Bedroom is spacious with a queen sized bed

Villas are spacious with high ceilings and louvered and screened windows that look out over the lake. Bedrooms are air conditioned with a queen sized bed. The living room has a queen sofa bed which can be made up for extra people, dining area with seating for four, counter top bar separating living room from a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower, flat screened cable TV and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Each villa has its own patio area with table and chairs overlooking the lake. We also provide guests with beach chairs, coolers plus lots of pocket novels as well as local books with island type information.

 

Bathroom with walk in shower, towels and beach towels provided.

High ceilings and louvered and screened windows to catch the breezes.

Living area with several couches, sofabed and chairs.

Dining room table and chairs looking towards the kitchen.

Flat screen TV with counter/bar and a fully equipped kitchen.

Comfortable living area with views of the lake from the front windows.

The lake is right outside your villa..great for bonefishing.

A sofa bed can be pulled out for additional guests or for group bookings such as weddings.

Extra bed with a regular queen mattress on top to make it more comfortable.

Villas are all spacious with ample room and with fans throughout.

Flamingo Lake and Harbour Club Villas in the distance.

Bonefishermen love fishing the lake in front of the villas.

 

Harbour Club entrance sign with bonefisherman.

Marina view towards Coper Jack on the south side of Providenciales.

Lone flamingo in the lake at sunset.

The sun sets and the reflections on the lake waters are stunning.

Six, one bedroom villas ..........rent one or rent them all for your next family occasion such as weddings.

Villas can be rented seperately or you might consider several villas for a family occasion such as weddings, reunions, anniversaries or birthdays.

Many weddings have selected the villas as their home away from home.

A beautiful night for a wedding reception at Harbour Club.

Mirror calm reflections on Flamingo Lake right by Harbour Club Villas.

 

One bedroom villas fully self contained for your vacation on Provo.

Harbour Club Villas is proud to receive these prestigious awards and welcome any and all inquiries. We hope to see you soon in our beautiful islands of the Turks and Caicos.

 

Marta

 

www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

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Kiteboarding

February 4th, 2013

A great sign post greets kiteboarders, spectators and beach enthusiasts to the Shore Club beach.

An amazing day on Saturday as we headed to Long Bay beach to take in some beach time as well as to watch the kite boarders. This colourful sign greets visitors as they walk out onto the beach, kites everywhere, in and out of the water. Wow, do these kite boarding enthusiasts know how to have a sensational day….some were skimming and flying across the water, learning techniques, beginners were taking lessons, there were families out enjoying the day and even man’s best friends were there, barking and tail wagging trying to get in on the action.

Kite boards resting on the sands at Long Bay beach.

Colourful kites and kite boarders skimming across the shallow waters of Long Bay

What a show....jumps and flips high into the air!

 

This youngster was already attempting some jumps as the wind swept him along the shore line.

Take me! Take me! I wanna kite board too!

Kiteboard traffic jam at Long Bay beach as numerous kiteboarders put on a show.

The shallow waters and an easterly wind make for a perfect day of fun out at Long Bay.

This youngster was so good and trying for some jumps.

Colourful sun prisms and kites.

Beautiful Long Bay beach is the spot for kiteboarding......you too can learn to be this good.

Kiteboarders were doing some awesome tricks.

 

You too can learn to kiteboard.........instructors and lessons available.

Mike was out helping the kiteboarders catch the wind.

Bookend dogs and potcakes were eager to help give their expert woofadvice.

 

These guys are so good they could be tandem kiteboarding.

Lift off!

It's a dog's world of kiteboarding out there!

Watching the kiteboarders out at Long Bay beach

Next time I'm going to take some lessons!

On your next trip to Provo, head down to Long Bay beach by the Shore Club and take in the action. Don’t forget that you too can enjoy this popular sport and lessons are readily available with top notch instructors. Email me at Harbour Club Villas or give me a call and I can put you in touch with the right people.

 

Happy kiteboarding everyone and see you at the beach!

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

 

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