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

A New Look for Harbour Club Villas

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Harbour Club Villas and Marina …… a beautiful location between Flamingo Lake and Cooper Jack Bay on Provo’s south shore.

Our six rental villas are in a beautiful, tranquil setting just perfect for a great vacation on Providenciales. Rent one villa or rent them all for your next group holiday or event such as a family wedding. We are only a five minute drive from Grace Bay beach too. We’ve been here for 15 years and know all the best spots, things to do and will send you to many amazing beaches to explore and enjoy.

We have recently given our villas a new look with bright Caribbean colours. Windows are screened and louvered so guests can enjoy the cooling tropical breezes. Let me show you through our villas.

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Comfortable queen sized beds in our villas

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Bright, open living rooms

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Villas can sleep extra people on a sofa bed

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Lots of couches and a dining room area overlooking the lake

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Flat screened TV and a fully equipped kitchen

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New colours of blue, green and yellow to brighten up the villas

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High ceilings and a large living area for our guests comfort

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Dining room table and seating for four and all with a view

Come and enjoy what we have to offer at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. We have six, one bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens providing everything that you could wish for in lodging in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Harbour Club Villas

Harbour Club Villas and Marina looking out over Flamingo Lake

The six villas at Harbour Club make for a charming vacation hideaway that’s a little removed from the hustle and bustle of Grace Bay but still within a five minute drive.

View from Jim Hill looking over Flamingo Lake towards Harbour Club Villas

We have made a name for ourselves marketing the natural beauty and tranquility of the southern shores of Providenciales where the villas are located. Our guests are drawn towards quiet enjoyment of the natural beauty that surrounds us. We have guests coming for the excellent “catch and release” bonefishing in Flamingo Lake and Turtle Lake and the nearby ocean flats, scuba divers that return year after year and leave from our marina docks, birders, photographers and birdwatchers that enjoy the water birds, flamingos, egrets, herons, ospreys that are in our area and kayakers that love to explore the Cooper Jack shoreline and Delou’s beaches.

Six, one bedroom villas with fully equipped kitchens for your vacation rental on Provo’s south shores.

The villas were built in 1998 on the southern shore of Providenciales and comprise six, one bedroom villas, a pool and gazebo, a private marina with several dive companies close by including Flamingo Divers, Caicos Adventures,Ocean Vibes, Provo Turtle Divers and Provo’s newest addition, Aqua TCI. Here’s some photos of Harbour Club Villas and Marina on the south shore of Providenciales.

Gazebo with pool for just lazing around and relaxing.

The Marina at Harbour Club Villas from where several dive companies leave in the mornings for the dive sites at West Caicos and French Cay.

Contact Harbour Club Villas for all your diving needs, dive packages with several dive companies operating out of the marina just a short walk away from the villas.

Bonefishing just steps away in Flamingo Lake right infront of the villas.

The villas are located very close to two bonefishing lakes and flats about a mile down the road. Grab your rod and fish whenever you want to. If you don’t fish, no worries as we are always happy to share our knowledge of this beautiful island paradise especially all our great beaches.

Villa with gazebo and pool with a barbecue/grill for guests to use.

Stone walkways and tropical vegetation.

Poolside ………. relax and read a book and catch some sunshine.

Sheltered gazebo where guests can barbecue and have a drink or two.

Entrance to the pool at Harbour Club Villas

Flamingos in front of the villas in Flamingo Lake…a great spot for other water birds too

Breakfast on your own private patio with lake views

Freshly roasted island coffee for breakfast with a view

Freshly roasted island coffee for breakfast with a view

Villas are spacious with high ceilings and louvered and screened windows that look out over the lake. Bedrooms are air conditioned with a queen sized bed. The living room has a queen sofa bed onto which we place a proper queen sized mattress to make it as comfortable as a regular bed. The villa dining area has seating for four, counter top bar separating living room from a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower, flat screened cable TV and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Each villa has its own patio area with table and chairs overlooking the lake. We also provide guests with beach chairs, coolers plus lots of pocket novels as well as local books with island type information.

Spacious bedroom with queen sized bed

 

Bathroom with walk in shower, towels and beach towels provided.

Louvered and screened windows, ceiling fan and airconditioning.

Comfortable couches and ample space throughout Harbour Clubs villas

Flat screened TV’s for our guests viewing pleasure and a fully equipped kitchen

Flat screen TV with counter/bar and complimentary WiFi throughout villas and grounds

Comfortable living area with dining table and chairs with views of the lake

The lake is right outside your villa..great for bonefishing

A sofa bed can be pulled out for additional guests or for group bookings such as weddings.

Sofa beds can be made up with a regular queen mattress on top to make it more comfortable

Villas are all spacious with ample room and with fans throughout.

Open and airy with louvered and screened windows to catch the breezes

Open and airy with louvered and screened windows to catch the breezes

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Room for additional guests with the sofa bed pulled out

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Queen mattress is placed onto the sofa bed to make it as comfortable as a regular bed.

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Extra bed in the nook by the windows for additional guests

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Sofa beds are as comfortable with added queen mattresses

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Ample room for a sitting area when the sofa bed is in use.

