Tag Archives: Harbour Club Villas

Horseback Riding on the Beach with Provo Ponies

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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

 

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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

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Tamarind Tree at Harbour Club Villas

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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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Kayaking at Harbour Club Villas

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Harbour Club guests taking a rest on this tiny idyllic slip of a beach outside the Marina entrance.

Tropical storm Chantal had fizzled out leaving us with hot but hazy weather for today. Perfect for a bit of a work out with the kayaks. Dan and Lynnetta took off with the ocean kayaks to explore the beautiful shore line just outside the Marina entrance at Harbour Club Villas.  There are small coves with pure white sand and since these are tidal, much depends on what time you choose to go out. The turquoise water is shallow so guests can hug the shoreline or cut right across without any worries.

Shooting from the top of the hill at Harbour Club through the masts of sailboats moored in the Marina.

 

Heading back the water was calm with a little breeze.

 

Delou's beaches are usually deserted so you can have your own private little beach.

 

A short paddle down past the Marine Biology School, a turn to the right and home.

It was definitely a good day today with cloudy skies keeping the temperatures just perfect for a kayak excursion.

Marta

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Flamingos on Flamingo Lake

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Such fun watching these beautiful birds.....Oh the colours are magnificent!

A call from a friend that the flamingoes were fairly close to the road sent me rushing down to take some photos. They were just past the narrows on Flamingo Lake and up the road from our villas at Harbour Club Villas. I was fascinated and took photos for over an hour. They seemed to all be sleeping and it’s not a myth – flamingos actually DO stand on one leg. It appears to be a comfortable resting position. Occasionally they would rouse, scratch themselves such as the one above and then go back into their one legged position.

Resting on one leg is the preferred position for sleep.

My favourite photo of three preening flamingos

Flamingos are pink or orange or white depending on what they eat. Flamingos eat algae, crustaceans, small fish and brine shrimp when they’re available most of which contain pigments called carotenoids. These ones were sporting some amazingly brilliant red, hot pink, coral and orange plumage.

A flock or "flamboyant" of Caribbean flamingos performing a water ballet!

Tall, wading birds with webbed feet. Flamingos have elongated, slender necks and legs that are longer, relative to body size, than any other bird.

 

The West Indian flamingo has a beak with a black tip, pink to red/orange middle, and pale yellow base near the eye. The upper bill is often lighter in colour.

 

Such beautiful birds and I was lucky to be able to watch and photograph them.

 

These two had a brief altercation as they faced each other with outstretched necks and sometimes with growling vocalizations.

 

Look at the leg positioning! How do they balance like that?

Preening and ruffling their feathers.

How lucky we are to be able to have the opportunity to observe and enjoy these gloriously colourful birds in their natural habitat. Hope to see all you birdwatchers and birders here on Providenciales. Happy bird hunting and here’s hoping you’ll get to see our flamingos.

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

 

The storm’s over

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The calm after the storm, late afternoon sunshine streaks across the ocean.

The wind is still strongly blowing but the sun was out all day. Thankfully Sandy has moved away and we were left with just a little debris cleaning. This afternoon the sun peaked out between the clouds creating wonderful silvery streaks across the bay at Harbour Club Villas. Another day in paradise.

 

Marta

 

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Humming Birds at Harbour Club Villas Part 2

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The hummingbird nestlings are hungry all the time and have tripled in size.

Our little baby hummingbirds are growing so fast and are now fluffy and always hungry. Mama hummingbird spends her days flying back and forth feeding them and they fill up the nest with scarcely room for her now.

Little hummingbirds almost fill up the nest but Mama still manages to squeeze herself in.

 

Mama hummingbird feeding her babies

 

Beautiful little hummers all soft and feathery and look how they fill up the nest now.

 

More sweet nectar as the mother hummingbird feeds her little ones

Poolside hummingbird nest and I'm amazed at how it has survived some pretty strong winds.

Beautiful irridiscent feathering on the Bahama Woodstar hummingbird

Hungrily this little one opens up his beak just as it waits for some food.

 

I'm hoping I'll get to photograph them as they start trying their wings ready to fly.

The palm frond is sagging quite dramatically and turning yellow so it won’t last too much longer. Enough time though for these two little ones to start trying their wings. The nest has survived some brutally strong winds and rain plus a lot of sun making for a real hot spot with not enough shade. We did put up some shade cloth but after the wind ripped it down a couple of times, we just gave up.

Hoping to have more photos as the week goes on.

 

Marta

 

www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

Hummingbirds at Harbour Club Villas

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She built her little nest in the pygmy palm right at the entrance to the pool at Harbour Club Villas.

A Bahama Woodstar hummingbird built her tiny nest right at the entrance and walkway to the pool at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve walked by there and not noticed anything until that one time when I looked straight at her sitting on her nest. It is such a joy for me to be able to photograph these tiny little birds and right on our doorstep. Can’t imagine what possessed her to build a nest on a main walk through though! On May 28th morning, we discovered the nest and that same afternoon she laid her first tiny egg followed by the second a day later. Today, the second baby hummingbird hatched.

She is so tiny and has beautiful colours on her wings.

 

Flying in for a landing as she returns to her eggs.

