Times of the Islands Spring 2017

TIMES
OF THE
SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS SPRING 2017 NO. 118
ISLANDS
ISLAND LIFE
Is it for You?
A TOUGH ROW TO HOE
TCI Farming
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contents
Departments
6 From the Editor
13 Unsung Heroes
Paul Stephenson Higgs Sr.
By Dr. Carlton Mills
50 Island Hopping
Valentine’s Day Surprise
Story & Photos By Katie Gutteridge
59 Resort Report
Blue Haven Resort
By Kathryn Brown
72 Food for Thought
Brewed in the TCI
Story & Photos By Kathy Borsuk
77 Shape Up
Chocolate, Grapes and Your Heart
By Tamika Handfield
78 Did You Miss Something?
By Meelike Mitt
79 Faces & Places
Colour Run
By Claire Parrish
Photos By Le Mens Welch, Caya Hico Media
80 About the Islands/TCI Map
85 Where to Stay
87 Dining Out
89 Subscription Form
90 Classified Ads
Features
20 Living the Dream
By Ben Stubenberg ~ Photos By Marta Morton
40 A Tough Roe to How
By Jody Rathgeb
46 Pre-Summer Looks from Emerald Islands
Fashion By Jeritt Williams
Photos By Ora Hasenfratz
54 A Warm Welcome: Blue Haven Marina
By Kathy Borsuk ~ Photos Courtesy Blue Haven
TIMES
OF THE
ISLANDS
SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS SPRING 2017 NO. 118
On the Cover
Marta Morton travels around the Turks & Caicos taking
photographs when she is not busy as the owner
of Harbour Club Villas. Marta shot this photo on the
magical island of Salt Cay and it is one of her favorites.
She says, “Here you see St. John’s Anglican Church,
built in the early 1800s, with reflections in the salt
pond waters. The foreground is filled with the endemic
National Flower Turks & Caicos Heather (Limonium
bahamense) in full bloom. I’d never seen this rare plant
before, so I took hundreds of photos.” To see more of
Marta’s work, visit www.myturksandcaicosblog.com.
Astrolabe
62 The French Connection
By John de Bry
67 Remembering Sherlin Williams
Story & Photos By Dr. Donald H. Keith
79
Green Pages
31 A Rare “Snowbird” Returns
Photos By Eric F. Salamanca
34 In Safe Hands
Story & Photos By Amy Avenant
36 Two Kews
Story & Photos By B Naqqi Manco
LE MENS (LI) WELCH—CAYA HICO MEIDA
4 www.timespub.tc

THE COOL SIDE
OF CLASSIC
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L A ID -BAC K LU X E

from the editor
LISA ADARA PHOTOGRAPHY—WWW.LISAADARAPHOTO.COM
This other-worldly photo taken on Leeward Beach in early winter is an example of the remarkable work done by resident photographer Lisa
Adara (lisaadaraphoto.com). She was also responsible for the photos of North and Middle Caicos mistakenly credited to Paradise Photography
in our last issue’s feature, “Changing Faces.” Thank you for your contributions, Lisa, and please forgive this editor’s error!
The Soul of a Place
As someone who has lived and worked in the Turks & Caicos Islands for 24 years, I wholeheartedly agree with Ben
Stubenberg’s comment, “There is a soul to the way of life of Turks & Caicos Islanders” and, like him, I never tire of
the place. Ben has contributed a comprehensive article, “Living the Dream,” on the realities of picking up and moving
to the Islands. I also concur that if you don’t sense the Islands’ “soul” in your bones after spending time among TCI
people and places, this probably is not the place for a long-term commitment.
To the best of my limited ability, and relying extensively on our valuable contributors, we try to distill that soul
within the pages of this magazine. And people who don’t get it, probably don’t read or enjoy Times of the Islands.
But if the spirit of this endearing place vibrates in your heart, you’ll probably be fascinated to learn about Paul Higgs,
one of TCI’s earliest politicians; mourn the passing of photographer/graphic artist extraordinare Sherlin Williams;
bewail the plight of the Piping Plover. Jody Rathgeb’s intriguing essay on TCI farmers will encourage you to seek out
local produce. The clothing designs of North Caicos native Jeritt Williams, presented in a series of breathtaking photos
shot at the Turks & Caicos Junkanoo Museum, will leave you awestruck at his talent. And you’ll look forward to
investigating the corners of Provo to search out Blue Haven Marina and the Turk’s Head Brewery. Ben’s observation
that living in TCI “requires essential qualities of tolerance, empathy, patience, humility, and respect” seems to me to
be a recipe for peace and a utopian community anywhere in the world.
Kathy Borsuk, Editor
timespub@tciway.tc • (649) 946-4788
6 www.timespub.tc

Turks And Caicos
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RASHAWDESIGNS.com
TIMES
MANAGING EDITOR
Kathy Borsuk
OF THE
ISLANDS
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Claire Parrish
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Amy Avenant, Kathy Borsuk, Kathryn Brown, Simon Busuttil,
Marta Calosso, John Claydon, Luc Clerveaux, John de Bry,
Elise Elliot-Smith, Katie Gutteridge, Tamika Handfield,
Dr. Donald H. Keith, Sidney Maddock, B Naqqi Manco,
Dr. Carlton Mills, Meelike Mitt, Claire Parrish,
Jody Rathgeb, Eric F. Salamanca, Pat Saxton, Caleb Spiegel,
Ben Stubenberg, Craig Watson, Kathleen Wood.
Love your home
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World Magazine, our team specializes in creating
a unique sense of place by integrating building
techniques and architectural details with the
surrounding culture so that you too can
love your home.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Lisa Adara Photography, Anglotopia.net, Amy Avenant,
Blue Haven Marina, Kathy Borsuk, Marisa Findlay
Photography, Derek Gardiner, Katie Gutteridge,
Ora Hasenfratz, Dr. Donald H. Keith, Agile LeVin,
B Naqqi Manco, Dr. Carlton Mills, Marta Morton,
Steve Passmore–Provo Pictures, Jody Rathgeb,
Tom Rathgeb, Eric F. Salamanca, Pat Saxton, Martin Seim,
Turks & Caicos National Museum Collection,
Elizabeth Turner, Le Mens Welch–Caya Hico Media.
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Wavey Line Publishing, Sherlin Williams
PRINTING
Franklin-Dodd Communications, Hialeah, FL
Times of the Islands ISSN 1017-6853 is
published quarterly by Times Publications Ltd.
Copyright © 2017 by Times Publications Ltd. All rights reserved
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No part of this publication may be
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12 www.timespub.tc

unsung heroes
Paul S. Higgs, Sr. was an early advocate for the rights of Turks & Caicos
Islanders and foresaw tourism as key to the country’s progress.
Ahead of His Time
Paul Stephenson Higgs, Sr.
Story & Photo By Dr. Carlton Mills
One of the TCI’s “unsung heroes” is Paul Stephenson Higgs, Sr. During the early years of TCI’s political
history, he was a tireless advocate for the rights of Turks & Caicos Islanders. Before the first hotel was
built in Providenciales, he foresaw tourism as being the key to the country’s progress and development.
The 2016 TCI election day (December 15, 2016) would have been a proud occasion for the late stateman
as his grandson—Hon. Ralph Higgs—followed in his political footsteps, spearheading the tourist industry
which he envisioned so long ago as being the lifeline of the TCI.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 13

The Hon. Paul Stephenson Higgs was born in Bottle
Creek, North Caicos on February 2, 1898. He was married
to Brenetta E. Williams of Bottle Creek and the father of
four sons and four daughters.
Early life
Paul Higgs attended the Bottle Creek Primary School (now
Adelaide Oemler Primary School). As a young man, he
engaged in many of the activities preferred by his age
group. These included fishing, boat building and eventually
construction. He was an incredible sailor and
fisherman. He enjoyed fishing so much that he spent
long hours in the boat. Many times, his family would
worry about him because of the length of time he spent
at sea. He would return home sometimes long after ten in
the evening with a huge catch, some of which had already
begun to rot! He lost most of his catch because of this but
he did not worry about that. He was enjoying something
he loved.
Honourable Paul Higgs was one of the first political
representatives for North Caicos. During his tenure, the
island experienced many benefits. He was instrumental
in securing scholarships for several persons to pursue
studies in Teacher Education, Nursing and Agriculture in
Jamaica. He had a passion for education. He believed that
if the people of North Caicos were to assume responsible
positions within their country, education must play a pivotal
role. Some of the persons who received scholarships
at the time in North Caicos include Claudius and Carlton
Williams, Cecelia Gray and Raymond Gardiner. These individuals
went on to become prominent citizens in the TCI
due to efforts that were made by Hon. Higgs to ensure
overseas training for them.
The commencement of the popular road works programme,
which involved ensuring that the roads and
roadsides were properly maintained, was started under
Hon. Paul Higgs’ watch. This programme provided
employment opportunities for several persons on the
island who, under ordinary circumstances, would not
have been able to support themselves and their families.
Ironically, despite the progress we claim to have made
today, some political figures are still seeing this initiative
as the way to stimulate the economy in the Caicos Islands.
Paul Higgs was a hard-working, trustworthy, dedicated
and determined man. He was very bold and outspoken
and would give you a piece of his mind in a heartbeat.
He once told a renowned politician at a public meeting in
North Caicos to shut up because he “would not know ‘A’
if it was as big as the rafters in the building” where the
meeting was being held. He was alluding to the fact that
uneducated persons should not be in the forefront of politics.
At the same meeting, he also reprimanded the new
leader of the PDM Party, Hon. JAGS McCartney, referring
to them as the “Black Power Boys” and that there was no
need for that kind of movement in North Caicos. This was
because of the perception of the party at that time.
He was also a very religious man. He was not only a
Senior Deacon in the local Baptist Church, but he was the
person in charge of the church. One had to “tow the line”
under his leadership. He did not tolerate marital indiscretions
and laziness. He frowned on persons who could not
work due to minor illness such as the flu. He would often
be heard reminding workers that only lazy people had
time to be sick. He was never sick—not even on the day
of his sudden death.
Paul Higgs was a confidante and the local people who
lovingly referred to him as “Con Paul” (Cousin Paul) relied
on him regularly for advice. He also served in the very
sought after and important role of Justice of the Peace
and Marriage Officer in the island of North Caicos.
Hon. Paul Higgs played a pivotal role in the day-to-day
life of his people. In addition to his religious role, he also
represented the poor and downtrodden in the courts. He
sought justice, pro bono, for those who could not defend
themselves, despite not having any formal legal training.
This was a clear testament of his interest and concern for
his people.
A man with vision
Hon. Paul Higgs was a man with a vision. He envisioned
the demise of the salt and the sisal industries and argued
that although salt brought some prosperity to the TCI, he
believed that it was the main factor that contributed to
the country’s division—Turks against Caicos. At the time,
salt was only being produced in the Turks Islands (Grand
Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos) and most of the commercial
activity took place in Grand Turk. This made the Salt
Islands residents, particularly those on Grand Turk, to feel
that they were superior to people in the Caicos Islands.
“Caucus people” (as they were called by Salt Islanders)
had to travel many days in sloops to Grand Turk to trade
their ground provisions and sisal products. Although their
farm produce was badly needed in Grand Turk, these
hard-working and ambitious people were, in many cases,
mistreated and scorned during their visits. At that time,
there was a buoy placed in the waters to clearly demarcate
the separation between the Turks Islands and the Caicos
Islands. This was responsible for the phrase “West of the
14 www.timespub.tc

Buoy.” “Caucus people come from West of the Buoy,” was
a popular but not endearing term during those years.
Hon. Paul Higgs wanted to end this segregation and
replace it with a unified TCI. For this reason, he lobbied
in the State Council for the economy to be diversified. He
felt that the Islands should move towards being a tourist
destination. He obviously saw where this initiative would
have more far-ranging financial benefits to the lives of the
people of the TCI than what was being realized through
the salt industry.
Political challenges
One of Hon. Paul Higgs’ major tests came in the late 1950s
and early 1960s when the Federation Movement was the
political headline in the English-speaking Caribbean. The
TCI was no exception since the Islands were being administered
by Jamaica at the time and Jamaica was deeply
involved in the Federation and the self-determination
movement. Although the TCI was ruled by Jamaica, it had
not achieved the same status of internal self-government
as many countries involved in the Federation Movement.
The Federation issue was challenging to the TCI for
several reasons. Firstly, TCI was at the time regarded geographically
as part of the Bahamas and had close ties with
this country as many of its people had migrated there
seeking employment. Furthermore, the TCI’s agricultural
abilities were hampered by the poor quality of its
soil which did not permit for mass production of crops.
Because of this, the TCI relied heavily on imports from
neighbouring countries. Another serious challenge faced
was its distance away from the other Caribbean countries
involved in the Federation Movement, making travel and
communication between these countries almost impossible.
The TCI itself, because of its geographically scattered
nature, created administrative concerns. These challenges
led to the TCI’s inability to elect a representative to the
BWI Federation parliament. Turks & Caicos therefore
had no choice but to seek a special position within the
Federation, which limited its ability to become a full member
of the Federation as Jamaica was.
Under the administration of Jamaica, the TCI suffered
major political and economic injustices. Politically,
the Islands did not receive adequate representation. The
governor of Jamaica, who was also responsible for the
TCI, was seated in Jamaica and made decisions about the
Islands without consulting the TCI representatives who,
on occasions, had to travel by sloops to Jamaica and
missed many sittings of the Jamaican House of Assembly.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 15

Also, because of the limited numbers of TCI representatives,
even if they had arrived on time to attend House
meetings, they could not affect any real change for the
TCI as they were outnumbered. Jamaica in essence, was
seeking its own interest with little concern for the TCI.
Economically, Jamaica was benefitting from the TCI’s
salt industry by charging a tax on all exports of salt from
the TCI. The income from this tax went directly to support
Jamaica’s economy rather than being reinvested into
the TCI. This was a repeat of what was experienced in
the 1700s and early 1800s while TCI was being administered
by the Bahamas. This practice by Jamaica seriously
contributed to the further underdevelopment of the TCI.
It is important to note that all the commercial activity
was mainly between Jamaica and Grand Turk, making the
Caicos Islands dependent on Grand Turk for day-to-day
needs, further enhancing the superiority complex of the
residents of Grand Turk forementioned.
Based on those critical circumstances, it was decision
time for the British Crown Colony (the TCI). The decision
was whether the Islands should remain with Jamaica
or return as a full-fledged British Colony. Many heated
debates ensued, resulting in visits made by delegations
from the TCI to Jamaica and to England. Hon. Paul Higgs
was one of those persons who travelled to Jamaica and
finally to England to present the case on behalf of the
TCI withdrawing from Jamaica. Knowing how candid and
forceful he was, it is strongly believed that he influenced
several of his colleagues to take the same position as he
did. In fact, he was the spokesman for the Caicos group
and was reported as saying to the British Parliament,
“Anchor us off in the Atlantic Ocean. We refuse to suffer
one more day under Jamaica!”
When it came to the crucial vote in the TCI’s local
Legislative Council, made up of one member from Salt
Cay, one from South Caicos, two from Grand Turk, one
from Middle Caicos, three from North Caicos and one
from Blue Hills, the Yes’s won by one vote (five to four) in
favour of the TCI moving away from Jamaica and becoming
a full-fledged British Colony. This was symbolic of
Hon. Higgs’ strong stance against the harmful separation
between the Turks and the Caicos Islands. All the
representatives from the Turks Islands voted in favour of
remaining with Jamaica, while all the representatives in
the Caicos Islands, led by Higgs, voted for separation.
If it were not for his strong position and leadership,
supported by that of his colleagues Gus Lightbourne,
Emanuel Hall, James Walkin and Harry Musgrove, the TCI
might still be a colony of Jamaica to this day! One can
only assume that with the economic and political challenges
that Jamaica is currently facing, the TCI might
not be enjoying the high level of economic growth and
prosperity it now enjoys. These five brave men had finally
affected the change longed for by the Caicos Islands.
Following this vote, representatives in the Turks
16 www.timespub.tc

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Islands realized that the balance of power resided in the
Caicos Islands. They felt that to avoid further defeats,
a seat had to be taken away. The seats in Bottle Creek,
North Caicos were reduced from two to one. This seat
was placed in Grand Turk, giving the Turks Islands the
majority of seats.
Post-Jamaica years
Hon. Paul Higgs was a part of TCI’s pre-ministerial era.
He realized that the single member constituency that
currently existed could not reap the necessary rewards
for the TCI. Hence, he encouraged voters to support the
then-Labour Party which was spearheaded by Clarence
Jolly and others who had just returned home from the
Bahamas with experience in political organizations. Hon.
Higgs spoke out openly in favour of the Labour Party as
he felt that collectively, local representatives would be a
greater force to reckon with. He noted that every developed
country had a labour system of government. In his
view, the same should apply for the TCI.
He drew reference in his many political speeches to
countries such as Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and to
their respective Labour leaders—Errol Barrow, Alexander
Bustamante and Dr. Eric Williams. He was self-educated
and kept abreast of what was happening politically in
the Caribbean region and the role that Caribbean leaders
were playing in the lives of their people. Hon. Paul Higgs
admonished the TCI to follow the example around them.
He argued that the world was changing and that the TCI
should also change in order to remain competitive.
Hon. Paul Higgs was passionate about his people. He
argued that the TCI should make a serious effort to attract
foreign investment. He believed that this would be one of
the ways to reduce unemployment and raise the standard
of living of the people of the TCI. This, he believed, would
make the TCI a better place. This was his dream.
Hon. Paul Higgs saw the need for self-improvement
and cooperation to prevail in the TCI. This is what he
promoted over the years, particularly at the opening of
the House of Assembly. He believed that Turks & Caicos
Islanders should be the architects of their growth and
development. To this end, he pushed continuously for
Islanders to undertake advanced training, and advocated
for TCI people to go abroad and earn degrees in areas
such as Medicine, Agriculture and Education. These persons,
he opined, would be instrumental in charting a new
course for the TCI. He first coined the phrase “Turks &
Caicos Islanders First.”
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 17

