Sunset over Flamingo Lake and three pintails
Evenings at the lake by Harbour Club Villas brings out all kinds of water birds. This evening, three pintails enjoyed their cruise on the lake.
Marta
Happy New Year everyone
Beautiful Long Bay beach and waiting for Provo Ponies and our Harbour Club Villa guests to head my way.
A quiet late afternoon on Long Bay beach just waiting to take photos of our Harbour Club Villas guests out horseback riding with Provo Ponies. I kept myself entertained taking a few photos of the kite boarders and a washed up conch shell. Provo Ponies was started as a rescue mission for horses and ponies in the TCI. Camille and few of her close friends purchased 7 Paso Fino’s that had been shipped to Provo from the Dominican Republic. Sadly, there were signs of abuse and the horses were in such poor condition, malnourished and dehydrated. It’s not an easy thing to raise and care for horses on an island such as this one where everything has to be shipped in. Remember that there is no or very little fresh water here and not much soil to grow grass or hay or grains. Provo Ponies was formed when it became evident that these rescue horses would have to earn their keep. They became fit and were thriving under Camille and friends excellent care getting regular exercise, food and loving attention.
The horses went straight for the water
These horses love the water and the kite boarders were out too.
Long Bay waters are shallow and perfect for the ponies.
Josee enjoying herself riding Ike (I think that's Ike)
Ike’s story is that he was abandoned on Grand Turk and left to fend for himself. He was eventually rescued and bought from his owner and is now happily working and exercising on Long Bay beach. He is a Morgan Percheron cross, born in 2000 and rescued to a wonderful new life in 2010.
Kevin loving his ride along the beach and in the water.
Did you know that the horses make all kinds of sounds to each other as they love being in the water.
Great way to spend an afternoon on Provo with Provo Ponies and Clyde, Turtle, Bosco and Ike!
Meet a few of the ponies………… Clyde on the left, is the guide horse for now and he’s a thoroughbred/Clydesdale cross. Turtle is a beautiful, massive Belgian and 18hh who was found and bought from the owner in 2010 when he was about 700 pounds underweight. Bosco is a Standardbred whose greatest love is wading in the water and of course Ike who doesn’t mind the hard work because he loves his job!
Time for a little gallop along the beach!
Another turn in the water for our Harbour Club guests as the sun slowly sets.
What a beautiful horse Bosco is.......I love this photo!
Time to head back to the corrals.
End of a perfect afternoon ride
Hoof prints in the sand at sunset
It’s time to head back to the corrals after an amazing afternoon on horseback enjoying the sun, sand and water………………a taste of heaven! It is best to book your ride early, go on line and book before you arrive as Provo Ponies is always busy.
See you on the beach, next time.
Marta
Flying in to Salt Cay with Caicos Express on a clear day just great for photos.
I just love Salt Cay and returning there after 10 years made me wonder what took me so long! It is truly a stunningly beautiful, friendly and charming gem of a place. A girl friend’s birthday celebration and three whole days of golf buggying around this little island was a perfect getaway.
Deane's Dock as our pilot brings us in for a smooth landing.
Closer view of the repaired break water at Deane's Dock
Salt Cay's little airport has remained the same for all these years.
Pirate's Hideaway was our home away from home
A replica of the donkey drawn carts that hauled the salt, stand in front of Candy Herwin’s treasure of a cottage called Pirate’s Hideaway where we stayed for the three nights. Candy is a wealth of knowledge on Salt Cay but unfortunately she wasn’t going to be on island during our stay. Nonetheless we met, she told me everything I needed to know along with giving me her wonderful map of Salt Cay. She’s currently on Provo where she had lined up meetings with two elderly ladies to record their stories. She uses a video recorder and has been helping the residents of the islands to preserve their culture and heritage so that these stories can be enjoyed by generations to come.
Candy Herwin's map "A History Tour of Salt Cay".
The only way to see Salt Cay..........our little golf cart took us all over the island
Our first donkeys...we were a bit leery of them but realised quickly that all they wanted was food or water.
This lovely mansion was being worked on. A new front patio overlooking the ocean and repairs to the seawall
Colourful gates and charming houses, old stone walls and even a stop sign or two.
I just love these old walls and sandy lanes.
This little baby donkey was adorable as he stood outside the gate to our place.
Looking across the salt pans towards the Brown House and St. John's Church.
Sunrise through the gates of St. John's church
North Creek in the early morning had such muted colours.
We found so much sea glass as we walked the beaches of Salt Cay.
