Sandbar at Bonefish Point

A beautiful walk from the little beach by Osprey Rock all the way to Bonefish Point

A high light of any trip out to South West Bluff is the beautiful walk from the beach at Osprey Rock down to Bonefish Point.

Osprey Rock in the distance as we wade through the shallows

A mangrove is salt tolerant and look at the roots.

Miles of beach with only us walking along the shoreline.

Bone fisherman stalking the flats for the elusive bonefish

A Haitien sloop washed up along the shore

Sad to say, we often see these wrecked Haitien sloops carrying probably 100 or more people to what they think will be a better life. Many are caught and repatriated.

Pin cushion sea stars love the sandbar. We found many of them.

That’s an amazing flat but make sure you have your fishing license with you if you plan to fish

Turquoise waters and brilliant white powdery sand

Mr Crabby shows his fighting form.

In search of starfish at the sandbar

A picturesque, dream of a day at Bonefish Point

A perfect afternoon to wade into the water at Bonefish Point

On another rather cloudy day, a storm changed the colours to a soft pastel combination of hues.

These great kids hammed it up for the camera in the shallows of the sandbar.

These great kids hammed it up for the camera in the shallows of the sandbar.

Some local kids were fishing  with one fishing rod and a hand line but I’m not sure that they caught anything other than disturbing a blue crab, a cushion starfish and a conch.

A blue crab wasn't too impressed with facing the camera but he was let go after his modeling debut.

A blue crab wasn’t too impressed with facing the camera but he was let go after his modeling debut.

The boys were having fun finding starfish and a conch while their Dad or uncle continued sitting and fishing.

The boys were having fun finding starfish and a conch.

Life is always interesting around the sandbar and on this day I lucked out, smiling kids, someone fishing, finding a small blue crab, a bright orange cushion starfish, a conch and of course, the muted colours of the ocean at low tide and passing storm clouds. Wow! What a spectacular and lovely day.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Sea Stars

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Cushion sea star or starfish in the shallows.

A more modern name for Asteroidea or starfish is now Sea Stars. Usually they have five arms but sometimes a few species have more. Here are some beautiful Sea Stars that I have found and photographed around Providenciales out at Bonefish Point, Grace Bay, Taylor Bay as well as other areas of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

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Snorkeling the underwater world often brings an exciting discovery of a brightly coloured cushion sea star

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Knobby spines create a geometric design of orangey brown and yellow.

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Loads of starfish or sea stars found in Grace Bay

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Tiny crab found on the under side. Tube feet located under the arms have small suckers.

The red cushion star can be very large, sometimes growing to about 50 centimetres (20 in) in diameter. It usually has five thick, broad arms projecting from a cushioned disc  therefore the name. The colour of adults is some shade of red, orange, yellow or brown. The juveniles are greenish-brown with mottled markings which provide camouflage from predators.

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A juvenile Cushion Sea Star

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Small two spined sea star washed up as the tide goes out

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Front and back of the two spined sea star found out at S W Bluff on Providenciales

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Burying itself in the sand

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Not sure what kind this one is

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Pretty shot as it buries itself in the sand

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Seemed to have one longer arm?

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Pretty painted toes as a size guage

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Showing the underside with small suckers or tubes

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Red Spiney Sea Star found out at South West Bluff on Provo

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This one had lost an arm

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Osprey Rock in the background with a little Red Spiny sea star

Sea stars are often found in calm shallow waters (depths from 1 – 37 m) and more commonly occur on calcareous sandy bottom. The ones I’ve found have been mainly out at Bonefish Point just off the sandbar. It’s a beautiful spot to enjoy our “beautiful by nature” Turks and Caicos Islands on your next trip to Provo.

Happy Sea Star watching everyone.

 

Marta

 

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

The Sandbar at Bonefish Point

The sandbar at Bonefish Point......an idyllic afternoon of lazing in six inches of water.

Light winds and pretty smooth seas so off we headed to Bonefish Point. We hadn’t been out there for ages and it was spectacular as always.  The shore line has changed somewhat but as usual, we nosed right onto the sandbar and stepped off the boat into about two feet of water. Right away we sighted some beautiful pin cushion star fish, a large orange and a yellow one and then a smaller sandy coloured one. They were just laying in the shallows and our little munchkin was fascinated by them.

Malaika was enthralled with the starfish as we taught her to keep them under the water.

As you can see, the sandbar is really shallow and extends quite a ways out to where the boat is anchored in two feet of water.

We strolled along the deserted beach looking for shells and bits of coral.

 

Malaika stops to call out to her Dad who's on the boat.