35Years
Assisting domestic and international clients for 35 years
Tel + 1 649 946 4602 • Fax + 1 649 946 4848
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Hon. Paul Higgs was a warrior. He was a champion
for people’s rights, justice and equality. He felt the pain
that the people in the Caicos Islands were experiencing.
He experienced their struggle first-hand. He knew about
the rejection Caicos people encountered. He experienced
it first-hand. He knew of their unfair treatment and degradation.
He experienced it first-hand.
Despite being unpopular in certain circles, Hon. Paul
Higgs was a man of passion, a man of substance, a man
who cared. He placed country above self, a concept that
is desperately lacking among some politicians in the TCI
today. This is what is required of leaders. Hon. Paul Higgs
led by example.
The TCI has since seen the closure of the salt and
sisal industries and the growth and expansion of tourism
with flights from North America, the Caribbean and
Europe. This is undoubtedly Paul Higgs’ vision being
realized. What has made his vision so significant is that
tourism is now the focus of the Caicos Islands—the very
islands that Hon. Higgs knew needed to grow and develop
in that direction. Some of his family members, including
two of his sons and one of his grandsons, have been
actively involved in the tourist industry in the TCI and the
Bahamas.
Interestingly, Hon. Higgs himself was not a supporter
of the Black Power Boys’ new party, the PDM. He
obviously did not endorse some of the activities that the
group allegedly were engaged in. He obviously would
have supported their position on making Turks & Caicos
Islanders first in their country. This is what he wanted
to see. However, during the December 15, 2016 general
elections one of his grandsons, Hon. Ralph Higgs, who
resigned his post as the Director of Tourism to contest
a seat, on a PDM ticket in North and Middle Caicos won
convincingly and was appointed as the new Minister of
Tourism. Hon. Paul Higgs’ dream for TCI seems to have
come full circle.
At the age of 83, Paul Stephenson Higgs died suddenly
(without illness) on May 12, 1980 in Nassau,
Bahamas while visiting his children. He was buried in
Old Trail Cemetery there. TCI Chief Minister Hon. JAGS
McCartney was buried on that same day. Hon Higgs is
survived by two sons and one daughter. From the records,
his political career in the TCI spans from 1955 to 1962.
The 2016 TCI election day would obviously have been
a proud, joyous and exceptional one for Hon. Paul Higgs if
he were alive to see his bloodline following in his political
footsteps and spearheading the tourist industry which he
envisioned so long ago as being the lifeline of the TCI. a
18 www.timespub.tc

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feature
Opposite page: One of the great joys of living in the Turks & Caicos Islands is mingling with people from different nationalities at community
events such as this sailing regatta on Grace Bay Beach.
Above: An afternoon of floating in the sea and sipping a tropical drink is another joy to be savored.
Living the Dream
Could a life in the Islands be in your future?
By Ben Stubenberg ~ Photos By Marta Morton, www.harbourclubvillas.com
It’s your last day of vacation in the Turks & Caicos, and you don’t want to leave. Maybe you’re gazing out
over that brilliant turquoise ocean with a cold drink in hand and thinking to yourself, “Wow, could I live
the dream?” Countless visitors have asked themselves and their partners that same question. And why
not? Gorgeous beaches, lovely people, cool vibe, tasty cafés, sports galore, warm sunshine and an aura
of peace and tranquility spark the imagination and create a sense of possibilities.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 21

Morning comes too soon, though. The taxi’s waiting
and ready to go. You stand in line at the airport, wait,
check in, wait some more, climb the stairway into that
gleaming airplane, and buckle up. Your mind gears shift
from the relaxed island vibe to the familiar world of efficient
processing of people and paper and things. The
plane takes off and banks out over gorgeous Grace Bay
and the surf-fringed reef. You crane your neck and press
your forehead against the window so you can get one last
glance. Then it all vanishes below the clouds. And the
dream, along with the vacation, starts to slip away.
Now home, you slide back into the comfortable routine
of the life you have built—and it’s not bad. In fact,
it’s pretty darn good. It got you a vacation on the best
beach in the world!
But maybe the dream lingers a little longer. You
remind yourself that you have entered “middle age” and
now is the time to take a turn in life. (Or at least explore
the options so you don’t have any regrets later.)
Is it really possible to open that door in the far
corner of your mind and walk down the unlit corridor
towards a new beginning? To swap out the routine of
reasonable certainty and expectations for the impetuous
soul of a dreamer who gave it all up to walk on a beach
in paradise?
It’s freezing outside, but you still feel the warm sand
under your toes. You still see that big orange sun sink
over the sea and every hue of pink and red paint the
clouds of a darkening sky. You still anticipate the quiet
arrival of another tropical night, strewn with a billion
stars, bright and sharp in the absence of ambient light.
And you still remember the small act of genuine kindness
from someone who made you feel welcome. If that’s you,
keep reading.
Before you take the leap
First, ask this essential question: “Can I appreciate the
fact that I will be a guest in someone else’s country with
a culture and way of doing things different from me?”
Think hard because it requires essential qualities of tolerance,
empathy, patience, humility, and respect. If your
answer is “No,” don’t come. Period. For all the easy-going
goodwill among locals and “expats” (expatriate foreigners
who live here), acceptance goes out the window for
those who come down with the wrong attitude or prove
untrustworthy.
Know this: The Turks & Caicos is not a place to escape
from problems and bring baggage filled with unresolved
issues. The Islands are too small, and whatever bad qualities
you have will be magnified. You won’t last. And even
Enjoying a sunset walk along a nearly deserted beach is one of the great pleasures the Turks & Caicos Islands have to offer.
22 www.timespub.tc

if you do, you won’t be happy.
But if you’re someone who sees these sunny isles as a
destination where you can open your heart and touch the
lives of others who hail from every corner of the world,
you have passed the first test. Living in the TCI is just as
much about being an agreeable, simpatico human being
as it is about relishing the exquisite natural environment.
Next, are you married, have kids, or are in a tight
relationship with someone? If so, you need to sit down
and have that frank talk to see if he or she shares that
tropical dream with the same passion. Often, one partner
will enjoy the vacation but for any number of quite legitimate
reasons— financial security, career, family—doesn’t
want to make the leap. Then you may have to compromise
and just take more vacations here, possibly buying
a house or condo that anchors you to the Turks & Caicos
without full-time commitment. That’s OK too.
Got kids? There are many excellent schools, and
youngsters who grow up here tend to be smart, secure,
open-minded, and well-adjusted. Still, uprooting them is
a hard call. So, you may have to delay the dream for a few
years for their sake, but that just gives you more time to
lay the groundwork for a future move.
Start exploring
Next comes the fun part where you take the time to really
get a feel for the place to see if it’s for you. Read all you
can about the history of the Islands and current events.
Local magazines (including this one) and newspapers—
hard copy and online—abound and provide a plethora of
valuable information. Watch local TV shows and listen to
radio stations for insightful local coverage.
Go to the Thursday Fish Fry in The Bight, but also plan
a visit around Maskanoo, the Caribbean Food Festival, the
Conch Festival, Valentine’s Day Cup and New Year’s at
Rickie’s Flamingo Café. Attend fundraisers for the Edward
Gartland Youth Centre, Provo Children’s Home, Turks &
Caicos Reef Fund, and curing breast cancer (In the Pink).
If you are sporty, consider taking part in one of many
well-organized events such as a run or swim race, triathlon,
sailing regatta, or a golf or tennis tournament. Soccer
for both children and adults is another popular sport.
Whether or not you are religious, visit one of numerous
churches of just about every denomination and hear
the exuberance of faith, often expressed in song.
Rent a car and hire a taxi for a couple of hours and
go all over the island. Use a guide to fill you in and share
their local knowledge. Stop in at a variety of bars and
cafés.
From top: Maskanoo is an annual cultural festival just after Christmas,
filled with costumes, music, food, and a grand parade.
The Great Raft Race is part of the annual Fool’s Regatta, a fun day on
the water anticipated by residents young and old.
This group of schoolchildren are performing in the TCI Costume, with
each band of color signifying a different island.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 23

Meet and talk to lots of people, but don’t wear them
down with your hopes and dreams. Instead, ask what they
like best about being here. And if they are from somewhere
else, ask them what brought them here. Everyone
has a story. Now ask yourself, “Do I like the people around
me? Do I share the spirit?”
Most expats who move here had to navigate the
maze of requirements to make their dream come true,
no matter where they came from. That creates a sort of
self-selecting part of the population imbued with a strong
dose of adventuresome confidence—seekers who let
something go back home on the gamble it would work
out here. Make no mistake, they took risks and made
tradeoffs, and so will you. Just be clear-headed: While
the lifestyle is unrivaled, having some money behind you
makes it so much easier. This is hard place to be if you
are hurting for cash.
Keep in mind you’ll likely get valuable snippets of
knowledge, but not the full story because it’s not their
job to prepare you, even if you buy the drinks. For that
you should look into hiring someone to get you oriented.
At least one new service, Turks & Caicos Living, has
sprung up to give potential transplants a briefing tour
that covers the bases of living here from other expats
who’ve made the jump.
Schedule/price subject to change without prior notice.
Downsizing
Most North Americans and Europeans move here looking
for a less hectic, slower pace of life. That’s the allure
of living on a small island in the West Indies. And small
islands these are, but very well connected to the world.
Still, you need to be comfortable with limited roaming
space and what you can do without.
Providenciales has most of the essentials with supermarkets
and office supply and building material stores.
We have a fine bookstore, several boutiques, a couple of
yummy bakeries, and an excellent coffee roaster, brewer,
and rum distiller. There’s a modern hospital, well-stocked
pharmacies, and several very good private doctors
(including naturopathic and osteopathic), optometrists,
physical therapists, and even an acupuncturist. But it’s
not the vast shopping center of North America, and never
will be.
Take that as an opportunity to roll back and re-evaluate.
After all, whether you buy a luxurious beachfront
villa or choose less upscale quarters, isn’t entering this
little Eden about changing course, living life a bit untethered?
This is not where you come to replicate “home” with
palm trees and sand.
24 www.timespub.tc

To really appreciate what untethered means, take
a day or two to explore the “Out Islands” and see how
the old Caribbean ways are very much alive. For those
who want a complete break and yearn for an even slower
pace, consider settling in North Caicos, Middle Caicos,
The longest established legal practice
South Caicos or Salt Cay. These rural gems with spectacular
beaches and vast stretches of wilderness have only
in the Turks & Caicos Islands
a fraction of the population of Provo’s 25,000+ and few
of the conveniences. But the expats that live here love it
and rely on what is already in place—fresh fish and conch
Real Estate Investments
and healthy local produce. More importantly, they rely on
& Property Development
each other as they integrate into a more traditional Turks
& Caicos community of relationships.
Immigration, Residency
On North Caicos, this might mean sharing drinks and & Business Licensing
grilled snapper with Clifford and friends at the thatched
Company & Commercial Law
Barracuda Bar on the beach while listening to a “rake and
scrape” band. On tiny Salt Cay, it could be kicking back Trusts & Estate Planning
at the Coral Reef Bar and Grille watching for whales to
breach in the winter months. Of course, the expats bring
Banking & Insurance
in whatever else they need, but over time those needs
become less important. The demands of a busy metropolis
fade, replaced by the gift of serenity.
Grand Turk falls somewhere in the middle, with a few
1 Caribbean Place, P.O. Box 97
more conveniences and a pleasant quietude. There are
Leeward Highway, Providenciales
Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI
cruise ship passengers during the day, but most hang
Ph: 649 946 4344 • Fax: 649 946 4564
out in Margaritaville by the dock and depart by late afternoon.
Cockburn Town, the country’s capital, exudes
E-Mail: dempsey@tciway.tc
charm. Here you can wander down tree-shaded lanes with
Cockburn House, P.O. Box 70
Market Street, Grand Turk
100+ year-old houses, storefronts and quirky cafés. The
Juan Martinez Fall 15 Turks sixth_Layout & Caicos 1 5/27/16 Islands, 11:58 BWIAM Page 1
settlement meanders along a low bluff facing west for
Ph: 649 946 2245 • Fax: 649 946 2758
spectacular sunsets framed by perfect beaches on either
E-Mail: ffdlawco@tciway.tc
side. Also, the town hosts the headquarters for the TCI
National Museum, a treasure for any lover of history.
Chloe Zimmermann, long-time Provo resident, owner
of Marco Travel, and agent with Forbes Realty, puts the
PHONE:
question of moving here this way, “Be alert and open
2 4 1 . 3 2 9 7
to emotions that both elate and trouble you about the
2 4 4 . 9 0 9 0
3 4 4 . 9 4 0 3
Islands. If it doesn’t feel right for you to live here, then it
2 4 4 . 6 1 9 1
SOUTH DOCK
doesn’t. No worries. At least you found out before making
one of the biggest commitments of your life. Just visit
ROAD, PROVO
for vacations. And if it does click, count yourself among
the fortunate.”
Finding a home—rent, buy or build?
Renting allows you to dip your toe without a major investment,
but be aware that rents can be high and good
places are limited on Provo. The short term rental market
serving visitors is hot right now, which is exacerbating
the scarcity of long term rentals.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 25

AGILE LEVIN
The author is a self-proclaimed “ocean man” and enjoys training swims in TCI’s crystal-clear waters. He is also co-founder of the annual “Race
for the Conch” Eco SeaSwim, next scheduled for July 1, 2017 along Grace Bay Beach.
Buying naturally ties you more to the community.
You are invested in the island and have a stake in its
future. Property on the beach or on a canal in Provo is in
scarce and expensive, particularly anything on Grace Bay
or in the Leeward area. But you only need go back from
the beach a few blocks and the price drops noticeably.
Houses with magnificent views on Long Bay or on a bluff
or hilltop in Long Bay Hills, Flamingo Pond, South Shore
or Thompson’s Cove can often be more reasonable.
One very attractive feature of buying is that there are
no restrictions on foreign individuals buying property
(but there are restrictions on foreign companies). And
there are no real estate taxes beyond a one-time stamp
duty. Stamp duty is calculated on a sliding percentage of
the sale price up to a maximum of 10% on Provo and up
to 6.5% on some of the other islands.
Another advantage of a house purchase of at least
$300,000 is that you can be eligible for a non-work
residency permit (with $1,500 fee every five years as
explained below). And still another bonus is that, subject
to certain qualifying criteria, you can bring down a full
container of household goods and pay a processing fee
at Customs of 7.5% on the value.
Building a house offers many advantages and,
although more intimidating, can actually be an incredibly
exciting and fulfilling experience. Immediate benefits
are that you get to choose the ideal location, design the
house exactly the way you want it (within budget, of
course) and you get a house without having to pay the
10% stamp duty on its value (you only pay stamp duty on
the value of the land).
If you decide that building is the way to go, there is
no better advice we can give than to first contact a locally
based, fully qualified professional architect. They will
be able to assist you in setting realistic budgets, advise
you on appropriate land purchases to suit your needs
and steer you all the way through the process, including
financing the build, choosing a contractor and completing
construction. They will also be able to help you select
legal assistance, furniture suppliers, landscapers and all
other aspects of designing and building a home. Be aware
that neither the building nor design industry is regulated
and therefore it is critical that you find someone properly
qualified and with a proven record of service in the
Islands.
Note that construction costs are higher than the US,
driven largely by import duty on many building supplies
and increased cost of doing business generally.
Residency—the legal aspects
If it still feels right, it’s time to talk to an attorney who can
guide you through the nuances of residency, working,
26 www.timespub.tc