We visited with sweet Miss Amie over her garden fence.
This beautiful little cove was our first late lunch stop, beer, snacks and a snorkel.
We stopped for a few provisions.
Dinners were at Pat's Place........stew peas to die for and Pat explains twice fried plantains. Delicious fry fish and chicken curry.
Pa Poley (Mr. Holton Dickenson) was the best tour guide ever! Thank you!
Captivating North Beach.........not another soul there. Birthday champagne on the beach!
Colourful doorway frames a black cat
Did you know that the donkeys on Salt Cay are good at opening gates?
I simply have to stop for now. Hoping this has given you a taste of Salt Cay and all its’ people (93 I’m told), places, stunning beaches, and history too. Noticeably absent are some of the historical parts of this little island. This I have left for another day. After all I only took some 3400 photos.
I love Salt Cay and will return again very soon.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Full moon and a mackerel sky, mackerel sky - never long wet, never long dry.
I glanced outside this evening to see this spectacular moon. Even better yet was the mackerel sky. In the days of sailing ships this type of sky was viewed as a likely forerunner of stormy weather. It has been so hot of late and we’ve had some lightning shows with thunder and some short rains. I’m hopeful that the mackerel sky tonight will bring some cooling rain. Here’s an old saying…….Mare’s tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships take in their sails.
A halo presented itself around the moon and those perfect little clouds
Magical moon in a mackerel night sky.
Marta
Trying to outrun the darkening clouds and coming rains
A beautiful sunny day on Sunday until about 2 pm and of course our planned boat trip for some beach, water and sunshine time. We headed out and this was the amazing skies behind us as we tried to find our little piece of sunshine. Here are photos of the changing skies as we headed towards Dellis Cay. We saw it all on our Sunday trip from sunny skies and puffy white clouds to somber, dark rain clouds and sunset skies too.
View from Dellis Cay looking towards Pine Cay........ such magnificent colours in shades of turquoise and blue.
Such beauty on this deserted island with its abandoned resort and villa buildings.
A few dark storm clouds obscured the sun creating interesting colours on the ocean.
Years ago we would come to Dellis to find sand dollars and shells ..... the best shelling beach in the TCI.
The abandonned buildings on Dellis Cay stand forlornly looking out as the world goes past through its' empty windows
Dellis Cay is a 560-acre private island that got its name from the Dellis family who lived on the island and earned their living sponge farming in the 1950’s. It lies to the east of Pine Cay and is a 20 minute boat ride from Providenciales. Years ago, island excursions, locals and visitors alike would spend many hours wandering the beautiful beaches, picking up numerous shells as well as hunting for sand dollars. Unfortunately there were no sand dollars that I saw but the shells are still all over the beach.
The beauty that was Dellis Cay is now spoiled by the unfinished structures of a failed resort scheme that formed part of the 2008 Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay Project. One part of this complex called The Residences at Mandarin Oriental was supposed to open in 2010 but went bankrupt, construction was halted as you can see from the photos and financial problems caused cancellation of the development. And so the empty shells of deluxe private villas and residences on the beach stand waiting and watching and are faced with an uncertain future.
Parting view of the villas and residences on Dellis Cay.
Heading back to Providenciales with rays of sunshine streaking through the clouds
Coming home with a rain storm over the horizon and our boat's rooster tail.
We were treated to this amazing sky as we passed Smith's Reef.
Rounding the corner and heading into the channel to Turtle Cove Marina
Coming into Turtle Cove Marina with beautiful clouds.
Docking in the Marina after a perfect day on the water.
You simply can’t have a bad day in the islands……..rain or shine. Besides, what’s a bit of rain amongst good friends?
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Flowering railroad vine with delicate purple with magenta flowers.
Off to the beach we went yesterday and what a beautiful sight…….a profusion of purple flowers stretched out towards the sea. Ipomoea pes-caprae is the official name but it is more commonly known as the Railroad vine, goat’s-foot vine or beach morning glory. Seems to me that August is the best month and when you see a carpet of flowers spread out before you.
Raindrops from a passing shower on the flowers.
The flowers open late in the evening and look their best early in the morning. On this day, we had to wait in the car for the rain shower to stop and the flowers were a little flattened but still gorgeous. When
fully opened they expose a purple star pattern throughout the center. The flowers usually fold and fade by the afternoon.
A carpet of railroad vines cover the sand as far as the eye could see.
Vines creep along the sand with showy purple flowers
The main pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps and ants and the sap from the leaves has been used as a first-aid treatment for jelly fish stings.