Flamingo Lake and Harbour Club Villas in the distance.

Bonefishermen love fishing the lake in front of the villas.

 

Harbour Club entrance sign with bonefisherman.

Marina view towards Coper Jack on the south side of Providenciales.

View from Jim Hill a short walk away that overlooks Five Cays and the marina entrance.

The sun sets and the reflections on the lake waters are stunning.

Six, one bedroom villas ……….rent one or rent them all for your next family occasion such as weddings.

Villas can be rented seperately or you might consider several villas for a family occasion such as weddings, reunions, anniversaries or birthdays.

Many weddings have selected the villas as their home away from home.

A beautiful night for a wedding reception at Harbour Club.

Mirror calm reflections on Flamingo Lake right by Harbour Club Villas.

 

One bedroom villas fully self contained for your vacation on Provo.

Harbour Club Villas welcomes any and all inquiries. We hope to see you soon in our beautiful islands of the Turks and Caicos.

 

Marta

 

www.harbourclubvillas.com

 

Lazy afternoon at Taylor Bay

Yesterday was so spectacular I dropped everything and drove up the hill to a friend's house to get this photo.

Yesterday was so spectacular I dropped everything and drove up the hill to a friend's house to get this photo.

Harbour Club Villas (six red roofs) sit overlooking Flamingo Lake. It was a perfect day to get some new photos of our villas from a vantage point up at a friend’s house on Ocean Drive. It was one of those flat calm days and definitely a must to take off on the boat for the afternoon.
I love the water when it's like this, shimmering patterns glint in the late afternoon sun at Taylor Bay

I love the water when it's like this, shimmering patterns glint in the late afternoon sun at Taylor Bay

It was after 3 pm when we got onboard and headed out to Taylor Bay. I’ve mentioned before that this is an idyllic spot especially when you have kids and we had friends with a baby who came out with us. The water was warm as we moored in two feet of water quite a ways from the shore. The baby absolutely loved it.
Baby's hungry and so it's time to get on board and nurse her.

Baby's hungry and so it's time to wade back to the boat for a feeding.

Barry shows us all how to relax, put your feet up and float your cares away!!

Barry shows us all how to relax, put your feet up and float your cares away!!

 Harbour Club Villas are a great place to stay when on Provo and Taylor Bay is one of those soft powdery sand beaches where kids will have the time of their lives playing in the sand and shallow water. Come and see us soon.

Marta

Island Coffee

The best coffee on island is roasted here on Provo by Vicki

The best coffee on island is roasted here on Provo by Victoria

Providenciales has it’s own coffee lady who roasts the coffee beans into delicious blends that are savoured throughout the islands. We met Victoria Turner when we first came to Provo about ten years ago and at the time a delicious, good cup of freshly roasted coffee was hard to come by.

Vicki pours the green coffee beans into the roaster

Victoria pours the green coffee beans into the roaster

Victoria started her company Turks and Caicos Coffee Roasters and came to me asking for a photo she could use for her speciality coffee bags.  A beautiful beach, turquoise water, blue skies photo was chosen and is now her trademark for good island coffee.

Vicki checks to make sure the coffee beans are perfectly roasted

Victoria checks to make sure the coffee beans are perfectly roasted

The aroma when Vicki is roasting is indescribably good!!!!

The aroma when Victoria is roasting is indescribably good!!!!

Victoria’s coffee is available in our local gift shops, Graceway IGA and many of the island resorts and restaurants carry their own special blends. It makes for a perfect gift for friends and family back home.

Vicki with Tina and Sheldon at their wedding...........coffee for all their guests

Victoria with Tina and Sheldon at their wedding...........coffee for all their guests

Tina and Sheldon gave all their wedding guests a gift of island coffee blended for this special occasion. Look for Turks and Caicos Islands roasted coffee or email me and I’ll put you in contact with Victoria.

Fresh coffee roasted right here on Provo is the only way to go!!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Beach fun

Can you believe the colours of the water on Grace Bay today!!!!

Can you believe the colours of the water on Grace Bay today!!!!

The south side was rough and with white caps today so we headed off to my favourite spot on the beach in front of the Bay Bistro. Tina and Sheldon returned to the beach where they were married two years ago. They had a beautiful beach wedding ceremony and had their reception at the Bay Bistro. The water was calm and spectacularly clear as we just lolled in the water for hours with drinks in hand.

Sheldon floats on a turquoise blue ocean wishing the private yacht anchored out was his.

Sheldon floats on a turquoise blue ocean wishing the private yacht anchored out was his.

It just doesn’t get any better than this. The water was warm and sparkled in the late afternoon sun.  Little Michaela came down to the beach for a swim along with her family. She told me she was just learning to swim.

Michaela enjoys the water and blows some bubbles for the camera

Michaela enjoys the water and blows some bubbles for the camera

The only way to describe today was “idyllic”. The water was calm with a gentle breeze blowing and only a few people on the beach enjoying the afternoon. It was raining as we got to the beach at Sibonne but I’m glad that didn’t scare us away. That’s Provo for you…….wait a few minutes, the rain stops and the sun comes out!

We hope you’ll come and enjoy all that our island has to offer.

See you soon,

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com