TWATIMES_Layout 1 2/16/17 7:49 AM Page 1
banking, and investing. That’s when the dream can come
up against reality. Learn exactly what hurdles you have
to clear to make it happen. Here’s what to ask and what
you need to know:
1. Do you need to work? If yes, (meaning you have to
earn a living to survive,) you need a work permit that falls
into two basic categories:
• You can seek out an employer who needs your skills but
cannot find them among those with full citizen “Belonger”
status. That means your prospective employer has to
apply for a work permit for you, which includes advertising
the position. If no one qualified applies, you may be
hired, typically for a year or two at a time before you have
to renew. The employer must pay a work permit fee that
can amount to many thousands of dollars depending on
the skill level. That tends to dampen salaries. After 10
consecutive years you can apply for Permanent Residency
status (PRC) and the work permit fees no longer have to
be paid. The current fee for a PRC is $10,000.
• You can open your own business. For that you must
apply for a business license, which is reviewed for
approval depending on the nature of the business. While
not automatic, businesses that benefit the country with
Serving international & domestic clients in real estate, property development,
mortgages, corporate & commercial matters, immigration, & more.
TELEPHONE 649.946.4261 TMW@TMWLAW.TC WWW.TWAMARCELINWOLF.COM
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 27

three year periods before you have to renew again. This
is definitely the low risk option and may appeal to retirees
with a good pension or investment income, as you must
show you can support yourself. You may also qualify if
you can do your work remotely off-island so you are not
affecting local employment. This might be a consulting
business where the services are performed outside the
country or a stock day-trader. If you live here in this status
for 10 consecutive years, you can apply for a PRC
without the right to work.
• You can invest in a house for a minimum of $300,000
and get a homeowner’s residency permit. You will have
to pay $1,500 every five years, but you can generally live
here as long as you own the house. This type of residency
permit does not give you eligibility for a PRC after 10
years.
• You can request visitor status for between 30 to 90
days at a time. For this you must leave the country when
the 90 days are up. But you can return a day later and
request another 90 days. This can be a good option if
you are spending part of your time back in your home
country and don’t really intend to live in the TCI full time.
Constant renewals every 30 to 90 days, however, can
invite close scrutiny of your purpose here. So, this is not
usually recommended as a long-term option.
If they say natural beauty—especially sun and sea—promotes healing
and reduces stress, a visit to Middle Caicos is a tonic.
investment and services are generally approved, as long
as they do not fall into restricted categories reserved for
Belongers. Some of these restricted categories include
taxi services, small to medium construction services,
and certain boat businesses. You can engage in these
restricted category businesses if you have a Belonger
business partner who owns a majority of the interest
in the business. Be advised that while you will not need
labour clearance to manage the business, you will have
to pay the maximum work permit fees that are currently
$9,500 per year. As with employee work permits, you can
apply for a PRC after 10 consecutive years and then not
have to pay the work permit fees.
2. Do you not have to work or will your work be performed
off-island? If so, you have three basic non-work
residency options.
• You can apply for a non-working residency permit. It
costs $1,500 a year and can generally be obtained for
3. Do you have serious medical issues or a criminal
record?
• If you are planning to work, and thus be part of the
national medical and insurance system, you will need a
medical clearance done here with in-depth screening.
You may be rejected if you have serious medical conditions
that risk infecting others and/or will require the
health system to incur great expense. You will also need
a medical clearance if you are seeking a general non-work
residency permit for $1,500 a year, but the screening is
not as in-depth. Those using the homeowner residency
permit need not have a medical clearance.
• All categories of residency require that you provide a
police record from your home country showing you have
no criminal past, along with reference letters proving
good character.
Erica Krygsman, attorney at Provo law firm Twa,
Marcelin, and Wolf, advises, “Whatever your situation, you
would do best to understand and appreciate the rationale
behind the current immigration policies, which is
first and foremost to protect the livelihood and well-being
of the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands.”
28 www.timespub.tc

The reception you’ll get
What can you expect when you get here? This really
depends on your demeanor and mindset. It’s like any
small town—you develop a web of friends and contacts
and a reputation. Most expats give everyone a chance to
fit in and share their story because they’ve been there
too. Don’t blow it with inflated self-importance.
Equally welcoming are locals. But again, it depends
on the way you come across. Show arrogance, and you’re
done. Most of the time, things work fine. And when they
don’t, chill out and remember: Folks are not here to make
sure your Big City expectations are promptly met. Show a
little sensitivity and you will get along just fine.
Sure, expats are easier to get to know because you
come from a common background and experience. So
it’s easy to drift into exclusive circles. But cut yourself off
from the local population, and you’ll miss some of the
most precious moments of living here.
Once when emerging from the water on the far end
of Grace Bay after a swim, a group of locals preparing
a BBQ on the beach called out, “Hey, you want to have
a beer with us? How about some food? Got some good
stuff cookin’ up.” Heck, they didn’t owe me anything, but
there they were sharing what they had with a stranger
who came out of nowhere. How cool is that?
Another time I heard loud calypso and reggae music
coming from the beach in the Leeward area. I slipped on
my sandals and ambled toward the sound a few blocks
away. When I got there, about 30 locals were dancing Harbour on Club:Layout 1
the sand to the sounds played by a DJ. On seeing me,
their first words were a very concerned, “Are we too loud?
We can turn it down.” I assured them it was just fine.
“Well, then have a drink and hang out for a while.” Once
again, a stranger just shows up and is made to feel welcome.
There is a soul to the way of life of Turks & Caicos
8/17/16 10:16 AM Page 1
Islanders, as well as the amazing diversity of humanity
woven into the tapestry of this micro-universe. When you
Turtle Tail Drive, Providenciales
come across it, embrace with gusto!
Six one-bedroom villas.
Dive operators at our dock.
When it comes to service, consider how Caicos Bonefishing in the lake.
Express Airlines handled a customer who had just missed
a flight to Salt Cay. She had hoped to make the connection
Fabulous beaches nearby.
Ideal for couples or groups.
after flying down from Toronto in mid-February, but
the Canadian plane had been delayed. The eight-seater
Caicos Express flies to Salt Cay only four days a week, so
she would have to wait a couple more days in Provo. But
the customer was so understanding that the quick-thinking
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called the captain of the aircraft, who was taxiing to the for details.
runway, and asked if he could return to the gate to pick
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Times of the Islands Spring 2017 29

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up one more passenger. He did. The little door at the
back of the plane opened and the steps dropped down.
She scurried up and flew away. Where else is that going
to happen?
Finally, there’s another kind of reception that may
be waiting for you, but it’s not from people. Rather, it’s a
sense of well-being that derives from proximity to water.
According to Wallace J. Nichols, author of Blue Mind, neurological
studies show that just looking at blue water
affects your brain positively by reducing stress.
Grace Bay Medical Centre has taken this a step further
and developed a broad-based Wellness Program that
integrates the natural positive aspects of sun and sea
to enhance and promote healing. Island Naturopath Dr.
Meghan O’Reilly explains, “Research clearly shows that
the natural environment has a direct impact on health. So
we make sure that everyone going through the program
takes full advantage of the exceptional conditions in the
Turks & Caicos, including ocean water therapy.”
Indeed, the evidence is building that being visually
close to and possibly immersed in pleasant watery environments
makes people healthier and happer. Certainly,
few living on this 100 mile-long archipelago surrounded
by clear, warm ocean would argue with that.
Visitors often ask residents if they ever get bored
or tired of island life. It’s a fair question, but one that
is likely answered with a smile, “No, never. Watching
the sunrise bring in a new day moves me as much now
as when I first arrived.” Feel that, and you can live the
dream. a
Ben Stubenberg is a contributing writer to Times of
the Islands with a passion for the Turks & Caicos. Ben
is co-founder of the vacation adventure company Caicu
Naniki Adventures and the annual swim race “Race for
the Conch” Eco-SeaSwim. An avid ocean man and frequent
guide for dreamers, he can be reached at ben@
caicunaniki.com.
RESOURCES:
Twa, Marcelin, Wolf/Attorneys at Law
Chloe Zimmermann/Forbes Realty & Marco Travel
Grace Bay Medical Centre/Health & Wellness
Turks & Caicos Reservations/Bookings & Island Living
Visit Turks & Caicos Islands/Website
Simon Wood/Architecture
Norstar Group/Construction
Caicu Naniki/Island Living & Vacation Adventures
30 www.timespub.tc

green pages
newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
head office: church folly, grand turk, tel 649 946 2801 • fax 649 946 1895
• astwood street, south caicos, tel 649 946 3306 • fax 946 3710
• national environmental centre, lower bight road, providenciales
parks division, tel 649 941 5122 • fax 649 946 4793
fisheries division, tel 649 946 4017 • fax 649 946 4793
email environment@gov.tc or dema.tci@gmail.com • web www.environment.tc
This rare Piping Plover was spotted at East Bay Cay, North Caicos on January 25, 2017.
ERIC F. SALAMANCA
A Rare “Snowbird” Returns
Piping Plovers return to the TCI for the winter.
By Eric F. Salamanca (DECR), Elise Elliot-Smith (US Geological Survey), Caleb Spiegel and Craig Watson
(US Fish and Wildlife Service), Sidney Maddock (Contractor for Environment and Climate Change Canada),
Simon Busuttil (Turks & Caicos National Trust & Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Kathleen Wood
(SWA Environmental), Bryan Manco (DECR), Luc Clerveaux, Marta Calosso and John Claydon (DECR)
The mudflats and sandy beaches of the Turks & Caicos Islands have long attracted Piping Plovers.
However, due to their cryptic colouring and use of remote beaches, we are just beginning to learn of
their presence here. The Piping Plover is a rare shorebird that breeds in the United States and Canada
and migrates to the southern USA, Caribbean, and Mexico for the winter. The International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has listed this bird as “Near Threatened,” while the US and Canada
have it federally listed as “Threatened/Endangered.”
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 31

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
Wintering birds from USA and Canada spend considerable
time in the TCI, probably due to the favourable
climate and habitats. Piping Plovers prefer mudflat and
sandy beach habitats. Mudflats, also known as tidal flats,
are coastal wetlands that appear when shallow flats are
exposed by tides.
Mangroves constitute an important part of muddy
coastlines, both biologically and for stability. Any disturbance
or damage to mangroves, such as clearing or
cutting, can cause severe problems, decreasing biodiversity
and causing erosion and flooding, thereby affecting
the wintering habitats of Piping Plovers.
The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small
shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand, mudflats
and beaches. The Piping Plover’s diet includes
marine worms, fly larvae, beetles, insects, crustaceans,
mollusks and other small invertebrates. When it spots
prey, the plover will quickly run after it, stop suddenly,
and then quickly snatch it up.
In 2011, many local bird enthusiasts had reported
Piping Plover sightings during the winter months, but no
authoritative confirmation of the birds’ migration to TCI
had yet been made. They were observed in the northern
Bahamas at that time (Gratto-Trevor, et.al., 2016). The
preferred wintering habitats in the Bahamas are replicated
in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Knowing this, in 2016 a
group of researchers from the US Geologic Survey (USGS)
and US Fish and Wildlife Service (UFWS), in cooperation
with the TCI Department of Environment and Coastal
Resources (DECR) conducted a preliminary survey and
found 96 Piping Plovers and 57 Wilson’s Plovers in TCI.
This year (2017), the same group, with the addition of
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Turks & Caicos
National Trust, the UK’s Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds (RSPB) and SWA Environmental collaborated to
conduct a similar study but to cover more areas.
This year’s preliminary results recorded 174 Piping
Plovers (78 more than last year), observed at East Caicos,
South Caicos, Little Ambergris Cay, Little Water Cay, Fort
George and the East Bay Cays off North Caicos. Banded
Piping Plovers (e.g. those with coded bands on their legs)
were tracked and found to have originated on the breeding
grounds in the USA and Canada. This finding, also
observed in 2016, confirms that endangered and threatened
birds that breed in the USA and Canada spend their
winter in TCI. The excellent habitats, including secluded
and undeveloped mudflats and sandy beaches, are definitely
among the many factors that make TCI an attractive
wintering area for many migratory birds. In addition to
the large number of Piping Plovers, the survey team found
several hundred of another US and Canadian “threatened”
shorebird, the Red Knot (Calidris canutus), on remote
sand bars near Middle Caicos. This year’s survey also
recorded more than 3,500 wintering shorebirds.
Description
The Piping Plover is a small, stout shorebird, with a large,
rounded head, a short, thick neck and a stubby bill. It is
a sand-colored, dull gray/khaki, sparrow-sized shorebird.
The adult has yellow-orange legs, a black band across
the forehead from eye to eye and a black ring around the
neck during the breeding season. During nonbreeding
season, the black band becomes less pronounced. Its bill
is mostly black, with a small amount of orange at the
base. It ranges from 15–19 cm (5.9–7.5 in) in length, with
a wingspan of 35–41 cm (14–16 in) and a mass of 42–64
g (1.5–2.3 oz).
Breeding
Piping Plovers breed on open sand, gravel, or shell-strewn
beaches and alkali flats. Each nest site is typically near
small clumps of grass, drift, or other windbreak. In winter,
birds prefer sand beaches and mudflats. Migrants are
seldom seen inland, but occasionally show up at shores,
river bars, or alkali flats.
Conservation status
The Piping Plover is globally threatened or endangered,
depending on the location, with fewer than 9,000 individuals
in the world. In the US Great Lakes region, it
has been listed as “Endangered” and it is considered
“Threatened” in the remainder of its US breeding range.
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green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
The Piping Plover survey team is looking for these illusive birds at East Bay Cay, North Caicos.
ERIC F. SALAMANCA
In eastern Canada, the Piping Plover is considered an
“Endangered” species. In the Turks & Caicos Islands,
this bird is listed as “Rare and Endangered” (Wildlife
and Biodiversity Protection Bill). It is globally recognized
as “Near-threatened” by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature.
Critical activities that affect Piping Plover
Many anthropogenic activities can negatively affect Piping
Plover populations, including the following: dredging and
dredge spoil placement; construction and installation of
facilities; pipeline construction; road development; oil
spills and oil spill clean-up; construction of dwellings,
roads, marinas, and other structures and associated
impacts, such as staging of equipment and materials;
beach nourishment, stabilization and cleaning; certain
types and levels of recreational activities such as all-terrain
vehicular activity; predation and disturbance by
introduced animals; storm water and wastewater discharge.
It was noted by the visiting researchers that a high
tide roost known to support Piping Plover from last year
was empty of Piping Plovers this year, possibly due to
disturbance from high levels of kiteboarding very close
to the roost location. What is usually considered a low
impact activity may be significant in deterring roosting in
otherwise preferred areas.
What to do to enhance bird conservation
There is definitely a need to enhance habitats and bird
conservation in TCI. If we want this endangered and
threatened bird to continue to visit TCI’s shores, there
is a need to address the deterioration and destruction of
important bird habitats.
The coastal dune habitats need to be protected at all
times. Stay on boardwalks and existing trails when possible.
When walking with your pets on a beach or in other
natural areas, please keep your pet leashed to prevent
disturbing nesting, roosting, or foraging birds. It might
be better not to bring your dog(s) into bird nesting areas
at all because it is known that birds have much further
flight distances for dogs than humans. The mere presence
of even leashed dogs in nesting areas can cause
problems (allowing dogs to play at chasing birds is especially
problematic). The wrack lines should not be raked
up, manually or otherwise. The debris in the wrack lines
is one of the most important areas of a living beach’s
food web. Man-made trash should be removed but natural
debris makes the beach healthy.
Support plans to include important bird areas/
habitats in the Protected Areas System. Also, support
government or non-government initiatives to protect the
natural resources and wildlife of TCI.
If you want to take part in various activities that will
promote environmental sustainability, including bird conservation,
please contact DECR at environment@gov.tc. a
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 33

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
Little Water Cay in the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve is known for its healthy Caicos Rock Iguana population.
In Safe Hands
Protected areas keep TCI “Beautiful by Nature.”
Story & Photos By Amy Avenant, DECR Environment Outreach Coordinator
The Turks & Caicos Islands boast a vast system of protected areas. So vast, that almost 45% of the country’s
biodiversity falls under some form of conservation status. Protected areas are very important to
both the biodiversity and economy of a country as they restrict human interaction with these areas as
well as conserve them, so that they can continue performing their vital ecological roles (and allow TCI
to remain “Beautiful by Nature.”)
34 www.timespub.tc

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
The Turks & Caicos Islands have a total of 10 National
Parks, 12 Nature Reserves, 4 Sanctuaries, and 7 Areas
of Historical Interest. Princess Alexandra National Park,
which encompasses world-famous Grace Bay Beach, is
probably the country’s most well-known protected area.
National Parks are areas that have been set aside
for ecosystem and biological conservation, but permit
public recreation, although not without very important
etiquette, rules and regulations! Nature Reserves are
designated for conservation, however activities enjoyed
in these areas are restricted to low levels of recreation
such as camping, fishing and sailing. Sanctuaries enjoy
a far more strict set of rules, as they were established
primarily for the purpose of protection of the natural
ecology, protecting a particular terrestrial and/or marine
organism, as well as limiting the disturbance of the area
by humans.
To ensure that you interact with nature in an appropriate
way, here are some rules and etiquette:
• DO remove all your trash including cigarette butts. Be
mindful of the wind blowing trash into the sea.
• DO stay on the walkways to avoid walking on sand
dunes and watch out for iguana burrows on the cays.
• DO NOT feed wildlife including fish, birds, and reptiles.
• DO use biodegradable suntan lotion whenever possible
and allow time for all lotions to soak into the skin before
going into the ocean. Suntan lotion is toxic to the reefs.
• DO NOT touch, stand on or kick the coral; it is a living
animal and you will harm it.
• AVOID kicking sand with your fins when snorkelling so
that fine particles do not smother and choke living coral.
• A permit issued by the DECR is required for any bonfire
or social function on the beach.
• IT IS ILLEGAL to remove corals, sand, shells and wildlife,
whether dead or alive, from the Protected Areas.
• Anyone who wants to export more than three Queen
Conch shells must apply for a CITES (Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species) export permit
through the DECR.
• For your safety, please swim within the “swim zone”
(within 300 feet of shore).
• IT IS ILLEGAL to fish in protected areas such as National
Parks and Nature Reserves. This includes “catch and
release” fishing or hunting for conch and lobsters.
• For fishing licenses, please apply through the DECR.
• Use of jet skis, hovercraft and water skis are permitted
only in demarcated ski zones.
• Visiting a Sanctuary is only allowed with written permission
from the Director of the DECR.
• Please report to the DECR if you witness your boat captain
anchoring on coral reefs or sea grass beds.
• Please make sure your “fresh conch salad” does not
come from the National Park!
List of TCI Protected Areas
National Parks:
• Admiral Cockburn Land and Sea National Park,
South Caicos
• Chalk Sound National Park, Providenciales
• Columbus Landfall Marine National Park, Grand Turk
• Conch Bar Caves National Park, Middle Caicos
• East Bay Islands National Park, North Caicos
• Fort George Land and Sea National Park
• Grand Turk Cays Land and Sea National Park:
Gibbs, Penniston and Martin Alonza Pinzon Cays
• North West Point Marine National Park, Providenciales
• Princess Alexandra National Park, Providenciales
• South Creek National Park, Grand Turk
• West Caicos Marine National Park
Nature Reserves:
• Admiral Cockburn Nature Reserve, Long Cay,
Six Hill Cays, Middleton Cay
• Bell Sound Nature Reserve, South Caicos
• Cottage Pond Nature Reserve, North Caicos
• Dick Hill Creek and Bellefield Landing Pond Nature
Reserve, North Caicos
• Lake Catherine Nature Reserve, West Caicos
• North, Middle and East Caicos Nature Reserve
(International Ramsar Site)
• North West Point Pond Nature Reserve, Providenciales
• Pigeon Pond and Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve,
Providenciales
• Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve, Providenciales,
Little Water, Mangrove and Donna Cays
• Pumpkin Bluff Pond Nature Reserve, North Caicos
• Vine Point (Man O’War Bush) and Ocean Hole Nature
Reserve, Middle Caicos
Sanctuaries:
• Big Sand Cay Sanctuary;
• French, Bush and Seal Cays Sanctuary
• Long Cay Sanctuary
• Three Mary Cays Sanctuary a
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 35

