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Category Archives: Harbour Club Villas and Marina
Flamingos on Flamingo Lake
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
Parasailing on Grace Bay
On the way up just off Coral Gardens on Grace Bay
A beautiful day on Grace Bay, the sun was shining, the waters were calm and it was a picture perfect day for a surprise birthday sky high trip. Thanks to Mike for all these great photos.
Toes, boat and ocean give you an idea of high up Mike was flying.
Panoramic view looking towards the DECR building towards Harbour Club Villas on the south shore.
The little blue and white dots are the Provo Sailing Club kids who were all out on their Pico’s just off the Bight Children’s Park. You can see Flamingo Lake and Juba Salina and Bajacu, the house on the hill right by Harbour Club Villas.
Aerial view of Flamingo Lake with Harbour Club Villas.
Grace Bay beach view looking towards the east.
Higher and higher, Mike was way up there.
We have the third largest barrier reef in the world.
Mike’s photo of the reef shows you the deep blue ocean on one side that’s over a thousand feet deep. The lighter turquoise blue is about ten to twenty feet deep and dotted with numerous coral heads that rise to within a few inches of the surface. The reef fringing the Turks and Caicos Islands is the world’s 3rd largest barrier reef. On Providenciales (Provo) the reef protects the North shore and breaks the incoming surf. This creates the calm, turquoise water that fringe our white sand beaches. No surf on this day just a breathtaking bird’s eye view!
Put parasailing on your "must do" list !
Hey! Can you make out that black speck on the sand about a half inch from the first building on the right? Well it’s ME. I had Mike’s phone and was snapping photos of him going up.
Happy landings after an amazing parasail.
Parasailing is one activity to plan for when enjoying the beaches along Grace Bay. The parasail boats pull in at various places along the beach to drop off and pick up guests.
Happy parasailing everyone!
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Justyna and Ken’s Beach Wedding
Beautiful bride gets ready for her big day
Stressful days dealing with Hurricane Sandy and getting out of New York turned to SUNSHINE, SMILES and LAUGHTER as everyone arrived on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The wedding day was just a little bit cloudy with a gentle breeze just perfect for the Grace Bay beach wedding. The villas at Harbour Club hosted the bride and groom and a selection of family and friends from New York, Poland and Texas. Here’s a selection of my photographs so that everyone not here can enjoy seeing Justyna and Ken get married. Congratulations you two!
Justyna and her bridesmaids get ready to head over to Grace Bay beach.
YEAH.......Mom and Dad made it with a few delays all the way from Poland
I've got a wedding to go to !
The Bay Bistro was a stunning venue for the reception
Ken awaits his beautiful bride.........a little bit anxious Ken???
The flower girl and ring bearer were fantastic.
Here comes our stunning bride.
A beach ceremony in the late afternoon.
Can you tell how happy they are?
Let the party begin!
Oops....more photos before we can party.
The happy couple surrounded by family and friends
She's so cute .......... picking up rose petals off the sand.
Micah's not sure what to think on this one!!
Smiling bride as the sun slowly sets
We're married at last...let's get these photos over and done with.
This has to be one of my favourite photos............Beautiful Justyna
A kiss for my wife!
This has a lovely gentle feel to it...........congrats you two!
Everyone needs a "running on the beach" wedding shot!
Jumping too!
Love is in the air!
Time for a well deserved drink.........a wedding toast to a beautiful couple.
Happiness on the beach.
Justyna and Ken on the dance floor.
Time to cut the wedding cake.
The most amazing and creative wedding planner!
On the deck at the Bay Bistro.
Thanks to Justyna and Ken for inviting us to enjoy their special day. We wish them Love, Happiness and much Laughter in their lives together.
Thank you for choosing Harbour Club Villas and Marina as your home away from home.
For those of you thinking of a wedding in the Turks and Caicos Islands………….give Marta a call.