Look at the irridiscent green of this little hummingbird's head and wings.

 

Here she is in flight.....so difficult to catch as my camera has a delayed shutter and I frequently miss those great shots.

 

The first little baby hummingbird hatches and it won't be long before the next one arrives.

 

It has been so hot and the pygmy palm is a little lacking in full on shade for the Mama hummingbird.

Note the piece of egg shell caught on the nest. She must have pecked it out so the baby birds would have room in the nest.

 

Can you see that she is actually standing in the nest......probably because of the heat these last two days while the eggs were hatching.

They are so tiny and ever so cute waiting for mama hummingbird to return

 

Feeding time for the little ones!

 

Perched on the side of the nest with one baby visible

A closer view of the two little hummingbird chicks and check out their soft, downy looking bottom of the nest

 

The proud mama hummingbird..........not too much rest for her in the days to come!

Hopefully I’ll be able to do a part 2 as the baby hummingbirds grow. I’m a little worried as the palm frond is already yellowing and has a definite downward droop to it. It’s also really hot and not an awful lot of shade.

Enjoy the photos,

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

 

Harbour Club Villas is a Trip Advisor winner

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina is #11 in Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Award for the best service in all the Caribbean

We are delighted to announce that we have been named a winner of the 2012 Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Award in the category of Top 25 Hotels for Service in the Caribbean.

Harbour Club's unique location between Flamingo Lake and Cooper Jack Bight on the southern shores of Providenciales

This is an amazing achievement for a small tourist establishment like ours which is basically run by the two of us. I created this blog to highlight the wonders and attractions of our beautiful home islands of the Turks and Caicos and now we have been chosen among the best of the best.

Poolside surrounded by flowers and palm trees in a quiet and tranquil setting

It shows that you don’t have to be BIG or on Grace Bay to be recognized as a great place to book your vacation when visiting Provo. We were voted in at number eleven of the top 25 Hotels of the Caribbean this year and best of all, the award was for exceptional service to our guests. Our guests are all like friends and this award is coming from those who know us best, our travelers and visitors that have posted unbiased reviews of their vacations in our villas and their stays at Harbour Club. Many of our guests are repeat friends now and come back year after year.

The Travelers’ Choice Award given out by Trip Advisor is based on the opinions and reviews of millions of travelers and awarded to only a few, select hotels and establishments. Harbour Club Villas and Marina is now one of these stand out and distinctive properties. A great achievement for such a small vacation villa rental establishment.

Six, one bedroom villas that are perfect for couples or family groups.........rent one villa or all of them for that relaxing holiday you've always wanted

This hidden gem of an idyllic spot is both central and yet quiet, great for bonefishing and divers, built in 1998 on the southern shore of Providenciales.  A local architect, local contractors and local stone
workers were all instrumental in building what you see standing today overlooking Flamingo Lake. An intimate cluster of six, one bedroom villas, a pool and gazebo, a marina with several dive companies close by including Ocean Vibes, Flamingo Divers and Caicos Adventures.

Harbour Club's Marina where dive boats head off daily for the dive sites out at West Caicos and French Cay

Let me show you through our six  villa estate through more of my photos and don’t forget that we’ll arrange everything for you so that all you need do is relax and enjoy your vacation home away from home.

 

Spacious and open living room with all the comforts of your own villa accommodation

 

Large living room with dining area and a fully equipped kitchen.

 

Just perfect........have a bite to eat overlooking Flamingo Lake where you can often see bonefish tailing

 

all the bedrooms have comfortable queen sized beds and also the villas have sofa beds for additional guests

 

All villas are screened and have louvered windows for the cooling island breezes and fans throughout.

 

Many of our guests come for bonefishing in the lakes by Harbour Club Villas and we'll point you in the right direction giving our guests all kinds of tips as to where to go.

 

Flamingo Lake at sunset is absolutely spectacular......bonefishing can be great just before dusk.

 

Our gazebo by the pool is great for barbecues and meeting other guests

 

Have a dip in the pool or just relax while reading a book......Harbour Club has it all

 

Let us book some scuba diving for you..........it's just a short walk down to Harbour Club's Marina where dive boats are moored.

 

Each villa has its own patio.........grab your morning coffee and enjoy the view

 

Let us help you arrange your special wedding day...Harbour Club Villas can accommodate smaller groups of up to 24 people

 

We've had many beautiful brides at our villas. Contact Marta and I'll help you with all the planning for that special island beach wedding in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Here’s hoping we’ll see you in the not so distant future. We’ll help you make all the arrangements whether it be a special occasion getaway for two, honeymoon, anniversary, a bonefishing package or a group gathering for that wedding or scuba dive island holiday. Let us know what you would like and we’ll take it from there so that you only have to think about the great vacation to come. Contact us ……… Marta and Barry through our websites at:

www.harbourclubvillas.com                    info on our villas.

www.cloudnine.tc                  wedding and group information.

www.bonefishing.tc               bonefishing and fishing site including bonefishing packages with a local island guide.

www.diving.tc                         information on scuba diving, guest diving comments and dive sites in the Turks and Caicos.

Come join us and enjoy a peaceful vacation in our tropical island paradise.

Marta and Barry