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
An assortment of plants grown in RBG Kew’s Tropical Nursery from TCI seed includes, clockwise from left: Bahama love-grass Eragrostis
bahamensis; two Brace’s broom Evolvulus bracei (both Lucayan Archipelago endemics); and two dwarf morning glories Evolvulus alsinoides
all demonstrate lush growth and larger size in the less harsh conditions.
Two Kews
TCI’s native plants are a long way from home.
Story & Photos By B Naqqi Manco, TCI Naturalist
It is a plant fanatic’s dream—away from the exhibition greenhouses and behind the public barriers, the
walk through the glass-walled corridor of the Tropical Plant Nursery at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
in London passes by huge glasshouse rooms keyed to the climate of the thousands of plants they hold.
Several rooms each of orchids and ferns, a gigantic collection of Aroids, succulents and cacti, aquatic
plants, and countless conservation projects are tidy but full.
36 www.timespub.tc

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
Far more densely packed than exhibition gardens can
be, this area is Kew Gardens’ filing cabinet, an off-season
warehouse, a horticultural hoard. Tropical plants
from the farthest reaches of the world are held here.
Some represent nearly the entire population of their species—indeed,
some plants have been saved from wild
extinction by their presence here. All of them are here
for conservation, research, or display in RBG Kew’s opento-the-public
glasshouses, like the incomparable Princess
of Wales Conservatory (P.O.W.), the antique Palm House,
or the majestic Temperate Glasshouse.
But here in the humble, flat Tropical Nursery, plants
don’t sit in the spotlight of the public displays with largeprint
nameplates and ample elbow room. Here they lurk in
mobs, their embossed-metal ID tags partially obscured by
the foliage of themselves and their neighbours, each hiding
their name as would any stranger in a crowd. It takes
time to introduce oneself to the collection, individually.
Some announce who they are to botanists by means of
character traits or reputation. A gigantic, blood-red spathe
flower without any leaves wafts out a putrid stench—Ugh,
that has to be an Amorphophallus, the botanist thinks.
Another odoriferous one with spidery tentacles, growing
from what looks like a sprouted onion stuck to a piece of
bark, makes its greeter recoil, the botanical brain scolding
curiosity: You know Bulbophyllum orchids can smell
like death in a sewer . . . why would you sniff it?
There are famous plants here: Giant Victoria amazonica
water lilies in plunge-pool vats, huge titan arums with
their single, purple-spotted umbrella-like leaf spreading a
metre wide, and Darwin’s orchid (the one with the exceptionally
long nectar tube which made Darwin correctly
surmise the later discovery of a preposterously longtongued
moth that pollinated it). The celebrity plants are
here, often out of hair and makeup, in between public
appearances, resting and recuperating for the next big
bloom event.
Other plants are not so celebrated. The anonymous
masses reach upward toward London’s less-than-tropical
light in a tangle of photosynthetic optimism, a jungle-crowd
organised on shelves and stands by family,
genus, and species, filed in rooms by ecosystem of origin,
awaiting the dedicated care of the horticulturists who
look after them. In one of these rooms, on a less-than-assuming
bench, grouped among other Caribbean plants,
sits the Turks & Caicos Islands collection. Several spe-
From top: In the Tropical Nursery, Bermudian colleague Alison
Copeland samples the horrific odour of an Amorphophallus lily.
TCI’s popular medicinal tree mauby Colubrina elliptica is shown by
the author, growing well in the Tropical Nursery.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 37

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
From left: An assortment of orchids rests in the Tropical Nursery. When they bloom, they may be moved into the public display glasshouses.
The snapdragon vine Maurandya anthrhinniflora growing in a pair of two-inch pots displays an unprecedented potential rarely realised in TCI.
cies, grown from seed tested for germination by Kew’s
Millennium Seed Bank, sit neatly spaced awaiting hopeful
inclusion in the limited space of the public glasshouses.
Not all will achieve this stardom—the competition is
fierce—but to their keepers, they are every bit as dear
even behind the scenes. Their siblings, which are still
seeds, are now stored for long-term conservation in the
Millennium Seed Bank’s deep underground freezers,
lying in wait to be used to save the species should some
catastrophe befall wild populations.
But they have other siblings as well. Seeds from most
conservation collections made in TCI are split before they
are shipped to the United Kingdom, and a small share
goes to the Native Plant Conservation Nursery at the
Government Agricultural Station in Kew, North Caicos.
There, they live in a ramshackle, breezy shade-house
rather than a coddling glasshouse. They are protected
from too much sun by shade-cloth, rather than being
exposed to the transparent glass roof of the Tropical
Nursery. They tend to grow a little more tough and compact,
while their London brethren relax into a looser,
tenderer growth habit.
Just like anyone who leaves their original home to
expand their experiences abroad, these plants change
and develop new potential when grown in the Tropical
Nursery. One, a spindly winder called snapdragon vine
Maurandya antirhinniflora I remember from my youth on
the roadsides of Cork Tree in Grand Turk, creeps thinly
through thorny Acacia trees, flowering sparingly. Its baby
blue flowers, looking like frilly little cornucopias, and
sharply triangular leaves make it look like it would be a
real winner in the garden if only it grew with a little more
gusto. Seeing it growing in the Tropical Nursery verified
that—even when bound in tiny pots, the lush foliage and
abundant flowers, vines mounded upon themselves, made
me ask why the plant wasn’t already on public display.
“This looks a lot better than that junky plastic-looking
Hoya they’ve got festooning every ledge in the P.O.W.,” I
said to my colleague there, with an upturned palm and a
single raised eyebrow. In the relatively cool, humid, dim
conditions of the Tropical Nursery (compared to the full
sun, salty drought, and dusty tradewinds of Grand Turk)
the plant can afford to relax and put on a little more
body.
Similarly, I recall when the San Diego Zoo’s horticulture
team grew out seeds found in wild Turks & Caicos
rock iguana droppings for identification for a diet study,
and some of the mystery seeds from Big Ambergris Cay
turned out to be the National Flower, Turks & Caicos
heather Limonium bahamense. But after six months of
growing in the upper 70s, humid, sunny world of southern
California’s Mediterranean climate the heather,
normally a stiff, tough, upright scrub-brush of a plant
just a hand-length high, had changed. It had grown so
leggy and lax that it had to be planted in a hanging basket;
its succulent stems dangled scandently, heavy under
their own weight and turning up at the tips just enough
to show some I-just-woke-up flowers, spread out along
the stem. It didn’t look like a plant that had given up, it
just looked like a plant so spoiled rotten from its origin
in the hypersaline salt marshes of the Turks Islands that
had become as cheerily apathetic as a garden petunia.
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green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources
If some plants reach a higher potential in London’s
glasshouses, others struggle. In my July 2015 visit to
RBG Kew’s Tropical Nursery, I came upon a few trays of
assorted Encyclia orchids grown from seed collected in
2011 and grown in RBG Kew’s Micropropagation Unit
(See “Bragging Rights,” Times of the Islands Summer
2013) being repotted in the corridor by one of RBG Kew’s
Horticultural Diploma Course students. The orchids
looked barely bigger than they were on my 2013 visit,
and there were far fewer of them. According to the orchid
keeper, they were experiencing a lot of problems with
rot in this collection. No wonder, as they were being held
with the rest of the Encyclia orchids in one of the wet
tropics orchid rooms, which their other Caribbean and
South American relatives appreciate. But bombarded with
sprayed irrigation and time-managed misting, our TCI
orchids’ substrate couldn’t dry out. While some plants
enjoy being spoiled, dry tropics orchids detest it. (This is
why many people find orchids so hard to keep alive—they
coddle them to death.)
My colleague and I discussed the need for an
intervention, and the horticulturists asked for help in
understanding the plants’ natural habitat. While the RBG
Kew horticulturists do go into the field on occasion, they
don’t go everywhere their charges naturally grow, and so
can’t be familiar with the exact wild conditions of every
single one of their thousands of plants. We put together
photos of the wild habitats of the four species they were
growing—the dry, rocky shrubland of the tall orchid
Encyclia altissima; the ridge-top limestone outcropping
windswept locale of the rufous orchid Encyclia rufa;
the salty leeward coastal coppice of the Inagua orchid
Encyclia inaguensis, and the sand-blasted low windward
dune scrub of the endemic Caicos orchid Encyclia caicensis.
The decision was taken to move the plantlets into
a different room for awhile, giving them brighter light,
warmer temperatures, more air movement, and far less
humidity and water.
The mature orchids may well be rotated into the
Princess of Wales Conservatory’s dry tropics orchid
room when they bloom, as is the routine. Blooming potted
orchids are shifted into glass display cases in the
orchid rooms, then traded back to the Tropical Nursery
for replacements when their blooms acquiesce. They will
get their chance at a spot in stardom for their blooming
weeks.
B Naqqi Manco (TCI) and Richard Taylor (RBG Kew) hold trays of
Encyclia orchid seedlings grown from seed collected in North and
Middle Caicos in 2001.
Other plants from Turks & Caicos are waiting in line
for the completion of the Temperate House refurbishment.
Lots of specimens throughout the Tropical Nursery
are up for this audition. Space is limited; selection will
be cut-throat. Only the best-looking, most botanically
representative plants will be selected. Our colleagues in
the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Programme at
RBG Kew are working hard to nudge our plants, as well
as those from other UKOTs, to the front of the display.
Exhibiting the plants brings awareness to the conservation
issues in the Territories, and to the Territories
themselves, in an outside world where we are largely forgotten.
I anxiously await the day I can tell homesick Turks
& Caicos Islander students in London universities that
they can visit a touch of home in the glasshouses at Kew
Gardens. Until then our plants, botanical ambassadors to
the political centre of the Kingdom, lurk in the masses,
unaware of the dry, salty, bright conditions from whence
they came. Plant communication is a new and hotly
debated topic of study, but I wonder what each species
would write home to their families about their new lives
abroad. a
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 39

feature
MARISA FINDLAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Opposite page: Manny Missick surveys one of the fields at his Green Acre Farm in Bottle Creek, North Caicos. He concentrates on the quality
and volume that enables him to supply the IGA grocery store on Providenciales with okra, papaya, peppers and other fruits and vegetables.
Above: Franky Adames plants seedlings at Island Farms in Kew Town, Providenciales, where produce, eggs and meat are raised.
A Tough Row to Hoe
Farming in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
By Jody Rathgeb
TOM RATHGEB
Sometimes a cliché is the most concise way to express a truth. This is certainly the case when it comes
to farming in the Turks & Caicos Islands: It’s a tough row to hoe!
The saying has always been true for these rocky, mostly dry islands. In 1993, former Minister of
Health and Agriculture Nicky Turner wrote in this magazine, “For nearly 200 years the women and men
of these islands have wrenched food from the clasp of the inhospitable soil under conditions which would
make a lesser people despair.” Turner has now joined the small group of TCI farmers who continue that
“wrenching” and hope to bring the Islands into a future of self-sustaining agriculture.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 41

Four operations in particular work on the cusp of commercial
agriculture. In addition to Turner’s Island Farms
near Kew Town on Providenciales, Courtney Missick continues
to grow fruits, vegetables and landscape plants in
Kew on North Caicos; at Green Acres Farm in Bottle Creek,
North Caicos, Manny Missick employs 10 people on a
large spread that was formerly a sisal farm; and Island
Fresh Produce represents a full-out commercial operation
in hydroponic farming off South Dock Road in Provo.
The focus at each farm is different. Courtney Missick
has in the past emphasized landscape farming, then pigs,
then an organic chickens and vegetables expansion, but
has more recently settled on his chickens, fruits and vegetables.
“My calling is to feed and represent,” he says,
referring also to his politics-oriented talk show on local
television station PTV-8 every Tuesday night and inde-
JODY RATHGEB
pendent candidacy in the December 2016 TCI elections.
Although he has been farming since he was young, he
says most agriculture in the TCI is still primarily subsistence
farming. “What’s keeping me alive is supplying IGA
[supermarket on Provo]” with hot peppers, callaloo, okra
and fruits. He believes that it is time for the Islands to
move to the next level, which is commercial farming.
On the other end of North Caicos, Manny Missick has
for eight years concentrated on quality and consistency in
organic gardening to supply the Graceway IGA on Provo
with okra, bananas, peppers and other fruits and vegetables.
The 83-year-old started Green Acres Farm after
a full career in the Bahamas and TCI government work,
commenting, “This is taking it easy. There’s nothing
I love more than planting and seeing what comes up.”
His hard work is focused on providing a viable business
for his grandsons and expanding the operations with
more cleared land, an irrigation pond and expansion into
medicinal plants.
At Island Fresh Produce, run by Ian Harrison and his
partner, Jan Brown, hydroponic farming presents a different
set of challenges. Because the plants are grown
in a medium other than soil (fertilized water, with the
plants supported by cord when young and granite gravel
when older), success depends on water quality and more
infrastructure. Looking more like a small factory than a
traditional farm, Island Fresh has its own reverse-osmosis
plant for converting seawater, tanks that add up to 17 fertilizers
in the proper proportions for each type of plant,
and screened structure with concrete troughs to hold the
plants. Yet Harrison notes that, as in traditional farming,
future success depends on dealing with the climate,
insects and the costs of a labour-intensive business.
From top: Longtime farmer Courtney Missick grows fruits, vegetables
and landscape plants in Kew, North Caicos.
Ian Harrison uses a small hydroponics set-up at his Provo home for
personal and experimental use for his larger operation.
Liz and Nicky Turner see their small farm near Kew Town in
Providenciales as a lifestyle decision.
TOM RATHGEB
TOM RATHGEB
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Nicky Turner also has his eye on the future, in a
slightly different way. One of the reasons he and his wife,
Liz, started Island Farms was to give their sons a life that
is connected with the land. “It’s primarily quality of life,”
he says. The farm is a second business for him; his primary
business, Blue Loos septic services, is still paying
the bills for now. Yet the farm is ambitious. With the help
of Frankie Adames, a Dominican national who looks after
the daily work, and contract labourers, the Turners have
added animal husbandry to their operation. They have
chickens, pigs, goats, rabbits and ducks, and at the end
of 2016 were in the process of building a “proper piggery”
with a breeding area and slaughterhouse.
Both Missicks had piggeries in the past, but both
have discontinued those operations, because feeding is
costly and marketing difficult. Turner shares their woes—
he knows he can’t begin to sell his pigs until he can get
Department of Agriculture certification—but is optimistic.
Yet such problems are only the beginning of the problems
that face the TCI farmer. For any farm to be viable
as a business, costs must be controlled and there must
be enough volume and demand to make a profit. The
farmers find that growing plants and animals is difficult
but not impossible; what’s needed is better education
and government support.
Eggs come from chickens, not cartons
It has been so long that Islanders have been heading to
the grocery stores for imported foods, many seem to
have forgotten the importance of agriculture in giving
a nation self-sufficiency. Manny Missick points out that
during World War II, when food imports to the Islands
were halted, the farms of North and Middle Caicos were
able to feed the nation. Would the same be true today?
Dependency on foreign foods has led to consumers who
prefer pretty but tasteless tomatoes over fresh, local produce
that might not look as attractive.
Courtney Missick comments that some of the health
issues that plague the country today can be traced to a
reliance on processed foods, and says he believes that
as people come to understand the value of organic, local
food the status of agriculture will grow. “If you want to
live, you have to change your diet,” he warns.
Turner adds that good food—that is, food that is
good for you because it doesn’t come from chemically-enhanced
fields or factory farms—comes at a price.
For example, it takes longer for an organically-raised
chicken to reach market size, which is the reason it costs
more than one held in inhumane conditions and fattened
Chickens, goats and pigs are some of the animals raised for food on
Turks & Caicos farms.
TOM RATHGEB ELIZABETH TURNER
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 43

TOM RATHGEB
JODY RATHGEB
Left: The Turners turned Kew Town property Nicky had owned for 20 years into a farm to provide produce, eggs and meat. As La Finca
Marketing, Blue Loos_Layout they sell 1 to 2/9/16 the Quality 2:47 PM Supermarket Page 1 and Sunny Foods stores on Providenciales.
Right: At Island Fresh Produce’s commercial operation off South Dock Road, a “field” of mint is ready to become mojitos for tourists.
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quickly on a hormone-laced diet. He and Liz, he says, can
break even by selling their eggs at Provo supermarkets
for $5 a dozen. “At $5.50, we would make a profit,” but
only those who understand the difference between a truly
fresh egg and a weeks-old one from a Florida farm would
pay that price.
Harrison agrees that the economics of farming are
little understood. “Any business in horticulture or agriculture
is capital-intensive, labour-intensive, and you get
hammered on tariffs,” he says. “The cost of getting things
going is unbelievable, and the returns are small.”
The farmers agree, too, that education about agriculture
should extend to the Islands’ young people, since
they are both future consumers and future farmers. In the
United States, older people often lament that children are
no longer given field trips to farms and dairies, so they
don’t know where food comes from. The same is true in
the Turks & Caicos. Also, getting young people interested
in agriculture as a career starts with knowledge of where
food comes from. “It’s hard to sell agriculture to young
people,” says Courtney Missick. “How can you learn to
play a keyboard if you never even saw one? We need to
show them the reality of growing food.” He advocates
technical schools and tutorial farms.
44 www.timespub.tc

