Tag Archives: pelicans

Blue Hills

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Blue Hills with its Caicos sloops is a fun place to explore.

Blue Hills is hands down, the most quaint and colourful part of Providenciales. Take an hour or two and meander along the beach road where you’ll find small eating establishments, many churches and cemeteries right on the ocean.

Blue Hills pier

The pier in Blue Hills is a scenic spot for photographs

 

Caicos Sloops are being built on the shore.

Some say that Blue Hills was the former name for our island of Providenciales and named for the blueish tinge of the hills and ridges as sloops neared the island from the sea. Life centered around the sea, sloop building , fishing and conking. Sloops would sail out towards West Caicos and French Cay to collect conch which would be dried and then traded with neighboring islands for materials and other food products.

Beach has coral formations close to the shore

Blue Hills on Providenciales in theTurks and Caicos Islands

Looking down the beach towards the Blue Hills pier.

 

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Chasing the birds on the beach in Blue Hills.

 

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Beautiful conch shells are sold down on the beach.

 

This handsome pelican was perched on one of the pillars on the pier at Blue Hills

 

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Harbour Club Villa guests and others such as this paddleboarder drop in for a conch lunch at one of the eateries in Blue Hills

 

Da Conch Shack is a beautiful ocean side eatery

 

Delicious conch salad, fritters and rum punch too

Our guests at Harbour Club Villas and Marina are often seen having lunch or dinner down in Blue Hills as it is a quaint and charming part of Providenciales not to be missed. The road rambles along the shore line and was the first paved road on the island. Work started on Front Road in 1956 at a time when there was no heavy machinery. Much of the work was done by local residents and by hand and took some ten years to complete.

See you soon enjoying the local flavours, sights and sounds of Blue Hills.

Marta

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Babalua Beach Day

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Babalua Beach is one of those wonderful little beaches a bit hidden and out of the way.

Babalua Beach is simply a lovely spot for lazing in the water, snorkeling around the rocks or the reef just off shore, pelican watching, and exciting for the kids too. It is on the other side of the Turtle Cove Marina boat channel.

A toes in the sand and clear water day

The water is always crystal clear as you wiggle your toes in the sand and the shallows as the sun creates sparkling prisms on the water.

Dive boat returning from diving Provo’s spectacular reefs.
Snorkeling in the shallows around the rocks
Always fun to see all the colourful fish.
The rocks are home to numerous little crabs.
A pretty blue crab scuttles along the rocks….hard to catch in a photo.
Kids love to explore as they climb onto and around the rocks.
What a spot to photograph our national bird, the Brown Pelican.

Babalua is full of activity. I managed to get up real close to the pelicans and the resulting photos were spectacular. The Caribbean brown pelican, has a wingspan of around 5 to 8 feet and a weight of 6 to 12 pounds. Endless entertainment as they dive bomb into the water and scoop up fish in their large bills, which can hold up to 3 pounds. Their bills are a natural sieve that will drain out all of the excess water.

A swooping pelican comes in for a landing.
Feasting on some small fish.
The rocks create a shallow calm area to enjoy the water.
A treasure found while snorkeling….that’s a sea urchin test.

 

A snorkeler takes a close look at a beautiful King Helmet shell

A snorkeler takes a close look at a beautiful King Helmet shell

 Eve finds and takes a closer look at a spectacular King Helmet shell while snorkeling off Babalua beach a while ago. They have a thick, glossy “shield” on the inside of the aperture on the bottom of the shell. This can be carved into cameos, and so they are sometimes called “cameo shells.

The King Helmet is a species of very large sea snail with a solid heavy shell.

The King Helmet is a species of very large sea snail with a solid heavy shell.

Keep a watch for these striking shells as you snorkel. The waters are brilliantly clear and hopefully you will enjoy seeing a variety including the Queen Conch.

 

And here’s a monster turtle cruising the shallows. It was the biggest one I’ve seen to date.
Providenciales is blessed with the most extraordinary beaches.
We’d love to have you enjoy our “Beautiful by Nature” islands.

Take some time to travel around Providenciales and while away a few hours at our more hidden beaches that are tucked away. Here at our villas…….Harbour Club Villas and Marina, we can give you ideas as to where you might go. We’ve been on Provo for over 20 years and know all the best spots. Hope to see you soon!