CONGRATULATION’s
GRATULUJEMY Życzymy wam wszystkiego, co najlepsze!
Marta and Barry
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
The storm’s over
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
Yellow Crowned Night Heron
This juvenile yellow crowned heron came for a visit and a drink from the pool.
It’s been so hot of late and this juvenile, yellow crowned night heron has been visiting the pool at Harbour Club Villas to cool off and to get a drink. Juvenile night-herons have different plumage from the adults. The juvenile is grayish-brown overall with thin spotting on the back and upperwings. This heron is a year round breeding resident in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The adults look quite different and are dark gray over all, with black on the face and a large, white ear patch. The crown is also white. In breeding season, they get white, thread-like plumes on the back of the head and long, plumes of feathers on the back.
The adult night heron has a thread like plume on the back of its head
Yellow-crowned night herons acquire adult plumage by two years of age. It makes a living catching crabs and especially likes land crabs, and will even dig into their burrows to catch them. Although primarily nocturnal it does sometimes hunt in the day, and can be found quietly stalking through the dry bush looking for a meal. They’ve been seen eating cockroaches too.
He didn't like me approaching him and kept making warning noises.
Juvenile night heron with gorgeous brownish grey spotted feathering
Piercing yellow-orange eye
Preening yellow crowned night heron sitting on the pool fence at Harbour Club Villas.
looks pretty fierce here as he gets ready to fly off.
Love the long plumes from the back of his head.
Our guests at Harbour Club Villas are frequently surprised by both Green Herons and Yellow Crowned Night Herons as they fly in to drink water from the pool. It’s lovely to see and watch them as they squawk and make their presence known. It’s almost like the pool belongs to them and how dare these non flying creatures be allowed to lounge around at will!!
Happy bird watching……….the Turks and Caicos Islands has many species of birds and this is just one of them.
Marta
http://www.harbourclubvillas.com
Harbour Club Marina
Flat calm, lazy summer day overlooking the marina at Harbour Club Villas
Old Man Cactus
The most common cactus found in the Turks and Caicos Islands is the Dildo Cactus more locally known as Old Man Cactus
Take a look around you in our local bush and frequently you will see this spectacular cactus. The Dildo Cactus with its rather suggestive name is locally called the Old Man Cactus and is probably the most commonly found cactus in the islands.
The tips of the branches are sporting tufts of a white hairy substance resembling an old man's beard
The Bahama Dildo cactus has long tubular branches ribbed with from eight to 12 sections bordered by sharp spines. Often the tips are covered with a fine white wool resembling an old man’s beard hence the local name…Old Man Cactus. This white wool is a favourite for nesting material and was used by my recent humming bird when building her nest.
Flower bud forming on the cactus
Bahama Dildo flower bud just about to open
An exotic, white flower and I think it only blooms at night.
The white flowers of the Bahama Dildo Cactus attracts butterflies as well as insects searching for nectar. The bright red fruit is sweet and juicy and is eaten by our local birds which they end up depositing complete with seeds and fertilizer to begin the cycle again.
The lushious, red fruit of the cactus is a favourite snack of our birds.
The Bahama Dildo cactus bearing fruit.
Glorious Provo sunset with an Old Man Cactus towering up to the blazing orange skies
Dildo cactus with a turquoise ocean backdrop
Tip of a cactus branch with tufts of white silky hair
Look to the hills on Provo's south shore paradise and you'll find many Old Man Cacti.
Our landscape is dotted by these spectacular looking cacti. I must say, I’ve found it difficult to capture the Old Man Cactus in flower but I keep trying. Most of my photos are taken at Harbour Club Villas and the south shores and I’m constantly adding to my photo library.
Marta
http://www.harbourbourclubvillas.com
Island Sunset
Beautiful Turks and Caicos sunset taken from Harbour Club Villas and Marina
Enjoy our beautiful sunsets on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Marta
Humming Birds at Harbour Club Villas Part 2
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