Government help
Occasionally, even members of government need to be
taught those lessons. Turner recalls a moment in the past
when he commented that the TCI could run out of food.
“[The minister] said, ‘Well, we’d just go buy more at the
store.’” As much as the farmers have learned and know
about soil enhancement, irrigation, pest control and
labour requirements, their knowledge is easily thwarted
by policies based on “business as usual,” i.e., importing
food. What do they believe government can do to help?
Plenty.
Manny Missick looks around his North Caicos farm
and sees plenty of private land, prime farming land, lying
fallow. He says a smart government would “either tax it or
use it.” The government farm in Kew is just a baby step,
in his opinion. Speaking prior to the December elections,
he commented, “If they don’t get someone involved in
farming, they would be the biggest fool ever. We know
where the good farmland is and what the water table is.
Give a peppercorn lease and get some people involved in
serious farming.”
Government investment can help, notes Courtney
Missick. “We need new farmers, technical people, specialists,”
he says. “In order to move to a commercial scale,
you need serious capital investment. You need equipment,
and you need whatever it takes to get in foreign
labour.” He has tried the private-partner route; in 2014 he
began Isaac’s Organic Farms along the Kew-Whitby road
as a collaboration with Beaches Resort and a Canadian
investor, but the commitments fell off and he pulled back
to his original Kew operation. Without government subsidies,
he says, farms will fail.
Turner gets even more specific, ticking off a farming
“wish list” from the government: “Free work permits. No
duty on agricultural imports. A break on electric rates.”
These moves, all short of direct subsidies, could truly
jump-start the agricultural industry.
And why not consider subsidy? Harrison points out
that the food TCI imports comes from countries that have
invested in agriculture. “Every other nation gets its agriculture
subsidized,” he states.
To be fair, Harrison adds, some in government understand
the problems and are doing what they can. He
praises Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh, the current director of
agriculture, for being “plugged in” and for understanding
that agriculture here is no longer “six hens in someone’s
backyard.”
Farming on these Islands has never been easy, but
with new knowledge and rising interest in the quality of
From top: Frankie Adames and Louines Logis are vital to keeping the
Turners’ farm running, especially as they have branched out to animal
husbandry.
the foods we eat, it has become better. Yet the row to
the next level is still a hard one to hoe, dependent on
education and a more concerted desire for the success of
commercial, self-sustaining agriculture. The farmers want
to get to work. a
ELIZABETH TURNER
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 45

Pre-Summer Looks from
Emerald Islands
The official resortwear of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Fashion By Jeritt Williams
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 47

Male models: Abdel Dormeus
and Selvano Gardiner
Female model: Mitiana Simon
Make-up: Latoya Kitten
Photographer: Ora Hasenfratz
Assistant: Lejla Gerber
Location: Turks & Caicos
Junkanoo Museum,
Downtown Providenciales

Times of the Islands Spring 2017 49

island hopping
Opposite page: This secluded basin just off Little Ambergris Cay encircles the author’s 34-foot catamaran in warm emerald-green waters.
Above: Valentine’s Day on Little Ambergris Cay was the romantic setting for a proposal of marriage.
Valentine’s Day Surprise
A special “proposal” on Little Ambergris Cay.
Story & Photos By Katie Gutteridge
Somehow, the Turks & Caicos Islands have managed to stay quiet in the world of sailing. Cruisers are
either fixated on staying in the Bahamas or are racing ahead to get to the Virgin Islands. We always knew,
when we bought a sailboat, it would have to be a catamaran. The reason? It would be a perfect fit for the
waters right here.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 51

All winter we’ve explored. We’ve seen the flamingos
in South Caicos, snorkelled with a whale and its
calf in Salt Cay, meandered along Duke Street in Grand
Turk. Each island has had its own unique characteristics
and given us incredible experiences, which we
don’t believe we would have found elsewhere in the
Caribbean.
But in February 2016, I think we found the icing on
the cake. It is Little Ambergris Cay, where the shallow
banks stretch to the horizon and water a bright duckegg
blue is specked with stingrays. It is several miles
to the nearest island—Big Ambergris Cay, where only
non-human residents live.
We managed to sneak into a bay so secluded it
felt as though the last people to have visited could
well have been pirates. Its narrow entrance passage
is around 3 feet deep, but once inside, a basin perfectly
fit for our 34-foot catamaran encircles us in 10
foot depths of warm emerald-green waters. The grassy
floor below attracts an array of inquisitive creatures,
including a nurse shark who saunters past but doesn’t
stay too long. Later, a dozen squid line up in a perfect
row, facing the boat. They swim in perfect symmetry
towards and away from our vessel, getting the courage
each time to edge a little closer, wondering what on
earth has arrived on their patch of the sea.
At sunset, bonefish tails skim the surface over by
the mangroves and at sunrise a hummingbird hovers
outside our door, attracted by the shimmering gold
and pink fishing lures left hanging to dry in the sun by
the winch-handle holder.
The beach is just as you’d expect for a deserted
island—as white as pearls, as soft as icing powder.
Despite being the epitome of a place to relax, I’m
seduced into exploring its every inch. A short 10 minute
walk reveals 21 pristine sand dollars—no wonder
the sand is so white. I stop collecting them, as there
are too many to carry.
Having already spent two weeks away from land
while exploring the other islands, we’re running short
of everything. Water, food and gas are worryingly low.
But we’re not ready to leave this paradise we’ve only
just discovered. We ration more than ever before, even
turning off our fridge to conserve the gas only for
cooking. Luckily, we have a freezer that runs on 12
volts, so the little food left goes straight in there.
One afternoon we head out several miles to a shipwreck
to try bottom-fishing for our dinner. It starts
slow, the only action is the seagulls that keep fleeing
their perches on the rusty wreck every time the osprey
circles above. As they all settle down we get our first
bite. Half an hour later and we’re heading back to the
bay with a healthy helping of yellowtail snapper, triggerfish
and a grouper. We plan to cook the snapper
that night on a beach bonfire.
As we collected the wood for that evening’s fire I
realise that it’s Valentine’s Day. “This will be the most
romantic Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had,” I think as I
drag a large branch across the beach to a spot right
on the tip of the sandbar; a perfect sunset viewpoint
with our boat as the foreground. We head back to the
boat, grab some sparkling wine we’d saved for a special
occasion and head back out on the dinghy.
With the fire mimicking the orangey-red of the setting
sun, my partner Andy hugs his arms around my
waist as he turns me toward him, and I start to feel an
unusual energy about this moment. “There’s only one
thing left to say . . . will you marry me?” he asks nervously
as he bends down on one knee. “Of course I’ll
marry you!” I say as a tear rolls down my cheek and I
try to recover from the shock. We hug each other tight
and kiss in celebration.
“I was going to buy you a ring but I spent the money
on two new engines instead,” he jokes as I reach to
top-up our fizz. (I had been wondering about the ring!)
But in typical Andy style, he’d been trying to fashion
me a ring out of a conch shell, which unfortunately
had proven far too tricky to handle. All of a sudden
the flight back home to England seemed much more
appealing, now that we’d be making an unexpected
stop in New York for a ring along the way! a
Katie Gutteridge is a freelance writer who has been visiting
TCI for almost a decade. Unfortunately, she won’t
be getting married in Turks & Caicos, as she’s planning
a large wedding party at home with friends and family.
For more information on her business, Creative Copy
Kate, visit creativecopykate.weebly.com.
52 www.timespub.tc

Visit
THE CAICOS CONCH FARM
WE GROW
CONCH & FISH
Monday - Friday: 9am - 4pm
Saturday: 9am - 2.30pm
Closed: Sundays
Adults $12.00
Children $10.00
Leeward Highway, Leeward, Providenciales
Phone: (649) 946-5330

feature
Opposite page: Based at Leeward-Going-Through, Blue Haven Marina has as its backdrop Mangrove Cay, part of the Princess Alexandra Nature
Reserve, and the sparkling waters of the sea.
Above: For much of the year from November to May, the popular marina is nearly full to capacity.
A Warm Welcome
Blue Haven Marina attracts the international yachting crowd.
By Kathy Borsuk ~ Photos Courtesy Blue Haven Marina
The scene is quite like a James Bond movie—sleek, luxurious, behemoth vessels moored to massive
floating docks. One mega-yacht sports a helicopter pad and car; another an on-deck pool and submarine.
Crew attend to the boats with the care given to a queen. Yet rather than a stark cityscape, these pampered
leviathans bob in a backdrop of sky-blue, verdant green and a sparkling turquoise blue sea. Their current
home is Blue Haven Marina, the Turks & Caicos Islands’ premier international yachting anchorage.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 55

Blue Haven Marina is a hub of activity for boats large
and small. Located on Providenciales’ northeastern edge
at the Leeward-Going-Through passage, the marina currently
includes 100 slips (both side and stern-to) with the
capacity to berth yachts up to 220 feet in length and a
draft of 9 feet.
I visited the marina in mid-January, a busy time for
General Manager Adam Foster. The facility was close to
100% occupancy, which is the case for much of the year
from November through May. Although it was clear that
Adam and Operations Manager Portia Mogal had a lot of
other things to attend to, they graciously took the time to
answer this landlubber’s many questions.
Opened on April 2, 2013, Blue Haven Marina has
been attracting the international yachting crowd from
inception. This includes boats such as a 377' superyacht
carrying 50 crew, 18 guests and its own gym, spa and
pool! Besides offering a private entrance and excellent
security (important to boats valued as much as $80 million
and often owned by celebrities), Blue Haven Marina
staff has the “right stuff” to cater to an upscale clientele.
According to Adam, a primary attraction is the same
thing that land-based tourists love: the TCI’s unmatched
combination of clean, clear waters, a pristine reef system,
superb scuba diving and snorkeling, and private
ivory sand beaches. As well, he adds, “The boaters love
to explore the outer islands and cays, and we provide a
variety of itineraries to use as a guide. Our location is
ideal for adventure, while having amenities and services
close-by.”
Arriving at this official port-of-entry is made easy
by TCI Customs and Immigrations officers based at
Blue Haven Marina, who work hard to make visitors feel
welcome while facilitating the country’s laws and regulations.
For boats that are too big to enter the channel, Blue
Haven provides a yacht concierge service to help them
clear customs, re-provision and access any needs these
vessel require.
Marina facilities include a state-of-the-art, high-speed
fuel system, water, power up to 480v, black and grey
water pump-out, cable TV, free WiFi, security, laundry
services, provisioning services, showers and toilets, Salt
Bar and Grill with sports screen, a business center, and
outdoor activities including beach volleyball, a horseshoe
pit and more.
All of the amenities of the Blue Haven Resort are
available for boat owners, guests and crew. (See page
58/59.) This includes a 51 room resort, 24-hour gym,
private beach complete with hammocks swaying among
palm trees and a fun water trampoline, infinity edge pool,
Elevate Day Spa, Sandpiper Kid’s Club, meeting space,
and Market, a grocery store and café. There are also two
restaurants on-site, with a complimentary shuttle that
allows boaters to dine at sister properties, Alexandra
Resort and Beach House.
Once boats are anchored, owners and crew are basically
“on vacation,” with the time and desire to enjoy
watersports, fishing, golf, touring, restaurants, nightlife
and attractions—there is definitely an impact on the
local economy. Blue Haven Resort works directly with
supermarkets to source and supply yacht provisions and
the needs of their chefs, with $30,000 grocery bills not
uncommon. They also work with the best of local businesses,
including taxi drivers, car rental companies, tour
operators and the like to encourage exploration beyond
the dock. Portia adds, “We constantly monitor our service
providers to ensure they maintain high standards.” All
visitors receive an arrival and information guide that lists
the best the country has to offer.
In the case where boat repairs are necessary, the
marina is proud to refer them to Caribbean Marine &
Diesel, a local service they say is “world class.”
When the mega-yachts leave in late spring, they are
replaced by fishing vessels on the hunt for billfish and
other game fish from May to August. The slower months
of September and October gives marina staff time to
repair, replace, renovate and repaint. There is also a
smaller docking area behind the resort which is fully utilized
by smaller local charter and pleasure boats.
Blue Haven Marina is a member of Island Global
Yachting (IGY), the world’s leading luxury marina and
yachting lifestyle development and operations company,
with a network encompassing fifteen prime destinations
in seven countries. Blue Haven Marina has also been
awarded the Five Gold Anchor Status (the highest rating)
by the Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA), along with the
Clean Marina Award. Portia is especially proud of this
accolade, “We are very strict about how boaters treat
our pristine waters. For instance, all fuel and oil must be
stored in the boats to avoid spills, all used oil must be
taken away, not disposed of in TCI, we offer in-slip sewage
pump-out to minimize spillage and vessels must be
cleaned with environmentally sound products.”
This is especially important because Blue Haven
Marina backs up against the Princess Alexandra Nature
Reserve. This 450 acre protected land area encompasses
nearby Little Water Cay (a.k.a. “Iguana Island”), Mangrove
Cay, and Donna Cay. Much of the northern shore of
56 www.timespub.tc

Blue Haven Marina is a Five Gold Anchor Status marina, and has also been awarded the Clean Marina Award.
Providenciales is part of the Princess Alexandra Land and
Sea National Park. Included in this protected area is Grace
Bay Beach, The Bight Beach, The Bight Reef, Leeward
Beach, Smith’s Reef, and a large portion of the northern
barrier reef of Providenciales.
In an effort to get people off the boats and into the
community, IGY Marinas launched the “Inspire Giving
through You” project in 2016. In late February 2017, Blue
Haven Marina will be teaming up with the “Extraordinary
Minds Ashley’s Learning Center,” a school that caters to
children with learning disabilities and who cannot attend
TCI’s primary schools. Volunteers will construct an outdoor
play area for the children, along with a surrounding
fence to ensure their safety. The February 2016 community
outreach project assisted the Provo Children’s Home
with basic upgrades of the facility, cleaning of interior
and exterior areas, and donations of much-needed supplies.
Both events were well-attended and the children’s
home continues to reap donations from marina visitors.
As well, the marina regularly invites children to visit the
property and offers summer jobs. Blue Haven also sponsors
three boats and six children’s fees to participate in
the beloved Provo Sailing Club.
DISTRIBUTOR FOR EVINRUDE & MERCURY
OUTBOARDS, PURSUIT WORLD CLASS CAT,
SUNDANCE AND BOSTON WHALER BOATS
Lures and Live Bait
Marine Hardware & Gear
Fishing Gear & Supplies
Marine Paints & Varnish
Marine Batteries
Sebago Docksiders
& Sperry Topsiders Shoes
BLUE HILLS ROAD
PROVIDENCIALES
TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS, B.W.I.
PHONE: 649-946-4411
FAX: 649-946-4945
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 57

Guests to Blue Haven Marina can relax around the canalside infinity
pool.
Food for Thought is a new charity set up to provide
daily breakfast to government school students –
starting with the primary schools in North Caicos,
Middle Caicos, South Caicos and Salt Cay.
We estimate that just $200 will allow us to provide
breakfast to one child for a whole school year.
If you would like to donate or learn more please
email foodforthoughttci@gmail.com
or visit our website foodforthoughttci.com
Some of the visiting
yachts also use the Blue
Haven Resort facilities to
host wedding or birthday
parties, often utilizing
local caterers, florists,
DJs and party planners.
The marina sponsors two
major fishing tournaments
in the TCI: The Wine Cellar
Golf & Fishing Tournament
held every March and the
Caicos Classic IGFA Billfish
Release Tournament in
July.
Adam and Portia have
been working around
the globe among the
small, close-knit world
of luxury yachters for a
combined total of nearly
30 years. They have built
close relationships with
many international boat management companies, people
responsible for planning, provisioning, running and
maintaining the mega-boats for their owners. Through
the pair’s contacts and presence at major boat shows and
conferences in the US and Caribbean, they are well positioned
to encourage trips to the Turks & Caicos Islands.
In fact, Blue Haven Marina was the only TCI group
to participate in the prestigious Monaco Boat Show in
September 2016. Adam and Portia were very successful
in attracting large vessels to visit the marina and putting
TCI on the world map as a destination for the yachting
industry. Besides being invited to an agency briefing with
20 influential boat captains, while in Europe Adam and
Portia visited marinas in France and Italy to raise awareness
about TCI for vessels making the annual pilgrimage
across the Atlantic and through the Caribbean.
The TCI, they say, is an easy sell. “Geographically it’s
perfectly positioned as a main hub between Ft. Lauderdale
and the Virgin Islands.” And with Blue Haven Marina’s
motto of “aiming to go above and beyond expectations,”
it seems that yachters have good reason to add the destination
to their cruising itinerary. a
For more information, visit www.bluehaventci.com or
contact Adam Foster at afoster@bluehaventci.com or call
649 946 9910.
58 www.timespub.tc

