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.

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

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 get on board and nurse her.

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!!

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

Injured juvenile heron

An injured juvenile heron at Harbour Club Villas

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.

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

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Bonefish Point Sandbar

A perfect afternoon on and in the water with the boys pulling us up to the sandbar..........it simply was the best

A perfect afternoon on and in the water with the boys pulling us up to the sandbar..........it simply was the best

We both had family visiting so it was an opportunity to take a leisurely run out to the sand bar at Bonefish Point. We took off from our marina at Harbour Club Villas. There’s a deep water channel ( 12 feet deep or so ) to the right of the sandbar and all of a sudden you’re in a foot of water. The guys put the anchor out and then decided to walk it into the shallows.

Barry floats along in the clear water and enjoys the best view in the world

Barry floats along in the clear water and enjoys the best view in the world

We saw some beautiful sea cushions ( see my previous post) and some smaller white starfish. Laura explored some rocks in the shallows and found numerous hermit crabs.

Laura shows me her find.............tiny little shells with crabs in them

Laura shows me her find.............tiny little shells with crabs in them

Here's a small hermit crab just walking along the edge of the water

Here's a small hermit crab just walking along the edge of the water

 

Barry, Tina and Sheldon stayed in the water pretty much all afternoon.

Barry, Tina and Sheldon stayed in the water pretty much all afternoon.

We all cooled off by staying in the water beer in hand. The Bonefish Point sandbar is on the south west tip of the island and accessible by road now. It never used to be……….the only way of getting here a few years ago was by boat or doing an excursion with Capt. Bill of Ocean Outback. This trip by the way is a great way of seeing the south shoreline. Hope you get to see this part of our island too.

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Seahorse spotted while diving

Jayne of Flamingo Divers snapped this photo of a small seahorse while diving on Saturday

Jayne of Flamingo Divers snapped this photo of a small seahorse while diving on Saturday

Our guests at Harbour Club Villas have been out diving with Mickey and Jayne of Flamingo Divers for the past three days. What a highlight when Jayne discovered this little seahorse which was tucked away and very well hidden. It is a rare occurance to be the first to discover a new seahorse on a dive site. The dive operators here share this information with each other so they can point out the seahorse to their divers.

Another guest of ours Brian Gatt snapped this photo of Jayne taking a photo of another seahorse they came across last year

Another guest of ours Brian Gatt snapped this photo of Jayne taking a photo of another seahorse (see the orange tail ) they came across last year

On Saturday, Aug 1, Flamingo Divers were out at the dive sites of the North West Point and these creatures are quite rare and so very beautiful.
Seahorses are so named because they have a horse shaped head and a body and tail which is covered with concentric boney rings.
Brian got a great photo of Jayne's camera shooting the little seahorse

Brian got a great photo of Jayne's camera shooting the little seahorse

Brian's unbelieveably great photo of a seahorse

Brian's unbelieveably great photo of a seahorse

Seahorses vary in colour including orange, red, yellows, grey and greens and they change colours to blend in with their surroundings. They are not good swimmers and are most likely to be seen resting in sea grass beds or coral reefs with their prehensile tail wrapped around something that is stationary.

Seahorses vary in size from 1 1/2 to 12 inches long and don't generally travel long distances

Seahorses vary in size from 1 1/2 to 12 inches long and don't generally travel long distances

Seahorses only have one mate and it is the male that gives birth to its live young. The female seahorse lays eggs directly into the male’s pouch on his abdomen where he immediately fertilizes them as they are deposited. One or two months later he gives birth to tiny replicas of the adults.

We hope you are lucky enough to see one of these rare creatures when out diving in the clear waters and on our coral reefs in the Turks and Caicos Islands. If you are looking for some great diving, give Flamingo Divers a call………Mickey and Jayne are the best and give an exceptionally personalized service to all who dive with them.

See you under the water as you dive  and explore our reefs.

 

Marta

 

http://www.diving.tc

“My beach”

Late afternoon and the gentle waves had thrown up a shell on the beach

Late afternoon and the gentle waves had thrown up a shell on the beach

An afternoon trip to “my beach” just down the road from Harbour Club Villas and there I found a beautiful shell just laying there on the smooth sand. The sun was getting low and the water was shimmering and dancing as gentle waves rolled in. Everywhere I go, there seems to be a perfect photo just waiting to be snapped.

