I Love Salt Cay

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Morning sunrise over the salt pans on our first day.

Excitement and anticipation on a return weekend trip to Salt Cay. Up early and out the door to catch the sunrise and not wanting to waste a minute of the day. How I love the peaceful tranquility at that time of day.

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The Turks & Caicos heather, Limonium bahamense was blooming this time and I took lots of photos of this pretty plant.

The Turks and Caicos Island heather, thrives in the saline conditions of the salt flats. It is found growing along the retaining walls of Salt Cay’s salt ponds. It is now the islands’ national flower.

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Came across a Snowy Egret dancing in the salt ponds looking for food and managed to catch a great photo with reflections.

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My favourite little lane with charming rock walls runs right past Mt Pleasant guest house where we stayed.

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Through the wood louvers of the White House looking towards Dunscombe Point.

No trip to Salt Cay is complete without seeing the White House and this trip was very special. We met owner Ian Dunn who took time out to show us through this splendid old mansion complete with stories of his ancestors. I’m definitely going to do a separate blog on this magnificent building that’s part of Salt Cay’s history.

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There’s nothing better than having lunch with this view………the gazebo at the Brown House.

The Brown House was built in 1860, fully restored and is now a beautiful waterfront residence for holidaying visitors to Salt Cay. Thanks to Candy Herwin for an island lunch with friends and of course a chance to take more photos of this heritage house.

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Mount Pleasant guest cottage where we stayed with a roof top wooden walkway to the balcony of the main house. Love the blue shutters.

We were fortunate to be able to stay in the fully renovated guest cottage at Mount Pleasant with hosts Jo and George Oates. Salt Cay accommodation with character …… simply perfect for our all too short vacation getaway.

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The north shore beach looking towards Grand Turk……….if you look closely, you can see a cruise ship.

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Ruins of the Windmills Plantation…..love to take photos here.

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Zoomed in shot of Grand Turk and cruise ship.

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Beautiful stretch of beach but a bit too rough for swimming.

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An old salt rakers cottage.

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A visit to Porter’s Island Thyme is a must for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The chicken breast stuffed with bacon, baby spinach and mozzarella cheese was absolutely delicious with home made ice cream to follow.

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Early Sunday morning and my little friends were heading to gran’s house. They were going to help bake cookies they told me!

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Love this red shuttered house next to the church.

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Foot prints in the sand just up from Debbie’s Coral Reef Bar and Grill restaurant.

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Great place for sunsets, drinks and a bite to eat.

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Looking towards Dean’s Dock…….it was pretty rough out there.

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Sheedy’s cannon up on the bluff was a lovely walk early on Sunday morning.

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Falling in love with a donkey that looked ready to have a baby at any time.

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Pirate’s Hideaway……..another great place to stay in Salt Cay.

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Loving the colours…….turquoise dwelling with donkey.

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Newly repaired roof of the Bermudian kitchen at Government House.

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Inside the old Bermudian kitchen with some lovely old antiques.

Inside the Bermudian Kitchen a lot of work has been done since I was last here taking photos. Old antique artifacts and utensils from Salt Cay have been found and or donated. Candy Herwin writes  “…..like Jose Jones old handmade carpenters saw and box of tools…one of the ladies old singer machines with Ms. Mellys measuring tape …remember the old cloth ones….decade old cooking pots from Mary Robinson kitchen….ancient locks and one of my favorites an old steam iron in a homemade stand…Later Ms. Rosie Glinton said it was used for placing on top of frying fish to stop them curling…Well I never.”

 

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Malaika and sea glass gathering.

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Salt Cay is a treasure trove of sea glass lying on the beaches.

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Excitement in the form of water delivery on Salt Cay.

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Our last day and bright sunshine and slightly calmer seas

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Boats and dive boats with the sea wall.

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Walking, bicycles and golf buggies are the main modes of transportation.

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Our last morning and YES…………we saw the humpback whales. What a magnificent sight.

Our last morning and a snap decision made literally in 5 minutes. The seas had died down a bit and we thought we just had to go. Salt Cay Divers and a 100% success rate so far this season. We went for it and WOW, we were so glad we did. Tough with the boat rockin’ and rollin’ to take photos but all worth it as I managed to get two reasonable “tail” shots.

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Leaving Salt Cay and flying over Grand Turk with a cruise ship docked.