Blue Haven Resort
By Kathryn Brown, Director, ERA Coralie Properties
The first thing that catches your eye when approaching
Blue Haven Resort are its colors; you can’t help
but smile as the bright hues seem to invite you to
come inside. If you are arriving by sea, the contrast
between the turquoise water, white sand and
Caribbean-toned building is stunning. If you arrive
by vehicle, a step into the reception area reveals the
same effect . . . you have just arrived and you want
to stay forever.
Kathryn
Brown
Director ERA Coralie Properties Ltd.
Kathryn has 20 years successful
experience in Caribbean Real
Estate; she also benefits from
knowledge of the Turks and
Caicos Real Estate Association,
having been a founding member
and serving as President for five
years.
MLS 1600582
MLS 1500381
From a real estate point of view the property does
not need constant monologue—it speaks for itself.
Blue Haven sits on a 10 acre site with approximately
twr ad1.6_Layout 1 2/16/17 8:13 AM Page 1
300 feet (79 meters) of beach frontage and a total
of 660 feet (200 meters) of Leeward Going Through
water frontage.
There are 51 units, including 3 penthouse suites,
one of which is currently on the market. The units
are well appointed and include pedestal-style kingsize
beds in each master bedroom. The kitchens are
sleek and modern with island counters with stools,
Thermadore cooktops, Sub Zero refrigerators, Della
Casa self-closing cabinets and Bausch washers and
dryers. The living areas are furnished in classic blues
and whites contrasted with dark wood—inviting and
comfortable. The exterior decks are designed for
relaxation and to take advantage of water views.
Blue Haven Resort offers premier rooms and one,
two and three bedroom suites, as well as the penthouses;
16 units are lock-outs. This option allows
three opportunities for vacation rental: a premier
room, a full one bedroom suite or a two-bedroom
suite. The units are spacious, starting at approximately
1,500 sq. ft. to over 5,000 sq. ft. for a
ERA Coralie Properties Ltd.
Tel: 649 231-2329
Email: krbrown@era.tc
Web: www.eraturksandcaicos.com
Tradewinds Radio
104.5
FM
www.tradewinds1045.com
Great music,
marine weather,
informative ads
Tel 431.7527 claire@tradewindsradio.com
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 59

Island Auto Rentals & Sales is
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Brigitte ad_Brigitte 2/16/17 8:22 AM Page 1
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penthouse unit. The resort’s guest services team is
fabulous; they take pride in offering superb service
and warm island hospitality.
Blue Haven Resort is located in the Leeward area
of Providenciales— private but not secluded, only
minutes away from restaurants, stores and othe
businesses on Grace Bay. However, if you choose to
remain on resort property all that you need is provided.
There are three restaurants on site: Salt Bar
and Grill, Fire and Ice and the café Market, a small
grocery store and gift shop.
For more outdoor enjoyment, the private beach
area in front of the resort has ample umbrella-shaded
seating, hammocks and sun beds as well as a free
form infinity pool with expansive deck area and a
water trampoline. All of your favorite watersports are
also available at the adjacent IGY Blue Haven Marina.
For those inclined to maintain their fitness and wellness
goals, there is a fully equipped, 24-hour fitness
center and Elevate Spa. Families enjoy the benefits of
Sandpiper Kid’s Club, offered free of charge to resort
guests and owners.
Thanks to Blue Haven’s affiliation with sister
properties Alexandra Resort and Beach House Turks
& Caicos, resort guests may take a free shuttle to
dine at both resorts, and to use the beach facilities
(by advance reservation) at Beach House.
At any given time, there are a few units for sale
at Blue Haven Resort. Price will depend on size, the
floor on which the unit is located and views. Ground
level floor will be lower-priced; as you move higher
in the building prices usually increase. (Of course it
also depends on square footage of the unit.) Sales of
units that have come on the market have been generally
quite close to list price or sold for list price. This
shows that the properties are being listed at market
value.
Because the resort and individual units are both
well maintained, value will remain strong. As the real
estate market continues to improve with sales higher
than new listings, we expect some increase in value
of all properties.
Blue Haven Resort’s exclusive location makes it
special. The Leeward subdivision is largely residential—with
Blue Haven being a jewel in the crown,
there will be no other resort built in this area. Being
home to the world-class Blue Haven Marina adds the
finishing touch. a
60 www.timespub.tc

astrolabe
newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
front street, p.o. box 188, grand turk, turks & caicos islands, bwi
tel 649 946 2160 • fax 649 946 2160 • email info@tcmuseum.org • web www.tcmuseum.org
The late Sherlin Williams was an avid supporter of the Museum and one of the TCI’s most ardent local historians. This 2011 photo shows him
in front of one of the iconic backdrops in his at-home photo studio on James Street, where residents would come to have their picture taken.
STEVE PASSMORE–PROVO PICTURES
Now He is Part of History
By Dr. Donald H. Keith, President, Turks & Caicos National Museum Foundation
The first time I met Sherlin Williams was in the Museum Science Building’s workshop. He was just putting
the finishing touches on the 150 year-old clockwork mechanism that made the light turn in Grand Turk’s
lighthouse. I was amazed because it was an intricate piece of equipment for which no plans or instructions
were available. He had been working on it for months, and through observation and persistence
alone figured it out by himself. It made more sense later when I learned that in previous years he had a
business in the Bahamas repairing high-end cameras!
Sherlin didn’t just repair cameras, he was a pretty good photographer too! In 2010, he showed me
computer-manipulated artwork he was producing called “photocraphs,” each composed of dozens or
even hundreds of different images combined to tell a story.
Each time I made a visit to the Museum on Grand Turk Sherlin was there, always ready to explore
newly discovered archaeological sites, conduct research in the Museum’s library, investigate a mystery,
or get his hands dirty cleaning and conserving artifacts. Over the years he authored several articles for
the Astrolabe including, “Grand Turk’s Postcard Man,” and “The Time-Travelling Beach Comber.”
Mr. Sherlin McDonald Williams died on January 2, 2017. He was an avid supporter of the Museum, a
good friend, a native son of the TCI and one of its most ardent and active local historians—but he is not
lost to us. He is still here in the Museum. You can hear him in the words he wrote, see photos of him working
to conserve other people’s history, and admire the art he created, all preserved here in perpetuity. a
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 61

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
ANGLOTOPIA.NET
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson commanded a squadron that was defeated by the French on Fire Hill, Grand Turk, in 1783.
The French Connection
The ill-fated Coquette Expedition.
By John de Bry, Center for Historical Archaeology
They say histories are usually about wars and always written by the victorious. It is refreshing to be able to
look at a well-known conflict through the eyes of a participant on the losing side. Following a (very) minor
engagement on Grand Turk in 1783, during which the squadron he commanded was unable to defeat a
60-man French force dug in on Fire Hill, none other than Capt. Horatio Nelson concluded his dispatch with
“With such a force, and their strong situation, I did not think anything farther could be attempted.” But
there is another, far more informative and thrilling account written by the commander of the opposing
French naval force, Lt. Grasse-Brianson.
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
The following account was transcribed, interpreted
and translated by Dr. John de Bry of the Center for
Historical Archaeology in 1994 during a TCNMsponsored
search for old records pertaining to the
Turks & Caicos Islands in various French repositories.
The attempt on the part of France to take over the
Turks Islands in 1783 was largely a privateering endeavor
rather than an initiative emanating from Versailles. It is
easy to imagine the Sieur de Courrejeolles, mentioned
in the first paragraph of the account below, as a shady
character straight out of “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Courrejeolles remains an enigmatic player. His role in the
invasion and capture of Grand Turk is surely understated
and deserves elaboration. Additional research has so far
failed to fully identify him. His name does not appear
on any official naval papers, which only confirms that he
was either a privateer or a pirate with a certain flair and
sophistication. After all, he was the one who managed
to sell the Turks Islands to the Prince and Princess of
Nassau-Siegen several years later, even though he had
absolutely no right to any property title on these islands!
Although the direct involvement of the Governor of Saint-
Domingue, Comte Robert d’Argout, is evidenced by the
commission he gave to the Sieur de Courrejeolles on 11
September 1778, it is equally clear that Versailles strongly
disapproved and condemned the actions of d’Argout and
Courrejeolles.
Abstract of the expedition of the King’s corvette la
Coquette to the Turk Islands
Followed by details of its capture
Monsieur de Bellecombe, Governor-General of Saint-
Domingue (modern Haiti), assigned the corvette la
Coquette to the Turk islands expedition, along with two
vessels of the colony, the Dauphin and Cornwallis. I [naval
officer Grasse Brianson, in my capacity as acting captain
and expedition leader] immediately endeavored to load
all the necessary material, everything being ready on 8
February. Four detachments from different infantry regiments
came aboard, as well as Monsieur de Courrejolles,
Engineer of the Colony, who would take control of these
Islands away from the English.
The bay of Cap-Français [modern Cape Haitian] was
blockaded by the English. But on the morning of the 9th,
seeing the fleet somewhat distant, I took advantage of this
situation to set sail with the vessels under my command,
closely hugging the coast. We anchored at Port -Français,
two leagues to the West to have the advantage of leaving
during the night, which was done, thus allowing us to get
under way without being seen.
We sighted the Turk islands on the morning of the
12th, but the hour at which we arrived exposed us to
the danger of being spotted from a long distance, so in
order to avoid this inconvenience, I anchored at the Petite
Saline [Salt Cay], one of the islands which is uninhabited,
from which, without being seen, it was easy to observe if
any vessels were at the Grande Saline [Grand Turk]. I only
saw fishing boats. During the night I sent the brigantine
Cornwallis to cruise to the North in order to be within
range of intercepting any isolated vessel which might
report [to the enemy] our presence. We also wanted to
take the commanding English officer by surprise; to this
effect, Monsieur de Courrejolles left during the night
aboard rowboats and long boats, and landed with part
of the troops on the South point, while I arrived in daylight
in front of the dwellings. As soon as I was anchored,
I landed the rest of the detachments; all of our plans
succeeded, and we took control of the island of Grande
Saline without encountering any resistance.
I immediately sent ashore all the workmen I could
find among the crews and, further, assigned daily sixty
men to work under Monsieur de Courrejolles, at the various
tasks which had to be performed at the same time, I
unloaded ammunition and cannon as and when required.
We had brought with us four 24-pounder cannon
with which Monsieur de Courrejolles built a battery on
the seashore, in front of his ammunition stores and living
quarters. We anchored the ships a quarter of a league
away, a reef line preventing us from coming any closer.
It was unanimously determined that we could not be adequately
protected in this situation, and that I would have
no other choice than to set sail, should I be in danger of
being attacked.
Wanting to contribute all of my resources to the
establishment [of the stronghold], I provided Monsieur
de Courrejolles everything that he asked, even an additional
nine quintals [1,980 pounds] of powder and two
of my cannons, in order to build a battery on a small
island located east of the Grande Saline [called Gibbs Cay
today, it appears on French maps as Isle de Fort Castries,
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 63

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
DONALD KEITH
This map of the southern end of Grand Turk shows where the engagements described in the transcript below took place.
evidently named after the Marquis de Castries, then
Secretary of the French Navy], which he intended to use
as a retreat point if the situation dictated it. I planned,
upon my departure, to leave the Cornwallis under his
command. Judging that she was not safe where we were,
I had her anchor under this new battery which she managed
to reach only after zigzagging among rocks, and
because she drew little water, which afforded her shelter
from attacks. I was also required to put ashore my water
as well as my casks, consequently I kept only what was
necessary for my crossing [back to Saint-Domingue].
Monsieur de Bellecombe stipulated that I must stay
in the Turk Islands not only until the stronghold which
we wanted to establish was completed, but also to leave
as to arrive at the Cap no earlier than March 6th, in order
that my mission be kept secret until that date. The 27th
of February, everything being finished at the Grande
Saline, the workmen were kept occupied constructing the
gun battery on the small island [Gibbs Cay]. This work,
meant to be the last, was well-advanced within the next
two days, which allowed me to set my departure date
between the 4th and the 5th. I had been, up to that point,
as lucky as I could have hoped to be, all the operations
being completed, and I enjoyed the satisfaction of having
precisely fulfilled the mission that had been entrusted to
me, confident of the good fortune I still needed for my
return journey.
On the 2nd of March, at two o’clock in the afternoon,
the rowboat and long boat being occupied, the first transporting
timber from the Grande Saline to the small island
to finish the cribbing, and the long boat gathering ballast,
the lookout posted on land signaled seeing sails.
Nothing had yet been spotted from the top of the masts
where I myself climbed having only a few officers, but
no sooner were we in position to observe than two vessels
that had been hidden by the upper elevations of the
island, suddenly appeared behind a lower land feature,
heading toward the North point. Because of their proximity
we were able to recognize a vessel with two batteries
[two gun decks] and a frigate, and at the same time able
to judge our tardiness in spotting them. We did not have
any time to waste, prompting me to cut the [anchor] cable
on the spot. I also hailed the Dauphin who took the same
action, and we headed to the south of the channel, raising
sails as promptly as possible. I had sixty men ashore,
and the Sieur de Gaillard, garde de la marine, was also
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
there on duty, but not having enough men for maneuvering,
I found the circumstance too pressing to wait for
them.
The vessel appeared after a few moments, having
passed the tip of the island and chased us, being two
small leagues to our rear; it did not take us long to realize
that they had superior speed; however, the distance
which separated us left me the hope that they would not
catch up with us until night. At three thirty, the vessel had
closed in considerably; the Dauphin, which had stayed
within shouting distance downwind from me, cut down
his fore-topmast, although the sea and wind were favorable
to sailing with light sails. I signaled to him to assume
chase at the speed which he would deem the less disadvantageous
in his situation; he maintained his speed, and
I somewhat succeeded in this maneuver which forced the
enemy to decide which one of the two vessels [to chase],
giving me the confidence that the Dauphin would escape.
I hoped that he [the enemy vessel] would abandon pursuit
of the Dauphin and try to catch up with me, thinking
that the frigate which was following him would be able to
capture the Dauphin. He fired a few cannon shots as he
passed him, but at too great a distance to threaten the
Dauphin.
I used all the means at my disposal to reach maximum
speed. Unfortunately, nothing succeeded nor made
up for the disadvantages of not having a hull sheathed
with copper, of having last been careened a year ago, and
for the lack of stability caused by the quantities of water
casks and other objects of considerable weight which I
was obliged to put ashore on Turk island.
At five o’clock the vessel having approached me
within short range, and not firing, I lowered the English
flag to raise the French flag, and warned him with my
cannon which I had kept retracted, he responded with
his chase ordnance. The exchange of fire continued
between one and the other for approximately twenty-five
minutes; I aimed the guns in such a manner as to cause
damage to his masts, which might delay him and give
me time to escape, but did not succeed. At five thirty
the enemy caught up with me and followed downwind
at pistol shot range, I then opened fire with the battery
that I had managed to arm with the remaining personnel.
At the same time, he fired upon us broadside with
his entire battery and his muskets. Having employed all
the means of defense against such superior forces, I had
From top: The illustration depicts two English frigates in pursuit of
another vessel.
“Island of Fort Castries,” corresponding to modern Gibbs Cay, is
clearly marked on this 18th century French map of the Turks Islands.
the painful duty to surrender the King’s corvette, after
having thrown into the sea all the signals and instructions
pertaining to my mission. We were boarded by the
English vessel named the Resistance, carrying 56 guns;
her escort, which was not functioning properly, caught up
with us three quarters of an hour later, the distance and
the already obscure night had caused her to lose sight of
the Dauphin, which I have since learned happily arrived
at Port-de-Paix, on the coast of Saint-Domingue.
Among the casualties which the Coquette sustained
on this occasion, is the Sieur Courdoux, auxiliary lieutenant,
who received a gunshot wound to the hand, losing
use of it, and a strong concussion to the chest, caused by
a flying fragment of wood. The praises that his conduct
commands, the great number of campaigns at the King’s
service, and the seriousness of his wound, are grounds
for hoping to obtain the graces of His Majesty.
DEREK GARDNER TCNM COLLECTION
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
DONALD KEITH
Are these low stone foundations atop Gibbs Cay the remains of Courrejeolles’ “fall back”
position?
I feel compelled to add at the end of my log summary
what I witnessed relative to the attempt made by the
English to retake the Turk islands, while I was prisoner
aboard their vessels.
On March 5th, the vessel the Resistance, along with
the frigates Tartar and Albermarle, which were joined
as well by the brigantines Drake and Barington, having
planned to retake the Turk Islands, anchored on the 6th
on the south part of the Grande Saline. On the 7th, the
ships fired several grapeshot broadsides on the [aziers?]
which fringe the coast, and on the promontory where they
intended to land in order to make sure that we did not
have any fortification there. They landed approximately
two hundred men, soldiers as well as sailors, with the two
brigantines anchored in front of the dwellings in order
to provide cover for the advancing troops. They did not
know the location of our battery, and thought it to be
made up only of cannons from the Coquette. They were
fired upon with the 24-pounders but held their position
for approximately one hour, vigorously responding with
their small artillery. [The English ships] having been hit
by two cannon balls which caused damage and wounded
several men, cut their [anchor] cables and returned to
their original anchorage. The English troops returned to
their ships in the evening without daring to leave the protection
of the vessels, having seen us [the French forces
on the island] well dug in, and with field artillery which
they themselves lacked.
The English had the intention of
resuming their attack the next day,
but the wind, which shifted to the
West during the night, caused their
plan to fail. They became preoccupied
with the danger that they faced; managing
to escape [the danger of being
driven onto a lee shore] with great
difficulty. They completely abandoned
their project and departed.
I must give great credit to the
crews of the corvette, for keeping
silent on the subject of the forces
that we had on the island, as well as
the positions [batteries and fortifications]
which we had established on
the island despite the tortures that
were inflicted on several of them.
At the Cap, 18 April 1783
Grasse Brianson
Postscript
No documents have turned up that tell “the rest of the
story.” At some point soon after the Nelson’s squadron
departed Grand Turk, so did the French garrison, perhaps
aboard the small vessel Cornwallis, left behind in Hawk’s
Nest anchorage. It seems odd that in both English and
French accounts there is no mention of the people living
on Grand Turk at the time, just “dwellings.” The conflict
was not about them, whoever they were, but about determining
which European nation could make its claim of
possession stick. England’s superior sea power accomplished
that once and for all in 1783, even though both
Spain and France both had designs on the Turks Islands
for centuries.
Do any traces of the French Invasion of 1783 survive?
Historian H.E. Sadler writes that “an old French cannon”
was uncovered during the construction of the American
missile-tracking station around Fire Hill at the south end
of Grand Turk and that it was taken away and put on
display at the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral.
This remains to be verified, but low stone foundations on
top of Gibbs Cay may well be the remains of Courrejeolles’
“fall back” position. a
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Remembering Sherlin Williams
Story & Photos By Dr. Donald H. Keith
1995: When the Museum’s first Director, Barry Dressel, became interested
in the history of Grand Turk’s salt industry, he discovered that Sherlin had
grown up on Grand Turk when the salt industry was still in full swing and
had witnessed salt production in action. Sherlin pointed out that there were
a number of different types of windmills still standing, but only one example
of a type called the “carousel” was left. It was in the Town Salina only a few
blocks from the Museum. He said the salina is always flooded these days,
but the walls people used to walk on between ponds were still there, just
under the surface and we could walk out to see it. We took our notepads and
cameras, rolled up our pant legs, and followed him out to the site. Passers-by
stopped and stared. It had been years since anyone had seen people in the
salina and it must have looked like we were walking on water!
1999: Sherlin was not directly
involved in making rubber moulds of
the inscribed rocks on Sapodilla Hill
in Provo, but he eagerly dived into the
hardest part of the project—making
resin casts of the inscriptions in the
Museum’s “wet lab.” I experimented
with various combinations of plaster,
resins, hardeners, fillers, and release
agents until I found an ideal formula.
It was a difficult and tedious process
and once you got started you had to
continue until it was finished which
meant long days and long nights! But
Sherlin hung in there. Altogether we
made more than two dozen casts over
a period of weeks. The resin casts all
come out of the rubber moulds a brilliant white. Here he is “cosmetizing” one
with watercolor washes to make it look exactly the way it does on the hill.
1998: Sherlin is measuring the “drive
shaft” of a windmill that the Museum
recovered after it collapsed into the
North Salina. As a child growing up
on Grand Turk, Sherlin was fascinated
by the windmills that were fully operational
then. A careful observer, he
understood how they worked and
how they circulated the water in the
salinas to increase the efficiency of
the process of reducing tons of seawater
to handfuls of salt.
We learned more from him than
from all the written references on the
subject in our library. The wooden
timbers of the windmill were too far
gone to save, but Sherlin wanted to
save the iron parts so the Museum
could reconstruct the windmill one
day and put it back into service. He
wanted it to serve as a memorial to
the folks who worked in the salinas
all their lives and made Grand Turk’s
salt industry world-famous.
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
(At left) 2010: Grethe Seim saved this “Archimedes Screw” from going to the
dump decades before the Museum was created and took it to her home for
safekeeping. She wanted it to go to the Museum but it took a long time to
figure out how and when to do it. We had to hunt for it because it had been
kept outdoors and the bush had grown up around it. In a reversal of roles,
Sherlin cleared the bush while I took the photos! A group of Chinese laborers
working on a house nearby cheerfully carried the screw uphill through
the bush to the truck for the trip back to the Museum. Once we got it there,
Sherlin cajoled Mr. Oswald “King Oz” Francis—the only person who remembered
when it was made, what its purpose was, and where it came from—to
come over and tell us its history.
(At right) 2012: Like me, Sherlin
was enthralled by the Grand Turk
Lighthouse. As a photographer, he
saw its majestic, photogenic potential.
As an archaeologist, I saw a
magnificent, intact machine from the
early industrial age with a plethora
of mysteries to unravel. We visited it
together many times although gaining
officially sanctioned entry was
often tedious. Here, we are in the “ready room.” The spiral staircase to Sherlin’s left leads to the “lamp room” where
the actual light is. The tube to his right leads from the clockwork mechanism above all the way through the height
of the lighthouse and into a hole in the ground beneath it. The 400 pound weight pulled down the tube by gravity
is what turned the light all night.
(At left) 2013: For the exhibit featuring
the exploits of the larger-than-life
helmet diver Jeremiah Murphy, who
lived on Grand Turk, we had to locate
and purchase all the equipment to
fit out a 19th-century helmet diver.
We found a pair of lead, leather and
brass diving boots in England, but
when they arrived, we found the
leather to be dry, hard, and fragile.
Sherlin worked for weeks bathing the
leather in two types of cleaners and
conditioners to get it supple enough
to use in the Museum’s exhibit.
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
(At left) 2013: One of the last projects
we worked on together was
creating the “Golden Age of Grand
Turk” exhibit featuring a reproduction
of the “lamp room” of Grand
Turk’s lighthouse. No plans of the
lighthouse survive, so we had to measure,
photograph, and document it
from scratch. Here Sherlin is inspecting
the exhibit, perhaps reflecting on
the first work he did for the Museum
two decades earlier restoring the
clockwork mechanism that led to the
creation of this exhibit.
Over the course of 30+ years as a photographer in TCI, Sherlin compiled tens of thousands of photos, including those
of many buildings, especially in Grand Turk, that no longer exist. As his craft became digitalized, Sherlin went abroad
and took courses to become fluent in image and layout-focused programs. When he started experimenting with the
creative possibilities, he found he could use his life’s massive collection of photos in a new and different way. Each
“Photocraph” encompasses anywhere from dozens to hundreds to thousands of individual photos, carefully “cut,”
“pasted,” modified and placed into a computer file to form an original work of art. One of his favorite pieces, entitled
“The Mule Breeder,” included nearly 3,500 individual items and took four months to complete. Shown above, “Hillary
Session” is one of the “photocraphs” Sherlin created in about 2011. Tragically, a year or two later his computer was
stolen, his health began to deteriorate, and he was unable to continue pursuing his art.
SHERLIN WILLIAMS
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 69