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

A Beautiful Leeward Afternoon

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Ripples on the rocks, ripples in the sand, gentle waves and calm, turquoise waters.

An afternoon spent on the beach at Leeward brought many interesting sights and things to photograph. This island is rich in natural beauty and you don’t even have to look for it. Here are some of the photos taken in just a few hours.

A group of Black-Necked Stilts dropped by for a visit.

Elegant, long pink legs and quite noisy as they circled and dive-bombed .... not sure if there was a nest nearby??

 

Stilts are a common breeding resident of our islands.

 

Leeward rocks with patterns created by the clear waters

 

A small crab scuttles along the rocks and disappears quickly from the camera's view.

 

A grinning potcake with no collar was happily taking a cooling swim.

 

 

A beautiful starfish and look at that water....spectacular!

 

Ten or so starfish but why were quite a few floating? I'm hoping it wasn't that they were dying. Anyone know?

Washed up on the shore.

 

Brown Pelican sits on his favourite perch at Leeward

 

Constant entertainment watching the pelicans as they dive into the water for fish.

So that’s it, a lovely afternoon at Leeward and many photos later.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

West Caicos Beach All to Ourselves

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Shadow dancing on a deserted West Caicos beach

About two weeks ago and a smooth, calm sea found us heading for West Caicos. The boys dropped us off and left us to do a spot of fishing. It was an incredible sight to see this long stretch of deserted beach that had become much wider as Hurricane Irene swept in tons of sand. It was low tide and the water was shallow for a ways out. The waves had created ripples and sand bars and pools of water with shells and interesting bits of debris. We had the beach to ourselves with only a few pelicans that swooped in occasionally to land and shared it only with the pelicans as they dive bombed for fish. What glorious entertainment for the afternoon!

The husbands head off for some fishing and look at those ripples and as a small sand bar forms

Sand ripples formed by the wave action made for interesting patterns in the sand

There were so many bird tracks along the ripples of sand and I was fascinated with all the patterns.

A beautiful shell lies in one of the ripplesand there were lots of bird tracks in the sand

 

The brown pelicans were amusing to watch and photograph but were a little leery of my presence

Probably one of my favorite shells, the sunrise tellin shell lying at the edge of the water, made for a beautiful photo.

Me and my shadow, strolling down a beach avenue!! Just me and my shadow, all alone and feelin' good!!

 

What a glorious day and a wonderful afternoon. We’re going to return to West Caicos as soon as the weather clears………GO AWAY MARIA!!!!

 

 

Marta

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

A Day on the Water

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This beautiful pink tipped sea anemone looked like it was growing out of an old conch shell.

This beautiful pink tipped sea anemone looked like it was growing out of an old conch shell.

 Another great day spent with friends on the water. As we waded to our little cay with the iguanas, I came across a pink tipped sea anemone. It appeared to be growing out of an old conch shell encrusted with marine life.

This iguana was ready to hide under the sea grape bush if we came any closer.

We saw many iguanas on the little cay and they were probably introduced some years ago.

The iguanas scurried away as we approached and this one was almost ready to put up a fight. He positioned himself so that he could hide in the brush under a sea grape bush if he needed to.

Three pelicans all in a row were feasting on a large school of little fish

Three pelicans all in a row were feasting on a large school of little fish

As we anchored off the pirate’s cave and Osprey Rock, we were treated to a pelican show…………..three Brown Pelicans and their synchronized dive bombing for fish show. It was spectacular to watch as I positioned myself in the water in the hopes that they would feed close beside me.

Look at the huge stretch of this pelican's gullet.

Look at the huge stretch of this pelican's gullet.

Little fish were jumping all around as the pelicans swooped time and time again.

I love the way they skip along the water trying to get enough lift to launch into flight.

I love the way they skip along the water trying to get enough lift to launch into flight.

And finally, front row seats for the best view in the world and a grande finale to the day. The sun sets over Turtle Rock, and we head back to Harbour Club’s Marina.

We watched the sun go down from the waters of Taylor Bay.

We watched the sun go down from the waters of Taylor Bay.

A perfect ending to another Provo day filled with sun, fun, good friends and alot of laughter. We wish the same for you as you make plans to visit soon.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com  

Half Moon Bay

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Two pelicans were on the sand bar in Leeward Channel as we motored past.

Two pelicans were on the sand bar in Leeward Channel as we motored past.

