Archive for the ‘Scuba Diving’ Category
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
The Queen Angelfish is one of the most beautiful and colourful fish found in the warm waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Such amazing colours….electric blue speckled with a bright canary yellow body, yellow tail , fins and a face that has blue highlights around the eyes and mouth. The Queen Angelfish stands out in a crowd because of all that colour but this too works perfectly so that this fish can hide and blend in with the surrounding vibrance of the coral reefs in our area.
Queen Angelfish have a speckled, blue ringed spot that looks like a crown
The royal title comes from this distinctive marking. It is a blue circle on the top of its head, known as the “crown” that gives this fish its name.
This shy fish feeds on the sponges, algae and soft corals of the reef.
They are quite large for reef-dwellers and can grow up to 18 inches (45 centimeters) in length. The Queen Angel has a rounded head and small beak-like mouth. They have these long upper and lower fins that stream dramatically behind them. Although I love the Queen Angelfish best, The French Angelfish is also among the most beautiful of all the reef fishes.
The French Angelfish.....it's scales have bright yellow edges, making a vibrant pattern against its dark blue body.
A big thankyou to our Harbour Club guests Brian Gatt and Connie McEgan for their spectacular photos of the French Angelfish. I don’t dive (only snorkel) so I have to rely on others for underwater photos. The Queen Angel photos were taken by our son Mike on some of his regular visits to Provo.
The French Angelfish has a light blue face, gray/white mouth, and yellow highlights on its eyes, gill plates, and fins.
I’m sure you’ll see these exotic fish as you snorkel at Smith’s Reef and the Bight Reef at Coral Gardens. For those that scuba dive, our coral reefs and walls are some of the best in the world. Come to the Turks and Caicos Islands for your next dive vacation and stay with us at Harbour Club Villas. Dive boats leave our Marina every day and if you don’t dive, snorkeling is great here too.
Marta
http://www.diving.tc
Tags: Bight Reef, coral reef, coral reefs, Diving, fish, fishes, French Angelfish, Harbour Club Villas, Harbour Club Villas and Marina, Queen Angelfish, reefs, Scuba Diving, Smith's Reef, snorkel, Snorkeling
Posted in Diving, Flora and Fauna, Marinas, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Turks and Caicos Islands, Underwater, fish | No Comments »
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
Stunning day and crystal clear water out at French Cay today. The white speck to the right of the photo is The Turks and Caicos Aggressor liveaboard dive boat.
Our first time out to French Cay and we couldn’t have picked a better day. The weather has been flat calm with no wind for the past few days. We decided it was time to head to French Cay as none of us had ever been there except Barry who went out with FiFi of Caicos Adventures a few years ago.
Approaching the beach at French Cay in about eight feet of water. We could see everything so clearly.
We moored just off the beach in about two feet of water and went ashore to explore and of course my camera was constantly taking photos. So many birds and in a future post, I will show you some of the bird photos I took.
French Cay is an amazing dive area……..divers come to the Turks and Caicos Islands to experience the dive sites out at French Cay. Take a look at my website at www.diving.tc where you will find some photos and information on dive sites out at French Cay.
A sun bleached piece of coral washes up on shore with that turquoise blue ocean as a backdrop.
We loved being able to see and experience this spectacular little island and its abundant bird life and hope to return again soon for more photos.
Marta
http://www.diving.tc
Tags: beach, Beaches, Birds, coral, coral reef, dive sites, Diving, French Cay, island, reef
Posted in Animals, Beaches, Birds, Birdwatching, Diving, Flora and Fauna, French Cay, Places to go, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Turks and Caicos Islands | No Comments »
Friday, March 5th, 2010
Caicos Adventures catamaran dive boat heads into our marina after a spectacular dive day. Remember that it's whale watching time in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Tags: Caicos Adventures, dive boat, scuba, Scuba Diving, whale, whale watching
Posted in Diving, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Turks and Caicos Islands, Whales | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Indescribable...........today was simply the most amazing day out at Malcolm Roads beach
Stunning colours today at Malcolm Roads beach where I took my sister Anna and friend Mike…………but really, it is always a photographer’s dream to take photos of the beach and water out here. Every time I head out to Malcolm Roads, I know the colours are going to be fantastic and today was no exception!
Small beach where once every few years, there's a natural bridge. It was all sanded in today.
I can’t emphasize enough that you do need a car to travel to these breathtaking beaches. You will be missing some of the most scenic areas of Provo if you don’t explore this area along with others. There are so many more out of the way beaches and Malcolm Roads is one of my ultimate favourites……….but then I do have many of them!
There's great snorkeling here too so don't forget to bring your snorkel equipment
The dive boats were all out there today as it was calm and perfect for diving.