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Museum matters
By Museum Director Pat Saxton
PAT SAXTON
25th anniversary party
It was a dark and stormy night . . . and everyone volunteering
to help at the Museum’s 25th Anniversary party
was debating whether to take a chance having the party
outside as planned, or batten the hatches and hole up
inside. Even after the rain stopped we unanimously
agreed that discretion was the better part of valor and
we should have it “below decks” inside. We did not
realize it at the time, but the inclement weather was
a blessing in disguise! The ambiance of the Museum,
complete with low lighting, creaky ship sound effects,
and all volunteers and staff in costume provided the
perfect setting for our “Time Travel” event.
Our Providenciales representative Candianne
Williams greeted guests as they started slogging in. To
their surprise, and sometimes astonishment, she presented
each with a card—their persona for the rest of
the evening—and the challenge of locating themselves
and their place in history among the Museum’s exhibits.
Some cards bore the names of historical figures or
personnel associated with the Museum, while others
had the names of crew members serving on the Spanish
ship of exploration and discovery, La Joya Pequena (the
Little Gem), the “stage name” we gave to the Molasses
Reef Wreck for the evening.
Each guest was presented with a Time Travel Card, and the challenge
to locate their “persona” among the Museum’s exhibits.
The idea was to “find yourself” somewhere in the
Museum. With exhibits on two floors and a dozen rooms,
hints printed on the cards helped, and soon all 65 guests
were buzzing around looking for their namesakes. Of
course there was lots of laughter as the party-goers compared
notes and called each other by their new identities.
Students from the high school, under the direction of
Mrs. Swimmer passed out delicious canapés during the
entire event.
Students from Grand Turk’s H.J. Robinson High School served canapés
to party guests.
Once everyone found their identities, they handed in their
nametags and were awarded prizes associated with their
new calling. The boatswain won a boatswain key chain,
“Jeremiah Murphy” won a hard helmet key chain. “Sandy,”
the little donkey hero of Donna Seim’s book, got a copy
of our new 2017 calendar—and the list went on.
Pat Saxton delivered a witty poem relating the 25-year
history of the Museum complete with slide show. At the
end of the presentation everyone was handed a glass of
champagne (kindly donated by Grand Turk Liquors/The
Wine Store) to toast the Museum’s success.
HE Governor Dr. John Freeman congratulated the Museum
for the work it has done and continues to do. Hon. Derek
Taylor, who sits on the Board, spoke about the Museum’s
efforts to save the history of TCI. Long-time supporter
Ms. Lillian Swann-Misick reiterated the important work
the Museum does.
MARTIN SEIM
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Having received many
compliments about the
party we want to thank
TCNM’s loyal members
and friends of who came to
help us celebrate 25 years
of “Protecting, preserving
and promoting the history
and culture of the Turks &
Caicos Islands.” Thanks to
staff members Candianne
Williams, Nikki Jennings,
Ivy Basden, and Fred
Glinton who worked all
night to ensure our guests
had the best possible
experience. Thanks also to
our wonderful volunteers
Dudley Been, Claudia and
Edger Schnetz, Séamus
and Hilary Day, Neil
The Turks & Caicos National Museum staff (from left): Pat Saxton, Fred Glinton, Ivy Basden, Candianne
Williams, and Nikki Jennings take a night off to celebrate!
Join the Museum
Become a Member and receive a year’s subscription
to Times of the Islands (which includes
Astrolabe), free admission to the Museum, and a
Members’ Discount in the Museum Shop.
Senior (62+) $35
Individual $50
Family/Friend $100
Sponsor $250
Contributor $500
Partner $750
MARTIN SEIM
B NAQQI MANCO
From left: Norman Watts, Mrs. Corina Freeman, and Martin Seim enjoy
the Museum’s grand 25th anniversary event.
Saxton, and Rebecca Cain, who continue to give unselfishly
of their time and energy. We appreciate Martin Seim
and B. Naqqi Manco for being our official photographers!
And of course, thanks to Mrs. Grethe Seim for her vision
and generosity which made this event—and the whole
Turks & Caicos National Museum—possible. a
To join*, send name, address, email, and type of
membership, along with cheque or money order
payable to “Turks & Caicos National Museum” to:
Friends of the Turks & Caicos National
Museum
39 Condesa Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508 USA
Or, visit:
www.tcmuseum.org/membership-support/
*For U.S. residents, support of the Museum is tax-deductible
via Friends of the Turks & Caicos National Museum, Attn:
Donald H. Keith, 39 Condesa Road, Santa Fe NM 87508, our
affiliated institution and registered 501 (c) (3).
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 71

food for thought
Opposite page: A cold glass of Turk’s Head Lager is deemed “the quintessential refreshing beer,” a staple for a hot, sunny beach day.
Above: Tours of the Turk’s Head Brewery are now available. The manufacturing process, from start to finish, is fascinating!
Brewed in the TCI
Turk’s Head Brewery is now open for tours.
Story & Photos By Kathy Borsuk
I still remember the day we took my 92-year-old grandfather to tour the Anheuser-Busch brewery in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After walking through vast rooms in the huge plant, climbing countless flights
of stairs, and (trying to) listen to the guide over the factory’s din, we finally reached the tasting room.
My dear Czechoslovakian grandpa’s understated comment? “That was a lot of work for a glass of beer.”
I think he’d be surprised at the current attraction of craft beers, tours of the breweries that make
them, and tasting rooms that have taken on the aura of a science lab. He’d be even more surprised to
learn there is now such an operation in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 73

Since 2001, the Turk’s Head Brewery has been operating
in a group of large warehouses in the industrial area
of Providenciales, just east of the Five Cays “shortcut” off
Leeward Highway. Our storage locker is just behind the
brewery, and its presence finally explains the mysterious,
heady aroma I often smelled while unloading magazines.
The brewery is part of Provo Beverages, along with the
TC Crystal Pure Water company, and in spite of refilling
my plastic gallons there every day, I never knew that beer
was being brewed in the back.
Currently, Turk’s Head Brewery makes lager, amber
ale, IPA and light versions of Turk’s Head Beer. You can
find the products sold in most grocery and liquor stores
in the Islands, and served—either bottled or on tap—at
most restaurants and bars. The lager is the best seller,
described as “the quintessential refreshing beer,” a staple
for a hot, sunny beach day, and somewhat similar
to Corona. The amber ale is more full-bodied, while the
India Pale Ale emits fruity aromas of papaya (I vouch for
that!), with a tastebud-tickling touch of bitterness.
Besides being the country’s most affordable beer, visitors
and locals love to support this genuine product of
the Turks & Caicos Islands. For many tourists, their only
complaint is that it is not currently sold off-island. The
brewery’s unique mobile bar is a staple at the popular
Thursday Night Fish Fry, as well as most Providenciales
sporting and charity events.
Just prior to opening to the public, Sales & Marketing
Representative Mike Bozzer led me on a private tour of
the brewery. Besides being fascinating (I, like many, am a
devotee of “How It’s Made”), the tour revealed a spotless,
professional plant complete with catwalks and a brandnew
tasting room overlooking the bottling area. Here,
visitors can sample each of the various draughts and purchase
very cool Turk’s Head merchandise—t-shirts, caps,
bottle openers, glasses, bar towels, and the like—to take
home as souvenirs.
The brewing process begins with ultra-refined
desalinated water (made on-site at the water plant),
barley imported by the container-load from Minnesota,
Germany and elsewhere, and hops shipped in from places
as far-ranging as New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest.
Mike explained that the first step is converting the natural
starch in the malted grain to sugar, done by soaking the
barley in warm water to release the enzymes, then boiling
this sugar water in a kettle to concentrate the sugar and
sterilize and purify the “wort.” Next, the hops are added,
with amount and timing Brewmaster Eric Cardin’s calls
depending on the type of beer being brewed. The mixture
is then sent through a heat exchanger to rapidly chill,
Left: These 80-barrel fermenters hold the beer for as long as several weeks, depending on the beer type.
Right: Following filtration, the beer is either bottled, canned, or kegged, each date-stamped for freshness.
74 www.timespub.tc

Above: Turk’s Head Brewery currently makes a light ale, an amber
ale, the popular lager, and a full-bodied IPA. After the brewery tour,
visitors can sample each brew in the tasting room.
Below: In 2016, the brewery produced the equivalent of two million
bottles of beer, sold throughout the Turks & Caicos Islands.
before being put in glycol-jacketed fermenters with yeasts
added to convert the sugar to alcohol. The mixture is
allowed to ferment and age for as long as several weeks,
depending on the beer type. Generally, the more sugars
in the wort, the stronger the concentration of alcohol.
Finally, the beer is carefully filtered to ensure a clean,
crisp product. Following filtration, it is either bottled,
canned or kegged, each date-stamped to ensure freshness.
Random bottles are regularly tested to maintain
the product’s integrity. From there, the product is packaged
and distributed across the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Although there is a four-month shelf life, Mike says rarely
does the beer remain in its container for that long!
Operating at capacity, in 2016 the brewery produced
the equivalent of two million bottles of beer. Employing
25 to 30 people, the locally owned Turk’s Head Brewery
can be said to be the country’s largest industrial producer,
and quite a success story. The original plant
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 75

