It must be that time of year again! I just saw my first Christmas Vine with its' stand out red flowers creeping over some native bush along the Venetian Road and near the villas at Harbour Club.
Every year as we head into December, I search the bush for these spectacular, showy red flowers. Sure enough there it was today…..the Ipomoea Microdactyla, also known as the Christmas Vine or Hog Potato Vine. Look around you as you are sure to sight it too.
Marta
Heading out of Harbour Club Villas and Marina for a day out on the waters of Provo's south side.
It’s another glorious sunshiney day in the islands with a gentle breeze blowing and calm clear waters. Pretty idyllic and just made for a boat ride. Just look at the beautiful colours of the water and this is what you can expect when you visit our stunning country. Book your trip today and we’ll see you soon!
Marta
Another spectacular sunset leaves the skies over the marina at Harbour Club Villas ablaze with fiery colours and a sliver of a moon appears
A beautiful night sky on Provo……….how lucky we are to live in such a glorious spot!
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Mike's photos of Harbour Club's newest resident.........a Caribbean Octopus
By the time I had run down to the docks at our villas…Harbour Club Villas and Marina….the octopus had disappeared. I was disappointed to say the least but left my camera down there in case our son Mike saw it again. Well, yes……..he came out apparently changing colours and with at least two foot tentacles. Mike was able to get the following photos.
You can see the distinctive blue-green colours with occasional mottled-brown markings
The Caribbean reef octopus is usually a solitary and are able to quickly change colour using specialized cells in their skin known as chromatophores.
Trying to hide in under the ledge of the rocks underneath the floating docks at Harbour Club Villas and Marina
Close up of the octopus' bulbous head
The Caribbean Reef Octopus lives in hidden, rocky lairs that are difficult to locate. Their lairs are usually created in shallow warm waters.
Its colour range is incredibly large; it can change from crimson to green, bumpy to smooth.
The Octopus is difficult to describe because it changes color and texture in order to blend into its surroundings. It can weigh around 3.3 lb or 1.5 kg.
It can move pretty fast but Mike got some amazing shots!
Beautiful colours and constantly changing !
It feeds on a wide array of animals including primarily crustaceans as well as small fish and bivalves. This octopus species often feeds by spreading its webbed arms to form a canopy to net its prey.
Thanks to my son Mike for these great photos of our new resident reef octopus and perhaps you’ll be able to see them for yourself when snorkeling or diving here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Marta
How lucky can a person be? Up close and personal with a Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana!
The Turks and Caicos Islands has approximately 50,000 rock iguanas. Their official name is Cyclura carinata and these iguanas are critically endangered and endemic (found nowhere else) to these islands. I was lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time and at least 300 photos later with the rock iguanas on one of the little cays.
I think he was posing for this photo.
The West Indian rock iguana is one of the smallest of the Cyclura species and measures less than 770 mm or 30 inches when fully grown. Its basic colour ranges from green to brownish grey and usually patterned with some darker markings.
Don't come any closer!! They are so very dinosaur-like and can be very intimidating when coming towards you.
The rock iguana has a ridge that runs from the top of the head to the tip of the tail. The males, have a very prominent ridge on the crown, and a large dewlap. This is a large flap of skin that hangs from the throat area and assists in temperature regulation. This beautiful creature is adorned with a crest of some 80 to 110 scales down the centre of the back, and rings of enlarged spiny scales around its tail.
Showing off its magnificent tail ......it really does look prehistoric!
The Turks and Caicos rock iguana lives in rocky areas and sandy habitats as sand is required for nesting. It lives and sleeps in shallow burrows dug in loose sand or under rocks. In the morning they will emerge from their burrows and
bask in the sun before going off to feed. At midday, when the sun is the hottest, they hide in the shade to avoid overheating.
A handsome ridge runs from the top of the head down to the tail
We have some 2,000 iguanas that are the only land creatures living on Little Water Cay. A boardwalk has been built throughout the island and our visitors can take a tour of the island by walking along the boardwalk. But please, do not step off the walkway.
The Atabeyra drops a group off to see the iguanas at Little Water Cay.
See you next time when you visit the rock iguanas at Little Water Cay.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Yummy.......... fresh conch salad for lunch at Harbour Club Villas.
Honeymooners Chantel and Rick enjoyed their conch salad today for lunch in the gazebo by the pool at Harbour Club Villas.
I was invited for a bowl of conch salad and it was delicious with a little zip to it.
Chantel prepared a delicious, fresh conch salad from green and red peppers, juicy tomatoes, conch of course, cilantro, onions, freshly squeezed limes and some of their own, favorite special spices.
A nice glass of chilled white wine goes great with a "fresh from the sea" conch salad
And to top it off, a glass of chilled white wine goes great with conch salad. I know our honeymoon couple, Chantel and Rick will more than likely enjoy some more conch salad appetizers this evening but they’ll be drinking some Dom Perrignon as sadly, this is their last evening at Harbour Club Villas and on our tropical island paradise.
If you are thinking of a honeymoon vacation, the Turks and Caicos Islands can’t be beat…..sunshine, stunning beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters. Our honeymoon couple can attest to that as they enjoyed three days of great scuba diving. Call us or email and we’ll arrange everything for you to make things easy.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
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
Glorious sunset just after Hurricane Irene paid us a visit
Quite the two weeks since Hurricane Irene came calling! All’s well and we’ve been treated to fair, calm weather and some beautiful sunsets over the lake by Harbour Club Villas. The Flamingos are also back again in Flamingo Lake….they did the same thing after Hurricanes Ike and Hanna.
Beautiful flamingo stretching gracefully like a ballerina as it wades through the water.
Soft sunset fusion of pink shades over Harbour Club Villas as a flamingo wades the lake waters searching for crustaceons in the silty bottom.
The flooding has all but disappeared, clean up after the hurricane is all done, the bush has been cleared of debris and trimmed and new foliage is sprouting once again.
The wonder of nature.
Marta
A rain delay (it poured for a good twenty minutes) but what a wonderful Sunday afternoon it turned out to be. The turquoise colours of the ocean was an amazing sight to see.
Marta
The Turks and Caicos Islands has said a final goodbye to Wesley ‘Tanka’ Williams R.I.P. I only knew him from the enjoyment he gave all of us on the many occasions we were lucky enough to join in the Junkanoo. I searched through my photos and sure enough, there he was………..a giant of a man, a gentle man with a vision, a mentor, a teacher, a no-nonsense man, a coach who encouraged his kids to to be successful in whatever they did. He worked towards giving less fortunate kids a second chance through athletic scholarships and training. He played an important role in helping to develope the Turks and Caicos Culture and bringing Junkanoo to our islands.
Wesley 'Tanka' Williams entertaining the crowds at Junkanoo
Tanka Williams R.I.P.
Marta