A dark pink star evect appears in the centre of this gorgeous flower.........and what a backdrop of turquoise water!
And so another spectacular beach day and always something special to photograph.
Marta
A glorious sight.........Harbour Club's tamarind tree in full bloom.
The Tamarind tree apparently was brought to the Caribbean from Africa in the early seventeenth century. Our tree is relatively small at about 18 feet but makes for easy gathering of the fruits. It was originally given to us as a two foot tall plant and has been growing ever since. I never even knew what it was until we started giving the fruit away. I was shown how to crack the shell and OMG …….. a childhood remembrance of that taste overwhelmed me. WOW, it had to have been either in St. Vincent or Malaysia. We were little children enjoying the sweet-sour pucker your mouth taste.
Tamarind branches loaded down with tamarind fruits
Tamarinds hanging from the tree and flowers.
The tamarind has beautiful and delicate orchid like flowers.
Tamarind flowers look somewhat like orchids, are mainly yellow and elongated with orange or red streaks. The buds are pink and these pink sepals are lost when the flower blooms.
The pretty yellow and orangey-red flowers of the tamarind tree.
Mature tamarinds have brittle shells and when you apply gentle pressure, the shell will crack to expose a brownish fruit.
The tamarind is best described as sweet and sour in taste and is high in acid, sugar, B vitamins and oddly enough for a fruit, calcium. Young tamarind fruits have hard green pulp that is often too sour to eat but these fruits are often used as a component of savory dishes. As tamarinds mature, the flesh pulp turns brown to reddish-brown. The skin turns hard and forms into a brown shell that is brittle. The ripe fruit look like a beanlike pod with bulging areas and a slight curve. Inside is a soft pulp around hard seeds. A few strands of fiber extend from the stalk around the pulp covered seeds.
Crack the outer shell of the tamarind to expose the brown pulp surrounding an inner seed.
Take a ripe tamarind, crack the shell and peel back the pieces. You will see a few fibers extending from the stalk that help to hold everything together. The fruit has multiple small bulges and each bulge is a seed. Bite down just after the first seed and pull away. A taste sensation will fill your mouth as you suck and scrape the pulp off the seed with your teeth and spit the seed out. Oh so sour but with lots of sweetness too!!
The seeds of the tamarind are somewhat flattened, and a beautiful glossy brown......would be lovely for jewellery!
Tamarinds can be eaten at different stages with the mature fruit being used to make jam, juice, candies, desserts, ice-cream and it is often used in dishes as a seasoning. I have made a delicious chutney from fresh tamarinds and mangoes to go with my curry. I have tasted a delicious tamarind drink made in a similar way to lemonade; fruit/juice, sugar and water. Some recipes include cinnamon and other spices. The wood of the tamarind tree is sometimes used to make furniture and wood flooring. The seeds are used to produce pectin for use in the manufacture of jams and jellies and sometimes the leaves and fruits are used for various medical applications, dying of clothing and other processes and for cleaning silver and copper.
Flowers and fruit blossoming and fruiting all at once.
A bananaquit preens in the shade of our tamarind tree.
Well, I’m thinking it’s time for a cold drink………………maybe I’ll just pick some tamarinds and get busy making some juice!
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
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Ripples on the rocks, ripples in the sand, gentle waves and calm, turquoise waters.
An afternoon spent on the beach at Leeward brought many interesting sights and things to photograph. This island is rich in natural beauty and you don’t even have to look for it. Here are some of the photos taken in just a few hours.
A group of Black-Necked Stilts dropped by for a visit.
Elegant, long pink legs and quite noisy as they circled and dive-bombed .... not sure if there was a nest nearby??
Stilts are a common breeding resident of our islands.
Leeward rocks with patterns created by the clear waters
A small crab scuttles along the rocks and disappears quickly from the camera's view.
A grinning potcake with no collar was happily taking a cooling swim.
A beautiful starfish and look at that water....spectacular!
Ten or so starfish but why were quite a few floating? I'm hoping it wasn't that they were dying. Anyone know?
Washed up on the shore.
Brown Pelican sits on his favourite perch at Leeward
Constant entertainment watching the pelicans as they dive into the water for fish.
So that’s it, a lovely afternoon at Leeward and many photos later.
Marta
Our soft white sand beaches and turquoise waters are where we all should be. Rent a villa at Harbour Club for your next vacation in the sun.
Explore the finest beaches in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
See you here soon!
Marta