Bonefish Heaven

Posted on November 18, 2009 by marta

Today I experience a bit of Bonefish Heaven out on the flats by Pine Cay.

What an unbelieveable day we had out on the flats with our guide Darin Bain of D and B Tours. He ordered up this spectacular flat calm day with clear see through water and those reflections! We headed off towards Pine Cay and it didn’t take Capt. Darin long to sight the fish.

Joe got busy and caught his first bonefish of the day.........a beauty!

We couldn’t have picked a better day and I was just along to take the photographs. I’m not sure how many cards I filled or batteries but I made sure I wouldn’t run out. The colours of the ocean, the flats, the bonefish and the reflections in the water were all breathtaking. I don’t fish but found the whole experience exciting and exhilarating.

Joe releases a good sized bonefish one of many caught this day.

I think Joe hooked up at least 13 or so and landed some six. At one point when I was shooting from the water, he saw a hundred or so coming towards me from behind. What a sight to see!

Fish On...........Joe catches another one and check out the reflections in the water.

Capt Darin has been fishing the Caicos Flats for over 10 years and he really knows the area like the back of his hand and will put you on the fish. His eagle eyes can see them when no one else can…..I was hopeless at seeing them but then I was too busy with the camera.

Joe smiles from ear to ear.......another bonefish. They're called "the ghosts of the flats"

Joe and Christen are honeymooning at Harbour Club Villas and Joe is a photo journalist with Field and Stream Magazine. This is his first time fishing for bonefish and I think we have him convinced that the Turks and Caicos Islands is the place for bonefishing.

Bonefishing is GREAT in the Turks and Caicos Islands

A perfect day! All you bonefishermen out there just have to head down to Provo and I’ll hook you up with Darin for a trip out onto the flats. Call me and I’ll arrange everything for you.

Tight Lines!

Marta

http://www.bonefishing.tc

Potcakes

Posted on November 17, 2009 by marta

I have a new Mommy and Daddy!!!!! I'm so excited and so are they.

Today was an exciting day for our honeymoon guests Christen and Joe. They had corresponded with the amazing volunteers at Potcake Place and filled out application forms to adopt one of these precious little potcakes. Jane, the founder of Potcake Place brought the pups over to Harbour Club Villas to introduce them to each other and for a little play/get acquainted session.

Potcakes need your help so that they can be placed in a wonderful "forever home" with a loving family.

I honestly don’t know how it’s possible not to love these little charmers and then to have to choose. Ono will find a loving family to call home too.

Here's Ono with her sweet little face and crooked ear.

Christen and Joe couldn’t resist the playful nature of a potcake puppy that they’ve already named Ava………Joe tells us she’s named after an Ava fishing jig. Joe’s passionate about his fishing and what could be better than a honeymoon in the Turks and Caicos, some bonefishing and wading in Turtle and Flamingo Lakes, a new family member called Ava and don’t forget some snorkeling for Christen too!!

Ava gets a cuddle from Jane.

There are several ways in which you can help: Volunteers are needed to carry potcakes to their new owners so if your flying from Provo to Canada or the States, please contact Jane at Potcake Place. Please give what you can as all the donations go towards fostering the puppies. Most importantly, if you can adopt a potcake and give it all the love and attention it deserves, just call me 1 866 456 0210 or email us and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Happiness is a new life full of love, laughter and Ava!!!!

Our wish for you......Happiness is a new life together full of love, laughter, sunshine and a potcake puppy named Ava!!!!

If you can be a courier, adopt or make a donation contact the Potcake Foundation and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Flamingo Lake Reflections

Posted on November 6, 2009 by marta

Flamingo Lake was at its stunning best today .... flat calm with a mirror image reflection.

I glanced out at the lake late this afternoon and the reflections in the calm waters took my breath away. I grabbed my camera and didn’t even have a chance to tell Barry where I was going. The ripples and the colours kept changing as the sun started to sink over the hill to the right of our villas at Harbour Club.

The sun started to set and tinged everything with an orangey glow

As I walked along the road the water was churning………….”nervous water” as the fishermen call it. The bonefish were tailing and rippling up the calm on Flamingo Lake.

The bonefish were tailing and rippling the surface of Flamingo Lake

In the foreground of the photo you can see all the circles and ripples created by tailing bonefish.

I zoomed in on this photo which does show a definite bonefish shape.

For all you bonefishing enthusiasts out there, fishing would have been great this evening. Our guests at Harbour Club Villas can just walk across the road and into the lake. We see bonefish tailing all the time and you can watch from your villa windows.

Bonefishing is great in the lakes by Harbour Club as well as the flats. Come on down and join us.

Tight lines!!

Marta

http://www.bonefishing.tc

Island Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2009 by marta

HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!! Tonight’s the night that the little gremlins will be out and about. Head down to the Tiki Hut for the island’s biggest and oldest Halloween party.

Our daughter (she's 29 now) dressed up as a scarey witch.

Ania says “Admit that he is the cutest thing ever Dad….. Well, let’s be honest, he’s not as cute as me but he comes a close second!!!! See our Grand-puppy below!!!!

Kona skunk is just bored with the whole affair.

Aren't I cute!!!!

And one more photo of Kona……………..

Look at me.............too cute hey Barry??

Barry’s comment was “That girl has too much time on her hands sending dress up photos of her dog.”

Have a great Halloween.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Conch Season Opens

Posted on October 22, 2009 by marta

Conch season opened several days ago.

