Dolphins on the Way to French Cay

A lone dolphin swims alongside and infront of our boat on the way to French Cay today.

A lone dolphin swims alongside and infront of our boat on the way to French Cay today.

I walked up our hill this morning overlooking the marina at Harbour Club Villas and was greeted with an ocean like a mirror. I took a few photos and shot off an email with photo to friends………It’s a French Cay day! Look at the calm ocean. Let’s aim for 10 am.

It was an amazing sight and the colours of the ocean were unbelievable.

It was an amazing sight and the colours of the ocean were unbelievable.

We weren’t too far out when we sighted a lone dolphin and we played with him for a while as he played in the wake of the boat and skimmed along with his head right between the pontoons of the boat.
He was just surfacing and about to blow the water out of his blowhole.

He was just surfacing and about to blow the water out of his blowhole.

Dolphins breathe through a blowhole located at the top of the head. Water in a dolphin’s blowhole will drown the dolphin so it uses powerful muscles to close the blowhole so that it can dive under the water again.
This is one of my favourite photos taken today and you can see ever so clearly the dolphin that swam along with the boat.

This is one of my favourite photos taken today and you can see ever so clearly the dolphin that swam along with the boat.

 

A great smile and close up of the dolphin.

A great smile and close up of the dolphin.

We also saw a mother dolphin and her baby but she wanted nothing to do with us. She was protecting the little one and so we left her alone. 
I only managed to get the shapes of the mother dolphin and her little one as the water was rippling and distorting the dolphins.

I only managed to get the shapes of the mother dolphin and her little one as the water was rippling and distorting the dolphins.

More photos to come of our French Cay trip today but it will have to wait until the next post.
Marta

French Cay

A magnificent stretch of beach with the clearest turquoise water at French Cay

A magnificent stretch of beach with the clearest turquoise water at French Cay

French Cay is a small uninhabited island about 15 miles due south of Providenciales. It was once the hideout of a pirate called Nau L’Ollonais also known as Francois L’Ollonais in the 17th century. He would ambush and capture passing sailing vessels and was a ruthless and cruel buccaneer.

Floating in the water was the only way to cool off......it was so hot

Floating in the water was the only way to cool off......it was so hot

The boat's shadow is reflected in the water and note the starfish.

The boat's shadow is reflected in the water and note the starfish.

The day of our trip to French Cay was certainly one of the best ever for weather. All the way there and back we could see the ocean floor as clear as day. One of the highlights was seeing so many orange cushion stars strewn along the sandy bottom.

 

Marta

 

http://www.diving.tc

Birds at French Cay

A Laughing Gull displaying its breeding plumage

A Laughing Gull displaying its breeding plumage

Laughing gulls come to the Turks and Caicos Islands to breed in early summer and can be frequently seen. It might be a little early as I didn’t see many gulls at French Cay.

In breeding season, the laughing gull has a distinct black head and deep red beak which changes to a whitish head and black bill in the fall.

In breeding season, the laughing gull has a distinct black head and deep red beak which changes to a whitish head and black bill in the fall.

Further down the beach, I came across a beautiful osprey perched on a rib of  a boat that was sticking up out of the water.

A lone osprey surveys the surrounding seas as he rests for a moment.

A lone osprey surveys the surrounding seas as he rests for a moment.

The Osprey is a year round resident of the Turks and Caicos Islands and they prey on the abundant fish in our waters.

Preparing to take flight and catch his next fish

Preparing to take flight and catch his next fish

Ospreys that breed here year round are distinct as they have a very faint stripe behind the eye. The one pictured here is not from the region and has migrated here. Have a look at the eye and you will see a distinct black stripe.

Ospreys soar along our coastlines looking for fish rippling the water.

Ospreys soar along our coastlines looking for fish rippling the water.

Enjoy the Turks and Caicos Islands and I hope you will get to see many of our birds during your stay here.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Birds on French Cay

An unusual shaped log is the perfect perch for this group of Brown Noddies

An unusual shaped log is the perfect perch for this group of Brown Noddy birds

I managed to slowly walk quite close to these birds all sitting on a large piece of drift wood. I looked them up in Richard Ground’s Bird book and found out they were a sea bird from the Tern family called Brown Noddy.

Note the numerous crabs on the log upright....not sure what they were doing.

Note the numerous crabs on the log upright....not sure what they were doing.

As I got closer I couldn’t believe how many crabs were scrambling on the part of the log closest to the water. The birds weren’t at all bothered by my approach and continued perching on the drift wood.

This Brown Noddy seems to be scolding "her" mate????

This Brown Noddy seems to be scolding "her" mate???? He's turning a deaf ear to her anyways!

The Brown Noddy is the largest of the Terns with a white forehead blending to gray nape, and small white (lower) half-eye ring. Noddies range throughout the world where the seas are warm. They breed on land in large colonies usually remote islands such as French Cay. 

Here's a close up of this beautiful seabird...the Brown Noddy

Here's a close up of this beautiful seabird...the Brown Noddy

Sea birds on French Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Look at the clear water and the spectacular colours.....unbelieveable.

 There were more birds but that’s for another time.

Happy bird watching.

 

Marta

 

http://www.diving.tc

French Cay adventure

Stunning day and crystal clear water out at French Cay today

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.

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.

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