Category Archives: Turks and Caicos Islands

Crabs

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"Crabby Johnson" visits Harbour Club in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

"Crabby Johnson" visits Harbour Club in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Hi Marta and Barry.  Mike and I got your email message letting us know of your new blog.  It’s quite fun!  I love your pictures.  It brings back such nice memories of the fun we had when we stayed with you.  When I saw the crab pictures it reminded me that we were going to send you a picture of the very large crab that walked from the back of your property down the driveway.    I’m including it with this message. Kevin had heard a sound in the bushes near the veranda and when we went to look we saw him.  He proceeded to “walk” under our rental car and down the driveway.  You can tell how large he is in relation to the size of the tire.  Kevin named him “Crabby Johnson.  I hope you are back to normal after the hurricane scare in September.  Thanks again for letting us know about the blog. Take care, Sandy and Mike Adamson

What a great photo and I’d forgotten that you were going to email me it……………Thanks alot and he is huge judging by the tire!!!  I wished I had seen him too.

Thanks for your email,

Marta 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Rainbow over the Cays

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A rainbow appears over the little cays off the south side of Provo.

A rainbow appears over the little cays off the south side of Provo.

A cloudy day, a sudden rain storm and out came this beautiful rainbow on the south side of Provo and just up the road from Harbour Club Villas. I took the photo from a friend’s house high on a hill ( “high” meaning about 100 feet above sea level which is high for here!!)

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Green Heron

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Doesn't look like there's any fish here!!!

Doesn't look like there's any fish here!!!

The Green Heron is one of the smallest herons in the Turks and Caicos Islands and this one keeps coming back to our pool. He has made himself at home and complains loudly when guests disturb him. It’s local name is the “Kow Kow” because of the loud call he makes. Birdwatchers and birders enjoy the variety of birds they can see around Harbour Club Villas.

Birdwatching is great in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Turk’s Head Cactus

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This Turk's Head Cactus with both flowers and pink fruit grows wild in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This Turk's Head Cactus with both flowers and pink fruit grows wild in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Turk’s Head Cactus is one of the national emblems of the Turks and Caicos Islands where it loves the dry climate and thrives in exposed areas. It is named after the distinctive reddish cap that sits on top of the green cactus and looks like a Turkish fez (cap).

Turk's Head Cactus blooms throughout the year in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Turk's Head Cactus blooms throughout the year in the Turks and Caicos Islands

The Turk’s Head Cactus produces small spikey looking pink flowers and as they die, they form the fruit which grows inside the white spongey cap. The rosey pink fruit contains the seeds and are much loved by our lizards and birds, iguanas too.  The locals also will eat them as they apparently are sweet and juicy. I haven’t tasted one yet but will do so one of these days.

Turk's Head Cactus with pretty pink flowers
Turk’s Head Cactus with pretty pink flowers

I’ve had some success in growing Turk’s Head Cactus and have lots started

at Harbour Club Villas. They take forever to grow though!!!!
Cheers,
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Hermit Crab

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Hermit crabs are called "soldier crabs" by the locals

Hermit crabs are called "soldier crabs" by the locals

We found this little hermit crab on our walkway. It is known as the Caribbean hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus) and also known locally as the soldier crab. Some call it the purple pincher because of its distinctive purple claw. Caribbean hermit crabs often wander through our property and I went looking for my most unusual photo of one.

Hermit Crab with the latest in PVC pipe homes!

Hermit Crab with the latest in PVC pipe homes!

I’ve never seen anything like this!  He made quite an impression on us as he rattled across the concrete path with his unusual PVC pipe home. We decided to help him out and coaxed him into a more updated home.
Ah.......that feels much better!

Ah.......that feels much better!

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Small cay

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What a view! Over looking our anchored boat with Five Cays in the background.

What a view! Over looking our anchored boat with Five Cays in the background.

Today we pulled up and anchored off this little uninhabited cay………….just us and the local iguana population. They were really skittish but we saw quite a few which scuttled away as soon as they saw us. Over the years, iguanas have been introduced to some of the offshore cays as a protective measure.  What a great view from the island with the settlement of Five Cays off in the distance. Weather was perfect and as you can see from the photo, the water was different shades of turquoise.
Come see for yourselves……….plan a vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Hope to see you soon!
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Spectacular sunset

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Spectacular colours at sunset

Spectacular colours at sunset

Sunset was a glorious sight with such great colours…….. pinks, reds and golds. Even more spectacular was Kathleen’s barbecued ribs. We were invited by our guests to enjoy a barbecue prepared by Chef Kathleen. I can’t describe how good those ribs were…….the best we’ve ever tasted. Luckily we have been given Kath’s recipe and so long as I follow it to a T, we’re hopefull the ribs will taste as good. Many can attest to the fact that I am not too good at following recipes as I tend to add bits and pieces and take out stuff I don’t like.

 

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Blue Crabs

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catching blue crabs between the two lakes by Harbour Club Villas

catching blue crabs between the two lakes by Harbour Club Villas

Over the last three days there’s been all sorts of activity just down the road from our villas where the waters from Turtle Lake flow through a culvert and into Flamingo Lake. I went down there today with my camera as I had heard from guests that there were all kinds of crabs in the water and on the bank and that some locals were catching them.

Good job you have thick gloves Stanley!!

Good job you have thick gloves Stanley!!

When I arrived on the bank, Stanley who does a little fishing and is from North Caicos, was there with his net and a bucket. He told me that he would be eating real good tonight. I guess they love these little crabs and throw them in a pot and cook them up.

This one was looking quite fierce and didn't want to be caught

This one was looking quite fierce and didn't want to be caught

Stanley said that there were “hundreds” of them the other day when he was out.

It's not easy to throw that net.

It's not easy to throw that net.

I’m not sure just how much crab meat you would get out of some of the crabs.  He was throwing back some of the smaller ones  and was looking forward to a good feast this evening.

 

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Conch

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The beautiful pink shell of a Queen conch is often crafted into decorative pieces

The beautiful pink shell of a Queen conch is often crafted into decorative pieces

The Queen conch live on sandy bottoms and feed on numerous species of algae and seagrasses.
Did you know that Providenciales , the Turks and Caicos Islands has the only viable commercial conch farm in the world?
The queen conch or Strombus gigas, has been a staple of these islands for at least a thousand years and it’s meat provides a major source of protein. Conch is found throughout the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
A young Turks Island miss holds a baby conch
A young Turks Island miss holds a baby conch
The pretty pink conch shell is used for decorative items such as bowls, jewellery, lamps and  vases. Our guests often find shells to take home with them as well as for gift giving. You too can find your own conch shell to take home when you vacation here on our beautiful islands.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Haitien sloop

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Haitien sloops are often run aground in the Turks and Caicos

Haitien sloops are often run aground in the Turks and Caicos

This Haitien sloop recently grounded on a south side beach just up Turtle Tail on Providenciales. It  probably had some 100 illegals that came ashore. Some were caught by our island’s special police called SPICE and others would have tried to disappear.  I guess life here is a thousand times better than in Haiti and these sloops are becoming all too frequent.