And so, another wonderful few days away from the hustle and bustle of Provo. Salt Cay is a treasure of an island full of history, relaxation, love the donkeys wandering along the salt ponds and streets, the stacked rock old walls, the north beach in all its splendor and the many historic buildings.

I can’t wait to come back again and again.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

South West Harbour Bluff

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Glorious wild sea island cotton along one stretch of the road to South West Bluff and Osprey Rock

A hot sunny day and a trip out to South West Harbour Bluff with visiting friends and some guests staying at Harbour Club Villas. On the road out, we came across some sea island cotton growing wild alongside the road. The cotton had popped and was waving in the wind. We spotted some flowers too…………yellow and delicate.

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A beautiful cotton flower amongst all the white cotton pods

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On top of the bluff looking towards Bonefish Point

Some of us waded through the water to the cave and climbed up the ladder and out onto the bluff. What a view. Others stayed on the beach enjoying a cold beer.

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Perfect day for a cold beer and looking out over the ocean.

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Inscriptions from shipwrecked sailors are found on top of the bluff.

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Osprey nest with two young is perched on top of Osprey Rock

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Chitons attached to the rocks are impossible to pry off

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View after climbing up the ladder at Pirates Cave and out on top of the bluff.

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Sweet little hummingbird nestlings overlooking the beach.

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The mama bird kept buzzing us and we found this nest in the overhanging bush.

Lovely day, wonderful company and so many sights to see. One of the most beautiful parts of Provo that is great for taking photos and walking along the beach out to Bonefish Point.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Favourite Southside Beaches

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Delou’s beach also known as Cooper Jack beaches at the entrance channel to Harbour Club Villas and Marina

Explore with me some of our shoreline where you’ll find some out of the way gems of beaches that many of our visitors miss. Here are some of my favourites and each one has something special to offer.

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You can kayak out the marina channel and follow the shoreline to this little beach.

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“My beach” also known locally as “Dog beach”

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Sunset and shallow waters, pretty idyllic for an evening swim.

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Tidal beaches and lovely waters with stone animal carvings on the hillside above.

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We’ve spent many hours on this beach and had it all to ourselves every time.

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Beautiful Bonefish Point and the shallow sandbar stretching out into the waters.

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Anchored out off the sandbar is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

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Sapodilla Bay is a perfect spot to while away some time especially with little ones.

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Sapodilla Bay is an anchorage for visiting boats.

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South West Harbour Bluff by the pirates cove has a lovely beach and you can walk for miles down to Bonefish Point.

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Lounging in the shallow waters looking towards the pirate’s cave and Osprey Rock just around the corner.

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Take a walk along Taylor Bay……..powdery soft sand.

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Low tide and sandbars forming at Taylor Bay……take your kids here as they will love it.

 

 

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Turquoise waters and white sand beaches of the Turks and Caicos Islands

It’s time to think about leaving winter behind and flying to the sunshine and warmth of our islands. Spectacular beaches await you, soft white sand and clear sparkling water.

See you soon and check out our villas for your next vacation ….. http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Flora and Fauna at Harbour Club Villas

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An anole lizard wards off visitors on Harbour Club Villas’ office deck.

Another week of photographing some of the critters wandering through the gardens at Harbour Club Villas along with our beautiful wild orchids that have just started to bloom. I came home the other day to this anole lizard guarding our deck. He wasn’t too pleased to see me but did pose long enough for me to snap a photo or two.

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Cute anole and he had the most gorgeous colours on top of his little head.

 

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A pretty shell house for this little hermit crab……..he didn’t want to go to the pool!

We often find hermit crabs also know locally as soldier crabs ambling on through. Sometimes we even help them by giving them a choice of a new home. There’s also been some strange houses such as PVC pipe, an old film canister and basically they’ll use whatever they can find in the moment. This one had a very pretty shell.

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We often find hermit crabs and I’m sure I’ve photographed many of them.

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Here’s a gorgeous Encyclia Altissima wild orchid.

The wild orchids are blooming all over Providenciales. Found our first Encyclia Altissima orchid today just starting to bloom and what a beautiful scent they have.

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A cluster of wild orchids in the bush by Harbour Club Villas

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A Cuban tree frog ……….. look at those suction pads.

This little Cuban tree frog is not native to the Turks and Caicos Islands but they are spreading rapidly throughout.

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Pretty amazing to see how far they can jump!

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A yellow bellied sap sucker………this is a new bird for me and really exciting to see.