We were invited out on a friend’s boat but this time on the north side. It was the first time in quite a while and an opportunity to see the huge changes……….empty docks at Leeward Marina, Nikki Beach resort (recently closed) from the water, the remnants of Star Island and the build up of sand at Emerald Point. We were lucky to see two pelicans on the sand bar on our way through the channel and then on to Half Moon Bay.

Local boats were out in full force as the Minx pulled in and thunderclouds rolled in.

Local boats were out in full force as the Minx pulled in and thunderclouds rolled in.

Half Moon Bay is a heavenly spot with its distinctive out cropping of rocks with tall Silver Palms. It’s a favourite place to sail to for weddings and fun gatherings for locals and visitors alike. I spotted a couple of Caicos Sloops out for a sail and the Beluga anchored off the beach as they snorkeled with JoJo the dolphin. I missed seeing JoJo but some of our friends saw him. The Minx was there too and even the dogs had fun today.

Silver Palms on top of the rocks made for a great photo taken from the water.

Silver Palms on top of the rocks made for a great photo taken from the water.

As the clouds rolled in, we heard thunder and saw lightning………..rain too. The Minx and Beluga sailed off before the rain but we stayed and sure enough it cleared off a little.

It was so beautiful in this spot amongst the rocks.

It was so beautiful in this spot amongst the rocks.

This is a great spot for a barbeque, lots of swimming and snorkeling too.

This is a great place for a barbeque, lots of swimming and snorkeling too.

 

You can see why this is such a favourite beach to sail to.

You can see why this is such a favourite beach to sail to.

If you’re looking to have a wedding here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, keep this jewel of a beach in mind. There are boat charters that can sail right up to the beach for a special wedding ceremony.

 

We had such a lovely day and hope that you too will be able to enjoy Half Moon Bay and beach on your visit to Providenciales.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

North West Point Walk Part 2

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Here's the pelican gobbling up a fish while the seagull hovers waiting to snatch a tasty morsel.

Here's the pelican gobbling up a fish while the seagull hovers waiting to snatch a tasty morsel.

We stopped to sit for a while and take in the view of the waves breaking on the shore. You can just make out the Amanyara resort way down at the end of the coastline.

Pat takes a break and just above her head you can make out the Amanyara Resort

Pat takes a break and way past her at the other end, you can make out the Amanyara Resort

As we walked along the beach towards Malcolm Roads and the Amanyara, I came across something just lying there in the sand. It was an egg and the best I could come up with on the internet was that it looks like a sandpiper egg. This would make sense and most of the birds we saw were Ruddy Turnstones, a common visitor here to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This egg was just laying there in the sand. It had black, brown and greyish markings.

This egg was just laying there in the sand. It had black, brown and greyish markings.

Here's a Ruddy Turnstone. It's fun to watch them scurrying about along the sand and rocks

Here's a Ruddy Turnstone. It's fun to watch them scurrying about along the sand and rocks

Once we got onto Malcolm Roads beach we were ready to hit the water. We had such fun riding the waves and playing in the surf.

Yogi disappears in the surf and all that can be seen are his legs and feet.

Yogi disappears in the surf and all that can be seen are his legs and feet.

Pat enjoying the breaking waves

Pat enjoying the breaking waves

 

What a great way to end the day………….playing in the waves as they came crashing into the beach at Malcolm Roads.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

North West Point Walk

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The road was washed out in two spots...............quite deep too but we pushed on through to explore and find this new beach.

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

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.

Typical vegetation of the area including this beautiful Cactus Tree, Consolea nashii, ( locally called horse pear) 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’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

Barry’s Birthday

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We spent a great afternoon on and in the water to celebrate Barry's birthday today along with visiting friends from Banff.

We spent a great afternoon on and in the water to celebrate Barry's birthday today along with visiting friends from Banff.

The water today was like a bathtub and we spent hours out at Osprey Rock and stopped at Taylor Bay on the way back.

Pelicans kept dive bombing right infront of us at Osprey Rock. What a show they put on!

Pelicans kept dive bombing right infront of us at Osprey Rock. What a show they put on!

A beautiful sunset at the entrance to Discovery Bay canals and Harbour Club's Marina

A beautiful sunset at the entrance to Discovery Bay canals and Harbour Club's Marina

Another beautiful day on the water spent with good friends……….you just can’t beat it!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com