Early morning is really the best time of day!
We watched a beautiful sunrise from our deck at Harbour Club Villas. The view is from over the top of the villa roofs out over Flamingo Lake and Juba Salina.
Marta
Island Sunrise
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Anoles or Lizards
Lots of lizards or Anoles at Harbour Club Villas
I’m constantly tripping over these lizards and they are so interesting to watch. Anoles found in the Turks and Caicos Islands are from a group called Anolis Scriptus and there is quite a variety of them. The Turks and Caicos Islands are home to four species of lizards in addition to iguanas: one species each of anole, gecko, skink and curly-tail lizard.
These two anoles were having a heated discussion as to which one of them should leave the tree branch
Male anoles are very territorial and will often engage a rival with threatening displays. They open their mouths to show off their bright colours. Anoles are tree dwellers and are highly agressive.
This one looked like he was posing as he cocked his head to the side and looked at the camera with one eye.
Handsome anole lizard in our gardens at Harbour Club Villas
In future posts, I will add photos of our curly-tail lizard. Some of these guys found on the grounds of Harbour Club are getting quite large.
Marta
Turks Head Cactus
My small Turks Head Cactus is blooming and throwing off seed pods like crazy!
I can’t believe all the seed pods on my Turks Head Cactus……all shaped like peppers but in a rosy pink colour. This little Anole lizard was looking to eat a few. I believe they do eat them along with the birds. Actually, I ate one and they are quite tasty.
Marta
Another Taylor Bay Sunday
Low tide, the exposed sandbar and our boat is anchored out in only two feet of water.
I guess it’s becoming our favourite place to go on Sundays………….tranquil Taylor Bay with its powdery soft white sand and all that shallow water ideal for babies and little kids. Today we seemed to be miles from shore but it was low tide and we were anchored in two feet of water.
This little Miss and her family was at the beach for some fun in the water
This little one just shrieked with delight as she splashed in the water
It was absolutely wonderful at Taylor Bay today. The anticipated tropical storm didn’t make it as far as the Turks and Caicos Islands although we did get some two inches of rain. Oh how we love the rain!!! We had madly spent two days trying to get everything fertilized in time for the rains. So a day out boating and lazing in the water was a welcomed event.
Late afternoon and the tide started to come in creating ripples and waves over the sand bars.
Take time out to spend a few hours in Taylor Bay on your next Provo trip. We’ll likely be there!
Marta
Pygmy Boa Snake
Olique is fascinated by a baby Boa but Barry couldn't quite convince him to hold it.
The Turks and Caicos Islands have no venomous snakes……..thank goodness!! What we do have so far is three species of snakes, the largest is the Bahama Rainbow Boa or Bahama Cat Boa, the Caicos Islands Pygmy Boa known locally as the Chicken Snake and the rarely seen Richard’s Worm Snake that burrows in the earth and looks very much like a pink earthworm.
Note the orange tip of the Pygmy Boa's tail.
The Caicos Islands Pygmy Boa is endemic to the Turks and Caicos Islands. In other words, it’s not found any where else in the world. This snake has a range of colourations from gray and black speckled to a deeper reddish brown. The tip of the tail is a bright orange which they use as a form of defense. The boa will curl up in a ball when threatened and wave the orange tipped tail to protect their heads which are quite vulnerable.
Barry shows Olique that Pygmy Boas are harmless and very unique to these islands
I found this little Boa curled up under a bunch of dead leaves in one of our planters and since Barry loves snakes, he kept it to show Olique. We’ve had several Pygmy Boas here at Harbour Club Villas and one time years ago when we were building, Barry rescued one that was about to be killed by the workers. He patiently showed the workmen that it was harmless and actually got them to handle and hold this unique little creature. All our snakes were released and we would hope are around here somewhere.
Olique is fascinated by the way this snake curled around Barry's finger
Check out the orange tail tip in the above photo. This Pygmy Boa will eat ants, termites, mice, rats and small lizards and geckos so they are great to have around. They grow to less than a foot long and are the smallest Boa Constrictor in the world and as such, this fact has made them famous. Make sure you don’t harm these beautiful and rare snakes should you happen to find one.
Marta
Passing storm
A passing storm with heavy dark clouds intensifies the turquoise colour of the ocean at one of the cays on the southside of Providenciales
Unbelieveable ocean colours are frequent here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. You just have to have a camera ready because these passing storms out over the ocean are fleeting………..one minute it is cloudy and dark with amazing colours and the next minute it clears off.
Marta
End of the day
Coming home this evening we were treated to a spectacular sunset
The end of a relaxing day on the water and another island sunset. This one had some amazing cloud formations over the southern shoreline from Osprey Rock, Taylor Bay and Sapodilla Bay.
The sun dancing on the water of the canal that runs past the Marine Biology School.
We had a lovely afternoon on the water and as we turned into Harbour Club’s marina , the sun was just disappearing over Cooper Jack hills. The photo is taken just by the Marine Biology School where the canal leads off towards Turtle Lake. A great place to watch the sun go down into the ocean and perhaps see “the green flash” is at Sapodilla Bay.
Marta
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.
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
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 wade back to the boat for a feeding.
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
Beaching and Shopping
- Just love the colours on the beach bag and the ocean at Long Bay
My sister Eve found this gem of a beach bag while shopping on Grace Bay. Of course, this shot was just waiting to be snapped………a beautiful blonde, the colourful sea horses and stylized seaweed and our ever graduating turquoise hues of Providenciales ocean out at Long Bay beach. Of course, not only are the beaches spectacular but the shopping is always full of interesting things. Come to the Turks and Caicos Islands and enjoy all we have to offer. See you soon!
Marta
Injured juvenile heron
An injured juvenile heron at Harbour Club Villas
Barry found this injured juvenile Yellow-crowned night heron wandering around at the back of our villas at Harbour Club. His wing was definitely broken and the poor thing was unable to fly.
Every time we tried to approach it, it would run away.
We tried to corner him and catch him but he was too fast and scurried away into the bushes. Nature will take its course I’m sure as it was unable to fly.
Marta