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Here he is pecking holes in our coconut palms.

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A row of old holes and then the new ones.

It was thrilling to catch sight of and photograph the yellow bellied sap sucker. Definitely not easy to do as they are very shy birds and hard to get a photo of them.

Hoping we can show you some of the local critters around Harbour Club Villas…lots of birds, lizards, geckos and some beautiful flowering plants and shrubs.

Marta

Bananaquits Bath Time

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Bananaquit enjoying the water droplets.

Harbour Club Villas has quite a few birds now and this is an never ending source of photos for me. Another hot, sunny day on island and so I sprayed down our pepper and tomato plants. Within minutes all kinds of birds showed up to enjoy fluttering about in the droplets on the small palms and Washingtonians. They would fluff up their feathers to expose bare skin and rapidly flick their wings in the droplets collected on the fronds. Tough to try and get photos that are in focus because they were moving so fast. Here’s a selection of bananaquit photos.

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A Washingtonian palm frond makes a perfect bird bath.

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A lot of hopping about from frond to frond

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Two little bananaquits enjoying a bath on a hot Provo day

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Love this photo of a bananaquit on a palm frond

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Fluttering wings picking up water droplets

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A natural bird bath

Providenciales has numerous birds and the bananaquit is perhaps one of the more colourful small birds. I love to watch them especially around Harbour Club Villas pool area where many of our guests and bird watching guests can sit, enjoy and capture them in their photographs.

Call us for more information.

Marta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A New Look for Harbour Club Villas

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina …… a beautiful location between Flamingo Lake and Cooper Jack Bay on Provo’s south shore.

Our six rental villas are in a beautiful, tranquil setting just perfect for a great vacation on Providenciales. Rent one villa or rent them all for your next group holiday or event such as a family wedding. We are only a five minute drive from Grace Bay beach too. We’ve been here for 15 years and know all the best spots, things to do and will send you to many amazing beaches to explore and enjoy.

We have recently given our villas a new look with bright Caribbean colours. Windows are screened and louvered so guests can enjoy the cooling tropical breezes. Let me show you through our villas.

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Comfortable queen sized beds in our villas

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Bright, open living rooms

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Villas can sleep extra people on a sofa bed

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Lots of couches and a dining room area overlooking the lake

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Flat screened TV and a fully equipped kitchen

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New colours of blue, green and yellow to brighten up the villas

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High ceilings and a large living area for our guests comfort

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Dining room table and seating for four and all with a view

Come and enjoy what we have to offer at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. We have six, one bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens providing everything that you could wish for in lodging in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Turks and Caicos Birds Eye View

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Flying over Harbour Club Villas and Marina….a beautiful 6 villa vacation rental complex on the south side of Providenciales

 

Over the years, I’ve snapped several photos while flying to our sister islands or Miami. There’s nothing more wonderful than seeing our amazing turquoise and blue waters from the air and islands and cays strung out like small jewels ……… it’s truly breathtaking! Here’s a selection for you to enjoy and I’ve started it off with Harbour Club Villas and Marina which has been our little resort in the sun and built over 15 years ago. The first and only vacation rental estate on the beautiful and more tranquil south side of Providenciales.

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View of Cooper Jack Marina and Five Cays Bay (top) with the canal system feeding into Turtle Lake.

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Turtle Lake bonefishing flat is just down the road from our villas

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Five Cays bay is a beautiful ocean flat where bonefishing guests at Harbour Club Villas always make a stop for some wading and fishing.

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Five Cays Bay just around the corner from Harbour Club Villas and Marina

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina and Caicos Marina development as we fly past and over the start of Five Cays bay. Juba salina in the background.

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Two huge villas (one of which is Prince’s) on the marina and each has it’s own beach. Before development, we used to wander in the shallows and send our guests down to this scenic spot.

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The colours and cays of Chalk Sound are so spectacular and distinctive….beautiful.

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Chalk Sound with Sapodilla and Taylor Bays looking towards the South West tip of the island.

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Beautiful homes line the shores of Chalk Sound… ,imagine waking up to this every morning!!

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Turtle Cove Marina is a short five minute drive from the villas at Harbour Club and this aerial shows the entrance and Babalua Beach in the foreground.

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Turtle Cove Marina with Smith’s Reef , the coral reefs and deep blue ocean.