We thoroughly enjoyed the day  and walking along this stunning stretch of shoreline. A big bonus was seeing all the starfish and getting a close up look at them in the shallows.

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Leave Only Footprints

A little piece of heaven out on the beach by Osprey Rock

A little piece of heaven out on the beach by Osprey Rock

Two calm days in a row and we just had to take advantage of the great weather we’ve been having………..two boating and beaching days in a row.  Today we went off to Osprey Rock at South West Bluff. A few locals were line fishing out at Bonefish Point so we selected to moor off the pirate’s cave.

I wandered inland from the beach and WOW! the surf was high breaking on the reef line. You can just make out the white line of breakers in the photo.

I wandered inland from the beach and WOW! the surf was high breaking on the reef line. You can just make out the white line of breakers in the photo.

The views were spectacular as I wandered over the rocks and it looks like lots of roads have been bulldozed there now.  We haven’t been out here for a while and I was disturbed by the amount of garbage strewn around. Please bring garbage bags with you and let’s all do our part to keep these fabulous areas clean for everyone to enjoy. I know I will next time!  

A beach playground all to herself as Malaika plays with her sand toys.

A beach playground all to herself as Malaika plays with her sand toys.

 

Malaika was entranced by making prints in the sand with her toys.

Malaika was entranced by making prints in the sand with her toys.

A great day today! We ended up as usual at Taylor Bay and my next post will be of photos from Saturday and today.

Please help by taking all your trash or garbage with you and LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS.

LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS in the sand!

LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS in the sand!

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Storm Clouds at Bonefish Point

Ominous thunderclouds roll in at Bonefish Point

Ominous thunderclouds roll in at Bonefish Point

What an amazing sight as our friends swam back out to the boat before the storm ……… the ocean turned to a deep turquoise as the ominous thunderclouds rolled in. The sandbar and beach at Bonefish Point created a sparkling sliver of brilliant white breaking up the intensity of the brooding sky and sea.  We pulled up the anchor and headed back to Harbour Club Marina.

 

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Sandbar at Bonefish Point

As the tide flows out, the sandbar at Bonefish Point is in just inches of water.

As the tide flows out, the sandbar at Bonefish Point is in just inches of water.

It doesn’t get any better than this……a beautiful afternoon and the boat is anchored out off the sand bar and a beautiful beach. Time for some great photos as low tide means just inches of water over the sands of the sandbar that has been built up out at Bonefish Point.

Soft sand and cool clear water ....... that's what the Turks and Caicos is all about.

Soft sand and cool clear water ....... that's what the Turks and Caicos is all about.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Water Therapy

Blue skies, turquoise water ........... floating your cares away. It doesn't get any better than this.
Blue skies, turquoise water ……….. floating your cares away. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Bonefish Point on a brilliantly sunny afternoon. The water was calm, the colours were unbelievable. Wayne looks like he’s fallen asleep while floating a few inches off the sand on the sandbar. You too could be enjoying our soft sandy beaches and crystal clear, turquoise seas.

Marta

Bonefish Point Sandbar

A perfect afternoon on and in the water with the boys pulling us up to the sandbar..........it simply was the best

A perfect afternoon on and in the water with the boys pulling us up to the sandbar..........it simply was the best

We both had family visiting so it was an opportunity to take a leisurely run out to the sand bar at Bonefish Point. We took off from our marina at Harbour Club Villas. There’s a deep water channel ( 12 feet deep or so ) to the right of the sandbar and all of a sudden you’re in a foot of water. The guys put the anchor out and then decided to walk it into the shallows.

Barry floats along in the clear water and enjoys the best view in the world

Barry floats along in the clear water and enjoys the best view in the world

We saw some beautiful sea cushions ( see my previous post) and some smaller white starfish. Laura explored some rocks in the shallows and found numerous hermit crabs.

Laura shows me her find.............tiny little shells with crabs in them

Laura shows me her find.............tiny little shells with crabs in them

Here's a small hermit crab just walking along the edge of the water

Here's a small hermit crab just walking along the edge of the water

 

Barry, Tina and Sheldon stayed in the water pretty much all afternoon.

Barry, Tina and Sheldon stayed in the water pretty much all afternoon.

We all cooled off by staying in the water beer in hand. The Bonefish Point sandbar is on the south west tip of the island and accessible by road now. It never used to be……….the only way of getting here a few years ago was by boat or doing an excursion with Capt. Bill of Ocean Outback. This trip by the way is a great way of seeing the south shoreline. Hope you get to see this part of our island too.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com