I didn’t know we had a conch season here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. I found out yesterday that Conch season opened Oct 15th and will run until July 15. Conch has played an integral part in the islands’ history. The Taino and Lucayan indians subsisted on conch and the Bermudians and American Loyalists also fished for conch for their food as this was a cheap food source rich in protein. Conch from the Turks and Caicos Islands was actively traded with Haiti on board Caicos-built sloops. Millions of conch were dried and shipped reaching a peak in 1943 when 3.9 million conchs were exported

Conch assembly line on the beach in Blue Hills

Using a small hammer with a pointed head, the conch is “knocked” with a hole between the second and third row of nodes on the shell’s spire and this provides access to the tendon that holds the animal in its shell. The animal can then be pulled out by its claw which is removed with a fileting knife along with some tough skin and knobs.

The conch is "knocked" and the animal removed from the shell. The translucent "rod" can be seen against the pink of the shell.

The long, translucent and gelatinous rod know locally as “the pistol” or nature’s own Viagra is pulled out. This is quickly eaten as it is purported to be an aphrodisiac.

To many, this is the best part of the conch!!

On a really good day, about 1,000 conch can be harvested. In recent years a quota for export has been set at 1.6 million pounds which does not include the shells. Some of the discarded shells are used by local crafts persons to create some lovely looking gifts for our visitors to take back home for family and friends.

Conch shells lined up and ready for sale in Blue Hills.

Enjoy a selection of conch dishes when you are in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Are you brave enough to eat “the pistol”?????

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Kestrel

Posted on October 17, 2009 by marta

I managed to get some photos of an American Kestrel as it perched on a palm frond behind one of our villas.

It was so great to see what I thought was a hawk behind one of our villas at Harbour Club today. I ran back to our villa and grabbed my camera. On looking it up, I found out that American Kestrels are also known as Sparrow Hawks but they are not true hawks but are a member of the Falcon family of birds. They resemble the Peregrine Falcon which is a distant cousin.

I'm not sure if this one is a female or a male Kestrel

These birds are a common sight here in the Turks and Caicos Islands and are year round breeding residents. There was two of them and I’m now thinking that the one above was the female and one below is the male.

If this is the male Kestrel, he didn't stick around for me to get a better photo.

I’m sure these birds are attracted by our large population of lizards here at the villas and this makes for good hunting grounds.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

A Day on the Water

Posted on October 16, 2009 by marta

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Sailing on Provo

Posted on October 7, 2009 by marta

Here's the Beluga moored off shore at Half Moon Bay last weekend

Captain Tim Ainley and the Beluga were moored off shore at Half Moon Bay. The Beluga is a 36 foot (10.97) catamaran sailing boat, very unique and distinctive looking and built in 1980 in Canada. It now does sailing charters out of Provo. As I took photos I saw Capt. Tim’s trusty companion Schooner taking a swim for shore.

Schooner swims for shore...........you can just make him out. He's the black speck close to the rocl.

Schooner swims for shore...........you can just make him out. He's the black speck close to the rock.

Evidently, Schooner had had enough of being on board and wanted to cool off while the others snorkeled………….yes, apparently they sighted JoJo. How lucky can you be???

Sailing at Half Moon Bay in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Schooner takes a rest on the rocks after his long swim.

I’m not sure if you can see but there’s a speck off to the right of the Beluga and I think that’s JoJo. I zoomed in and cropped the photo and it does look like a dolphin.

Here's a close up of the Beluga and just to the right of the person in the water is Jo-Jo.

Here's a close up of the Beluga and to the right of the person in the water almost at the edge of the photo is JoJo.

Schooner gets ready to swim back to the Beluga

There are several sailing charters available from Providenciales so just let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

The Bight Reef

Posted on October 6, 2009 by marta

Wow........flat calm at the Bight Reef also known as the White House Reef.

Provo has two great snorkel areas close to the shore line……….The Bight Reef or the White House Reef at Coral Gardens and Smith’s Reef just outside the entrance to Turtle Cove Marina. Usually you’ll see turtles, lots of fish such as parrot fish, angel fish, blue tangs and sometimes spotted eagle rays along with beautiful coral formations.

Look at the clarity of the water as Alexis prepares to head out snorkeling

We have some of the best snorkeling ever here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Come and see us soon and enjoy snorkeling on our reefs.

Happy snorkeling,

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Land Crab

Posted on September 29, 2009 by marta

Barry found this night visitor down by one of our villas

As Barry was making the rounds this evening, he heard a loud noise and couldn’t imagine what it could be until he spotted this huge land crab.

This one was super aggressive as he waved his formidable claw at the camera

Barry yelled at me to bring my camera…………I was in the shower and didn’t even have time to rinse off.

Close up of one impressively lethal looking claw.

It moved really fast and we were nervous about getting too close but of course, the photo opportunity was too hard to pass up.

This Land Crab brings up his massive claw ready to attack.

We quite often see these large crabs here at Harbour Club Villas. This one gave me lots of great photos for my collection.

Hope you enjoy seeing them!

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

MyTurksAndCaicosBlog.com

Turks and Caicos Vacation, Travel, Fishing, and Diving

Category Archives: Animals

Bonefish Heaven

Potcakes

Flamingo Lake Reflections

Island Halloween

Conch Season Opens

Kestrel

A Day on the Water

Sailing on Provo

The Bight Reef

Land Crab