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I think this is coming into South Caicos and wow, the colours are amazing.

 

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The Big South…………South Caicos full of historical buildings and large developments on going.

 

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Stunning view of South Caicos with one of the large developments of East Winds Resort.

 

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The tip of South Caicos looking towards East Caicos.

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Uninhabited East Caicos was pretty colourful on this fly past.

 

 

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The beautiful island of Salt Cay is a little jewel of a place….love the history.

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Salt Cay in the far distance as we fly onto Grand Turk.

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Grand Turk island is the seat of government of the TCI.

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Cruise Ship port in Grand Turk…….an amazing view as we head back home to Harbour Club Villas on Providenciales.

 

 

And so the end of my whirlwind journey and tour of our beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands from a bird’s eye view. What stands out the most is the colour of our amazing waters from the air. It’s even better though when seen from on the ground and on the beaches. We’re waiting for you to visit so give us a call at Harbour Club Villas and book your vacation with us on Provo in the fabulous Turks and Caicos Islands.

See you soon,

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

The Fool’s Regatta 2014

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The 24th Annual Fools Regatta………what an amazing day out on the water.

The 24th annual Fool’s Regatta was the place to be on Saturday. All our Harbour Club Villas guests were taking in the fun at the beach with a full day of racing ahead, hobie cats, picos, big boats, caicos sloops and man made rafts were all racing. The day was as perfect as it could be, hot and sunny with a breeze blowing and lots of refreshments and food.

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Waiting for the races to begin at the Bight Children’s Park

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The wind was steady and the seas were calm.

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Neck and neck as the sailors took to the race course.

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The start of the big boats race………….there’s Capt Tim and Beluga who have been in every race for several years.

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Some of the youngsters from the Provo Sailing Association getting ready for their heat.

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Lovely shot of the kids skimming along over the water.

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Time for a break and to cool off in the water.

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Ready for the raft race with the Turks and Caicos flag.

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Let the raft race begin………….and off they go.

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Paddling for home and all the rafts stayed afloat! Well done everyone.

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Looks like they are taking on water but everyone finished the race.

Another successful Fool’s Regatta and the revival of the Great Raft Race. Mark your calendars for next year especially if you decide to come to the Turks and Caicos in June. We let all our guests at Harbour Club Villas know that this is a “must see and do” event. I look forward to it every year as it is filled with excitement and racing entertainment. Well done to all the volunteers and participants. Can’t wait to see you again next year.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Harbour Club Villas and Marina Dramatic Skies

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Sunset out over the Marina at Harbour Club Villas and Cooper Jack Bight

The last few nights have been pretty spectacular…..beautiful vibrant colours of the sunsets along with some dramatic skies. Here’s a selection of photos.

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Over the roof tops of the villas at Harbour Club, the skies over the lake explode with colour.

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Harbour Club’s Marina with mast and stunning sunset skies

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Dramatic skies this afternoon in anticipation of some rain………..it’s been so dry.

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The sun hangs over the horizon in a fire filled orange sky

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An island sunset in the Turks and Caicos ….. hard to beat!

Harbour Club Villas is on the south side of Providenciales that’s a five minute drive away from Grace Bay beach. You’ll be able to enjoy the quiet beauty and natural scenery found in our area. Call us and book your next holiday or vacation on Provo soon.   Marta   http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Old Man Cactus Flower

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Old Man Cactus with flower bud ready to blossom.

Caught sight of this the other day and made a point of returning at night to try and catch some photos of the flower. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried over the years and this is only the second time I’ve seen the cactus flower. The Old Man Cactus (local name) is also named the Bahama Dildo. It only flowers at night and has fragrant satiny white flowers. Here’s a selection of photos taken on the hill at Harbour Club Villas and Marina.

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What a gorgeous looking flower with satin like petals.

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The flower attracts butterflies and other insects and there’s one in this photo….a weevil of some kind

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Tufts of white hairy material that looks like an old man’s beard hence the name.

 

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Fragrant and a favorite source of nectar for butterflies and insects.

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The wool is often gathered by birds as it makes an ideal nesting material.

 

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The Dildo Cactus (Cephalocereus millspaughii) is the most common cactus found in the Turks & Caicos.

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A type of weevil feeding on the cactus flower.

I loved seeing this spectacular flower but I must say it was tricky to photograph in the dark. I’m hoping you too will get a chance to see one in bloom. Well worth it though.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com