So, all I can say is make a point of heading out to this spectacular and picturesque stretch of beach………..pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the snorkeling as well as a beach with very few people.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Tags: beach, Beaches, dive boats, Diving, Malcolm Roads, Malcolm Roads beach, snorkel, Snorkeling
Posted in Beaches, Diving, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Turks and Caicos Islands | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Beautiful and colourful but a disastrous predator eating juvenile fish on Turks and Caicos Islands reefs.
Lionfish are also known as Turkey fish, Dragon fish or scorpion fish and they are now a serious threat to our coral reefs and surrounding waters here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. If left to their own devices, lionfish could multiply in number into the millions eating up all marine life on the reef and then move into shallower waters where they will find conch and lobster. They are an extremely invasive species.
A snuba gal comes face to face with a Lionfish and Jodi from Snuba TCI snapped this great photo.
In June of 2009, Jodi and Snuba TCI donated $1200.00 worth of Lionfish catching gear….nets, gloves and collecting bags and gave it to the DECR on Provo. Jodi has caught at least 18 Lionfish on the Bight Reef at Coral Gardens also known as the White House Reef. I believe the first Lionfish sighted way back in 2006 was in this area. Today, all the dive operators are taking up the battle to catch any Lionfish they see out at the dive sites.
Lionfish have up to 18 needle like dorsal fins which contain venom purely for defensive purposes.
Lionfish are not poisonous but their spines are venomous and can cause a nasty sting to humans. They rely on lightening quick reflexes and camouflage to catch their prey. They are a perfectly safe and delicious food fish once the fins have been removed. What remains is a tasty filet that’s as good as grouper according to some. The DECR has launched a 12 month long lionfish tournament which will award $3,000.00 to the first fisherman to record 3,000 lionfish catches.
Lionfish will hopefully be added to the menu at many of our islands' restaurants.
Here’s what you can do to help: Ask for lionfish at your favourite restaurants. Ask Mickey and Jayne of Flamingo Divers or Jodi to show you how to catch them (other island dive operators can show you too). Join REEF and give a donation towards their research or just by collecting data on lionfish when you dive.
Thanks once again to Jodi of Snuba TCI and Jayne of Flamingo Divers for such great photos of Lionfish.
Marta
http://www.diving.tc
Tags: Bight Reef, Conch, Coral Gardens, coral reefs, Flamingo Divers, Lionfish, lobster, reefs, Snuba, Snuba TCI, Snuba with Jodi, The White House Reef
Posted in Conch, Diving, Flora and Fauna, Providenciales, Restaurants, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Turks and Caicos Islands, Underwater, fish | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Jodi adjusts Barry's weight belt before taking them on their first underwater experience
Tina finally persuaded Barry and husband Sheldon to do a Snuba dive with Jodi. Barry was a little nervous and apprehensive about going down under!! Sheldon was cool and calm and ready for an adventure.
Sheldon holds onto the raft that carries the air tanks and floats above the divers
The snuba raft floats above the divers who breathe with a regulator attached to a long hose. Jodi has full scuba gear and takes you through the preparation and then leads the dive on the Bight Reef (also known locally as the White House Reef or Coral Gardens Reef.)
Ready to go under just to the right of the reef markers
Jodi gives the last few words of encouragement and a run through of signals before going down.
Here's Sheldon and Tina's underwater photo taken by Jodi.
No turtles today but the guys saw Atlantic Spade Fish, Grouper and Lionfish along with lots of other fish and corals.
Here's Barry having a great time and first experience with underwater......... close up and personal
Jodi takes a photo of each Snuba diver that they can keep as a lasting memory. Thanks for the photos Jodi!
Everyone comes up smiling after a great Snuba experience
Remember to phone Jodi to book a time to go out and Snuba. She’ll show you around the reef and point out so many great things as she knows this reef like the back of her hand. Come Snuba with Jodi in the Turks and Caicos Islands on your next vacation.
Marta
http://www.diving.tc
Tags: Atlantic Spade fish, Bight Reef, coral, Coral Gardens Reef, corals, dive, divers, fish, Grouper, Lionfish, reef, Snuba, snuba dive, snuba diving, Snuba with Jodi, Turtles, White House Reef
Posted in Animals, Diving, Flora and Fauna, Places to go, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Turtles, Underwater, What to do | No Comments »
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
Jayne of Flamingo Divers snapped this photo of a small seahorse while diving on Saturday
Our guests at Harbour Club Villas have been out diving with Mickey and Jayne of Flamingo Divers for the past three days. What a highlight when Jayne discovered this little seahorse which was tucked away and very well hidden. It is a rare occurance to be the first to discover a new seahorse on a dive site. The dive operators here share this information with each other so they can point out the seahorse to their divers.
Another guest of ours Brian Gatt snapped this photo of Jayne taking a photo of another seahorse (see the orange tail ) they came across last year
On Saturday, Aug 1, Flamingo Divers were out at the dive sites of the North West Point and these creatures are quite rare and so very beautiful.
Seahorses are so named because they have a horse shaped head and a body and tail which is covered with concentric boney rings.