 

See you on the beach!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Kids like fishing too!!

Wayne and his kids fishing off the docks at Harbour Club Villas

Wayne and his kids fishing off the docks at Harbour Club Villas

Wayne Hall of Ocean Vibes dive operation took some time out to show his boys how to fish. They set up on our dock at Harbour Club Villas where Wayne moors his boat. He’s originally from Grand Turk and is the only Turks and Caicos native to own and operate a dive operation on Providenciales.

I got one, I got one!!!

I got one, I got one!!!

The kids were so excited when they started to catch fish. Dad helped to release them into a bucket so that they could take a good look at them.

Wayne takes the hook out as the kids watch

Wayne takes the hook out as the kids watch

Next time you want a great scuba diving adventure in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we’ll put you in touch with Wayne and Ocean Vibes.

Marta

 

http://www.diving.tc

Flamingos on Flamingo Lake

I glanced off our deck and spotted three specks in the lake and when I grabbed the binoculars.......sure enough there were three flamingos.

I glanced off our deck and spotted three specks in the lake and when I grabbed the binoculars.......sure enough there were three flamingos.

Today there were three West Indian or Greater Flamingos out in the lake and that’s something we don’t often see. Usually they are further down and more in Juba Salina. I grabbed my camera and ran down to take some photos. It was interesting watching the flamingos feed as they would do a little stomping dance and then put their heads in the water. Apparently they feed on small organisms which they strain out of the mud by filtering it through their unusual, upside-down beaks.

One flamingo was quite a bright pink and the other much paler.

One flamingo was quite a bright pink and the other much paler.

North Caicos has a large flock of flamingos with as many as 1000 birds inhabiting Pumpkin Bluff Pond better known as Flamingo Pond.

The last time I took photos of Flamingos near our villas was just after Hurricane Ike

The last time I took photos of Flamingos near our villas was just after Hurricane Ike

If you’re a bird watcher or birder, come and see the large variety of birds in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Hopefully you’ll catch a glimpse of these beautiful flamingos.

See you soon on Provo,

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Land Crab at the Villas

Barry was the bravest of us all as he picked up this Blue Crab by our villas.

Barry was the bravest of us all as he picked up this large land crab by our villas.

Guests at Harbour Club Villas were surprised by this rather large land crab they found by their villa. Barry picked it up as it was not moving very fast and was not at all aggressive. We think it might have been injured or sick because it couldn’t even lift up its major claw in order to defend itself.
It sure had a lethal looking claw

It sure had a lethal looking claw

It was raining most of today but during one of the breaks between rains, our guests came across the land crab in one of our planters. We don’t think it’s going to make it. It was a great opportunity to take a real close look at a land crab.
Marta

Spring Storm at sea

A spring storm out over the banks creates unbelievable colours as we watched from the Marina at Harbour Club

A spring storm out over the banks creates unbelievable colours as we watched from the Marina at Harbour Club

The days of late have been unsettled with sporadic showers. I glanced out to sea from our villas at Harbour Club and saw a vivid streak of turquoise. I rushed to get my camera and went up to our look out on the hill overlooking our marina. Wow, what a sight…………. storm clouds were gathering out at sea and had turned the waters of Discovery Bay into the most glorious turquoise, green and aqua colours.

Fisherman Stanley's boat out in the Marina Channel at Harbour Club Villas

Fisherman Stanley's boat out in the Marina Channel at Harbour Club Villas

The colours of the ocean today were breathtaking as we watched the storm move over the water.

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Providenciales south side

Late afternoon, low tide and stormy dark rain clouds create a picturesque view of the south side shallow flats of Providenciales

Late afternoon, low tide and a few dark rain clouds create a picturesque view of the south side shallow flats of Providenciales

Come and see us at Harbour Club Villas ……. the south side of Provo where we are is tranquil and beautiful. Shallow flats and a favourite for our bone fishermen.

Marta

http://www.bonefishing.tc