Brian got a great photo of Jayne's camera shooting the little seahorse
Brian's unbelieveably great photo of a seahorse
Seahorses vary in colour including orange, red, yellows, grey and greens and they change colours to blend in with their surroundings. They are not good swimmers and are most likely to be seen resting in sea grass beds or coral reefs with their prehensile tail wrapped around something that is stationary.
Seahorses vary in size from 1 1/2 to 12 inches long and don't generally travel long distances
Seahorses only have one mate and it is the male that gives birth to its live young. The female seahorse lays eggs directly into the male’s pouch on his abdomen where he immediately fertilizes them as they are deposited. One or two months later he gives birth to tiny replicas of the adults.
We hope you are lucky enough to see one of these rare creatures when out diving in the clear waters and on our coral reefs in the Turks and Caicos Islands. If you are looking for some great diving, give Flamingo Divers a call………Mickey and Jayne are the best and give an exceptionally personalized service to all who dive with them.
See you under the water as you dive and explore our reefs.
Marta
http://www.diving.tc
Tags: coral reef, coral reefs, dive, dive sites, divers, Diving, Flamingo Divers, Harbour Club Villas, North West Point, Scuba Diving, seahorse, seahorses
Posted in Animals, Diving, Flora and Fauna, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Turks and Caicos Islands, Underwater | No Comments »
Monday, July 20th, 2009
Wayne and his kids fishing off the docks at Harbour Club Villas
Wayne Hall of Ocean Vibes dive operation took some time out to show his boys how to fish. They set up on our dock at Harbour Club Villas where Wayne moors his boat. He’s originally from Grand Turk and is the only Turks and Caicos native to own and operate a dive operation on Providenciales.
I got one, I got one!!!
The kids were so excited when they started to catch fish. Dad helped to release them into a bucket so that they could take a good look at them.
Wayne takes the hook out as the kids watch
Next time you want a great scuba diving adventure in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we’ll put you in touch with Wayne and Ocean Vibes.
Marta
http://www.diving.tc
Tags: Diving, fish, Fishing, Harbour Club Villas, Ocean Vibes, scuba, Scuba Diving
Posted in Diving, Fishing, Flora and Fauna, Grand Turk, Places for Kids, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Turks and Caicos Islands, Underwater, What to do | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
The road was washed out in two spots...............quite deep too but we pushed on through to explore and find this new beach.
Yesterday we set off to explore a beach along the North West Point coast line that we’ve never been to but had heard about from some of our recent Harbour Club Villas guests. We had turned around the day before as it was getting dark and we didn’t know how deep the washed out part of the road was.
Wow! A spectacular rocky shoreline with powdery sand beaches
This stretch of beach is between the North West Point and Malcolm Roads beach and we basically walked the beach in both directions. There are some great dive sites off this beach and two of them are named Shark Hotel and Black Coral Forest.
Typical vegetation of the area including this beautiful Cactus Tree just starting to bloom.
We watched a pelican being harrassed by sea gulls as it skimmed and dove into the water catching fish. The gulls would literally sit on top of the pelican in hopes of stealing a tasty morsel of fish.
I'm not sure how well you can make this out but the seagull was dancing on the pelicans head
I’ll post more tomorrow as we had such a great time seeing this part of Provo. It was our first trip out here and I’m sure we’ll return many more times.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Tags: beach, Beaches, Black Coral Forest, dive sites, fish, Malcolm Roads, North West Point, pelican, pelicans, seagull, seagulls, Shark Hotel
Posted in Animals, Beaches, Birds, Birdwatching, Cactus, Diving, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Turks and Caicos Islands | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Old photo taken in 2002 of the tiki huts and dive boat out at Malcolm Roads beach
Years ago, Malcolm Roads was only accessible with a 4×4 jeep type vehicle and the hill was soooooo intimidating, pitted and huge ruts towards the bottom. It was always worth it as at the end of the road was a simply breathtaking stretch of beach with the tiki huts. We used to do our ladies beach day down there with not another soul around. I thought some of you might like to see my old photos of the tiki huts and beach.
White, powdery sand beach and always the amazing colours of blue and turquoise
When we first came to Providenciales, the tiki huts were still useable for some shade but began to drastically deteriorate. They were originally built for a French game show that took place on that beach around 1992.
It's a real shame that this beautiful area was not protected for future generations. It is now the site of an exclusive hotel.
Dive boats would spend their intervals pulled up fairly close to shore
Those were the days.......exotic, remote......a piece of paradise.
Hope you enjoyed my old photos of the tiki huts at Malcolm Roads. A bit of history that many of us fondly remember.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Tags: beach, Beaches, dive boats, Malcolm Roads, old photos, tiki huts, tiki huts at Malcolm Roads
Posted in Beaches, Diving, History, Places to go, Providenciales, Scuba Diving, Shells, Snorkeling, Turks and Caicos History, Turks and Caicos Islands, What to do | No Comments »