A variety of souvenirs are available for sale in the Turk’s Head
Brewery’s ad_Layout new tasting 1 11/16/16 room. 2:11 PM Page 1
Looking for something a little different?
Take a Turk’s Head Brewery Tour!
Experience a wide variety of beer from the Island’s ONLY local brewery.
DAILY TOURS AVAILABLE STARTING WINTER 2016.
Call (649) 941-3637 or email info@turksheadbeer.com
for more information.
Located at 52 Universal Dr. - Just off South Dock Rd., Providenciales.
started with a ten barrel system and sold only kegs to
a few restaurants and hotels; since mid-2013 twelve
80-barrel fermenters (each holding about 1,000 cases of
beer) are producing millions of dollars worth of product,
and the new beers have entered the high-end market.
The brewery/water plant also markets two other refreshing
drinks: Bambashay Caicos Cran (a vodka-cranberry
cocktail) and the popular Bambarra Cuba Libre (a classic
version of rum and cola), both available in cans to easily
take to the beach or on boats.
The tour and tasting room opened in February 2017.
One-hour tours are offered several times daily, six days
a week. Besides sampling the six current products, visitors
may also have the chance to try the brewmaster’s
specials—one-of-a-kind stouts, pilsners, and wheat beers
being tested for sale at select restaurants or as potential
new offerings. The tasting room is also available for
rental for special events like bachelor or birthday parties.
Just like its sister company TC Crystal, the Turk’s
Head Brewery is heavily involved in the community.
Besides sponsoring numerous environmental events and
a recent 10K race for the Delano Williams Foundation,
all proceeds of the mobile bar at sailing regattas sponsored
by the Provo Sailing Club are donated back to the
organization. They also sponsor the Turk’s Head All Fleet
National Sailing Championships. TC Crystal bottles water
in 63% biodegradable bottles, and regularly sponsors
beach clean-ups, school promotions, and has donated
dozens of garbage drums to help keep the Islands clean.
That in itself deserves a toast! a
For more information, call 649 241-4311 or email tours@
turksheadbeer.com.
MOV-A-THON2017_Layout 1 2/16/17 8:06 AM Page 1
Nutrition in Demand, , a non profit raising awareness to
the importance of health and healthy eating
Motto: eating healthy today... living longer, better tomorrow
• Educational workshops for seniors, adults, children & teenagers
• Nutrition and physical activity summer camp
• Nutrition education and culinary class for children
• Weight loss support groups • Nutrition education for mass media
To donate to our non profit or to one of our programs,
visit our website: www.nutritionindemand.com
or call: (649) 442-3978
For individual Medical Nutrition Therapy counseling, corporate wellness
and lunch & learns, please contact Mrs. Tamika Handfeld MS, RD
Provo Plaza No.5, Leeward Highway
Call: (649) 442-3978
76 www.timespub.tc

shape up
Chocolate, grapes and your heart
By Tamika Handfield MS, RD, Nutrition in Demand
In February, we celebrated Valentine’s Day and observed
Heart Health Awareness Month. So it is a perfect time to
talk about phytonutrients—a class of chemicals found
in various plant foods that offer health benefits. Here
we will cover only two—flavonoids and polyphenols.
It may surprise you that chocolate has phytonutrients!
Various research studies now suggest chocolate
has some heart-healthy benefits—such as helping to
lower cholesterol levels and decreasing the likelihood
of suffering a stroke. However, there is a disclaimer;
it seems only dark chocolate offers these benefits
because of a class of phytonutrients known as flavonoids.
(Sugary milk chocolate has been associated with
obesity, tooth decay, and acne.) Cocoa beans, from
which dark chocolate is made, are a very good source of
flavonoids. However, the high flavonoid content gives
cocoa a naturally strong taste. To make it more palatable,
cocoa is processed which leads to the decrease of
the flavonoid properties and benefits. As in all things,
moderation is the key.
Another class of phytonutrients that offer
heart-protective benefit is polyphenols. Polyphenols
have become quite popular in recent years because,
like its counterpart flavonoid, it helps to prevent blood
clots, lower blood pressure and improve the function of
the blood vessels—all leading to better heart function.
While there are thousands of polyphenols, the one
that has gotten the most media coverage is resveratrol.
It is common knowledge now that a glass or two
of red wine consumed daily can help to prevent heart
disease; however, not everyone wants to drink wine
or any other alcohol and may be wondering how they
can get the same benefits. Luckily, many other foods
such as grapes, apples, onions, soy, peanuts, berries,
and several other vegetables and fruits are packed with
polyphenols!
Additionally, research shows that indeed grape
juice made from Concord grapes offer the same protection
as red wine (and in some cases, more). The
reason for this is that some of the chemicals used to
prevent fungal growth on the
grapes destroy some of the
resveratrol. Red and dark-purple
grapes consumed with the
skins are also good sources of
vitamins C, E, potassium and
fiber. It is important to remember, though, that much
of the nutritional benefit of the grape is found in its
skin and seeds rather than the pulp. I have seen many
people sit and painstakingly peel the skin off and, at
the same time, unknowingly discard most of the nutritional
value.
Grapes are an amazingly refreshing low-calorie
snack and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways:
• Freeze grapes for a cool snack on a hot summer day;
• Serve stewed grapes with meat items;
• Add grapes to pasta dishes for a touch of sweetness;
• Add to a green salad or fruit salad;
• Serve grapes with wine, cheese and crackers as a
delectable party food;
• And my husband swears that grapes with lightly
salted peanuts is a snack compared to none other.
So, go ahead and show your heart some love
through making wise food choices. a
This article is brought to you by Nutrition in Demand,
a nonprofit aimed at raising health and healthy eating
through a variety of workshops, seminars, nutrition
and physical activity camps, culinary and nutrition
education classes for schoolchildren, public service
announcements, and print and visual media. For more
information on Nutrition in Demand, please visit our
website: www.nutritionindemand.com or follow us on
social media — Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 77

shape up
Did you miss something?
By Meelike Mitt, Personal Trainer, Nutrition Consultant, Lifestyle Coach
Wrightfully Fit Sport Centre, Providenciales
What have you done for the last six months to have
more energy, to sleep better and feel great? The reason
I ask this question is simple—in all my experience
within the fitness industry unless you are serious about
making a change it won’t happen.
We need to raise our standards. We could all wake
up in the morning feeling wonderful, full of energy,
ready to take on the world, but most of us have a set of
values that stops us from doing this. We need to start
asking more of ourselves.
Start by determining which areas of your life need
to be raised or improved. Write down a list of where
your standards are low and focus on them. Spend some
time alone. Realize who you really are. Smile, look good
and tell yourself you’re worth it. Even with your failures
and flaws you are still an amazing person. Don’t let
anyone change your mind!
The second thing you have got to change is your
approach. Too many of us carry on doing things even
when that approach does not work anymore. How many
people have tried dieting? You go on a diet, lose weight,
come off the diet and often put the weight back on (and
more). So after that we often go back on the same diet
that didn’t give long-lasting results in the first place!
It’s crazy, but we all do it.
We have to start asking the “why” questions. Why
aren’t I losing weight? Why can’t I keep it off? Is it aging?
No! Too many people hide behind this excuse. Aging is
not a disease, it’s a process. Sometimes the problem is
that we spend all our time pushing our careers, starting
families, eating poorly, and under-exercising and then
suddenly wonder what happened to our bodies. It’s
not age but the disdain with which we treat our bodies
that leads to premature aging. We have to change our
approach.
Another area to consider is consistency. Most of
us are consistently bad! But we have to build consistency
into our program, as consistency brings results!
Being consistent is essential if you want to make any
significant change in your life—making progress, doing
better work, getting in shape,
and achieving some level of
success in most areas of life.
One more thing to touch,
which is very important, is
stress. We all respond differently to stress, both psychologically
and physically. I see people every week
where stress has taken over their life. Unfortunately,
research reveals that it’s also a fact of fat. Even if you
usually eat well and exercise, chronic high stress can
prevent you from losing weight. Also get enough sleep.
This means eight hours of good-quality sleep on a regular
schedule each night. Make changes to your routine
if you can’t find enough time to sleep.
Don’t forget your smile . . . you need to be happy!
Find your own way to be happy, find your own activities
that bring you joy. Keep moving as it gives you more
energy and if you have more energy it makes you smile.
Stop sitting and go for a walk, a run, play a game,
go bush-walking or dance as if no one is watching.
Exercising gets the endorphins flowing and is guaranteed
to make you feel good. Happiness makes you feel
less stressed, it energizes your immune system, it lets
you think more clearly, it’s more fun, and of course it
brings out positivity, a wonderful energy to work with.
Practice finding moments to be happy on a day-to-day
basis. a
Meelike Mitt loves guiding people whose aim is to
achieve better physical fitness, health and self-satisfaction
through trainings and nutrition. She has
graduated from Tallinn University of Health Sciences
and the Institute of Sports in Estonia and has completed
a course in Personal Fitness Training. Besides personal
training, she is certified in BodyPump, Bodybalance,
Reebok Core Board & Fitball, Functional Training,
Chiball, Pilates, Yoga, Real Ryder and Spinning workouts.
For more information, call Meelike at 649 441
6051 or email meelike@wrightfullyfit.com or visit
wrightfullyfit.com.
78 www.timespub.tc

faces and places
To end the Colour Run, kids and adults have to throw bags of colour into the air!
Colour Run
On January 29, 2017, the Provo Hockey League held its Second Annual Colour Run at the Meridian Field in
Providenciales, with the assistance of Islehelp.net and the tunes of DJ Viper. The community ran a 5K route of smiles
through red, yellow, blue and green zones ending back at the start to more colour bombing and water balloons. All
funds raised will help PHL bring affordable inline hockey to the boys and girls of TCI. For more information on PHL,
visit phl.pointstreaksites.com.
By Claire Parrish ~ Photos by Le Mens Welch, Caya Hico Media
The route took runners from Meridian Field to the beach near Bay Bistro, onward to the beach at Villa Renaissance and back to the Meridian
Field for more fun and games.
Some ran fast, some ran slow; all ran with smiles.
Come out for next year’s PHL Colour Run. You don’t have to play hockey, but all funds go into PHL’s special Community League.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 79

about the Islands
Map provided courtesy Wavey Line Publishing. Their navigation charts and decorative and historic maps of the Turks & Caicos Islands, the
Bahamas, and Hispaniola are available in shops throughout the Islands. Visit www.waveylinepublishing.com.
Where we are
The Turks & Caicos Islands lie some 575 miles southeast
of Miami — approximately 1 1/2 hours flying time —
with the Bahamas about 30 miles to the northwest and
the Dominican Republic some 100 miles to the southeast.
The country consists of two island groups separated
by the 22-mile wide Columbus Passage. To the west are
the Caicos Islands: West Caicos, Providenciales, North
Caicos, Middle Caicos, East Caicos, and South Caicos. To
the east are the Turks Islands: Grand Turk and Salt Cay.
The Turks & Caicos total 166 square miles of land
area on eight islands and 40 small cays. The country’s
population is approximately 32,000.
Getting here
There are international airports on Grand Turk, North
Caicos, Providenciales, and South Caicos, with domestic
airports on all of the islands except East Caicos.
At this time, all of the major international carriers
arrive and depart from Providenciales International
Airport. During the busy winter season, American Airlines
flies three times daily from Miami, daily from Charlotte,
and from Boston, Dallas, New York/JFK on Saturday
and from Philadelphia on Saturday and Sunday. JetBlue
Airways offers daily service from Fort Lauderdale, two
daily flights from New York/JFK and flights from Boston
on Saturday and Sunday. Delta Airlines flies from Atlanta
and New York/JFK daily. United Airlines flies from Newark
daily and from Chicago and Washington DC on Saturday.
West Jet travels from Toronto on Monday, Wednesday,
80 www.timespub.tc

Friday and Saturday. Air Canada offer daily flights from
Toronto and flies from Montreal on Friday and Sunday.
British Airways travels on Thursday and Sunday from
London/Gatwick via Antigua.
Bahamasair flies to Nassau on Thursday and Sunday;
Inter-caribbean Airways travels on Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday. Inter-caribbean Airways and Caicos Express
travel to Haiti daily, while Inter-caribbean Airways flies
to the Dominican Republic daily (except Wednesday);
to Jamaica on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday,
and to Puerto Rico on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
Inter-caribbean Airways also travels to both Santiago and
Havana, Cuba, several times a week. (Schedules are current
as of February 2017 and subject to change.)
Inter-island service is provided by Inter-caribbean
Airways, Caicos Express Airways, and Global Airways. Sea
and air freight services operate from Florida.
All Natural &
Gluten Free
Language
English.
Time zone
Atlantic Standard Time (AST) observed year-round.
Currency
The United States dollar. The Treasury also issues a Turks
& Caicos crown and quarter. Travellers cheques in U.S.
dollars are widely accepted and other currency can be
changed at local banks. American Express, VISA, and
MasterCard are welcomed at many locations.
Made with family recipes that date back
centuries, Islander, the original Turks and
Caicos alcoholic ginger beer, is available on
Providenciales at the Graceway Gourmet and
the IGA, as well as local bars and restaurants.
www.islandergingerbeer.com
Climate
The average year-round temperature is 83ºF (28ºC). The
hottest months are September and October, when the
temperature can reach 90 to 95ºF (33 to 35ºC). However,
the consistent easterly trade winds temper the heat and
keep life comfortable.
Casual resort and leisure wear is accepted attire for
daytime; light sweaters or jackets may be necessary on
some breezy evenings. It’s wise to wear protective clothing
and a sunhat and use waterproof sunscreen when out
in the tropical sun.
Entry requirements
Passport. A valid onward or return ticket is also required.
Customs formalities
Visitors may bring in duty free for their own use one carton
of cigarettes or cigars, one bottle of liquor or wine,
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 81

and some perfume. The importation of all firearms including
those charged with compressed air without prior
approval in writing from the Commissioner of Police is
strictly forbidden. Spear guns, Hawaiian slings, controlled
drugs, and pornography are also illegal.
Returning residents may bring in $400 worth of
merchandise per person duty free. A duty of 10% to
60% is charged on most imported goods along with a
7% customs processing fee and forms a major source of
government revenue.
Transportation
A valid driver’s license from home is suitable when renting
vehicles. A government tax of 12% is levied on all
rental contracts. (Insurance is extra.) Driving is on the
left-hand side of the road, with traffic flow controlled by
round-abouts at major junctions. Please don’t drink and
drive! Taxis are abundant throughout the Islands and
many resorts offer shuttle service between popular visitor
areas. Scooter, motorcycle, and bicycle rentals are
also available.
Telecommunications
FLOW Ltd. provides land lines and superfast broadband
Internet service. Mobile service is on a LTE 4G network,
including pre and post-paid cellular phones. Most resorts
and some stores and restaurants offer wireless Internet
connection. Digicel operates mobile networks, with
a full suite of LTE 4G service. FLOW is the local carrier
for CDMA roaming on US networks such as Verizon and
Sprint. North American visitors with GSM cellular handsets
and wireless accounts with AT&T or Cingular can
arrange international roaming.
Electricity
120/240 volts, 60 Hz, suitable for all U.S. appliances.
Departure tax
US $20 for all persons two years and older, payable in
cash or traveller’s cheques. It is typically built into the
cost of your ticket.
Courier service
Delivery service is provided by FedEx, with offices on
Providenciales and Grand Turk, and DHL. UPS service is
limited to incoming delivery.
Postal service
The Post Office and Philatelic Bureau in Providenciales is
located downtown in Butterfield Square. In Grand Turk,
the Post Office is on Front Street, with the Philatelic
Bureau on Church Folly. The Islands are known for their
varied and colorful stamp issues.
Media
Multi-channel satellite television is received from the U.S.
and Canada and transmitted via cable or over the air.
Local station WIV-TV broadcasts on Channel 4 and Island
EyeTV on Channel 5. People’s Television offers 75 digitally
transmitted television stations, along with local news
and talk shows on Channel 8. There are also a number of
local radio stations, magazines, and newspapers.
Medical services
There are no endemic tropical diseases in TCI. There are
large, modern hospitals on Grand Turk and Providenciales.
Both hospitals offer a full range of services including:
24/7 emergency room, operating theaters, diagnostic
imaging, maternity suites, dialysis suites, blood bank,
physiotherapy, and dentistry.
In addition, several general practitioners operate in
the country, and there is a recompression chamber, along
with a number of private pharmacies.
Immigration
A resident’s permit is required to live in the Islands. A
work permit and business license are also required to
work and/or establish a business. These are generally
granted to those offering skills, experience, and qualifications
not widely available on the Islands. Priority is given
to enterprises that will provide employment and training
for T&C Islanders.
Government/Legal system
TCI is a British Crown colony. There is a Queen-appointed
Governor, HE Dr. John Freeman. He presides over an executive
council formed by the elected local government.
Lady Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson is the country’s first
woman premier, leading a majority People’s Democratic
Movement (PDM) House of Assembly.
The legal system is based upon English Common
Law and administered by a resident Chief Justice, Chief
Magistrate, and Deputy Magistrates. Judges of the Court
of Appeal visit the Islands twice a year and there is a final
Right of Appeal to Her Majesty’s Privy Council in London.
Taxes
There are currently no direct taxes on either income
82 www.timespub.tc

or capital for individuals or companies. There are no
exchange controls. Indirect taxation comprises customs
duties and fees, stamp duty, taxes on accommodations,
restaurants, vehicle rentals, other services and gasoline,
as well as business license fees and departure taxes.
Economy
Historically, TCI’s economy relied on the export of
salt. Currently, tourism, the offshore finance industry,
and fishing generate the most private sector income.
The Islands’ main exports are lobster and conch, with
the world’s first commercial conch farm operating on
Providenciales. Practically all consumer goods and foodstuffs
are imported.
The Turks & Caicos Islands are recognised as an
important offshore financial centre, offering services
such as company formation, offshore insurance, banking,
trusts, limited partnerships, and limited life companies.
The Financial Services Commission regulates the industry
and spearheads the development of offshore legislation.
People
Citizens of the Turks & Caicos Islands are termed
“Belongers” and are primarily descendants of African
slaves who were brought to the Islands to work on the
salt ponds and cotton plantations. The country’s large
expatriate population includes Canadians, Americans,
Brits and Europeans, along with Haitians, Jamaicans,
Dominicans, Bahamians, Indians, and Filipinos.
Churches
Churches are the center of community life and there
are many faiths represented in the Islands, including:
Adventist, Anglican, Assembly of God, Baha’i,
Baptist, Catholic, Church of God of Prophecy, Episcopal,
Faith Tabernacle Church of God, Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Methodist and Pentecostal. Visitors are always welcome.
Pets
Incoming pets must have an import permit, veterinary
health certificate, vaccination certificate, and lab test
results to be submitted at the port of entry to obtain
clearance from the TCI Department of Agriculture, Animal
Health Services.
National symbols
The National Bird is the Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis).
The National Plant is Island heather (Limonium
bahamense) found nowhere else in the world. The
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 83

National Tree is the Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea var.
bahamensis). The National Costume consists of white cotton
dresses tied at the waist for women and simple shirts
and loose pants for men, with straw hats. Colors representing
the various islands are displayed on the sleeves
and bases. The National Song is “This Land of Ours,” by
the late Rev. E.C. Howell, PhD. Peas and Hominy (Grits)
with Dry Conch is revered as symbolic island fare.
Going green
TCI Waste Disposal Services currently offers recycling services
through weekly collection of recyclable aluminum,
glass, and plastic. The TCI Environmental Club is spearheading
a campaign to eliminate single-use plastic bags.
Do your part by using a cloth bag whenever possible.
Keep TCI “Beautiful by Nature” by not littering!
Recreation
Sporting activities are centered around the water. Visitors
can choose from deep-sea, reef, or bonefishing, sailing,
glass-bottom boat and semi-sub excursions, windsurfing,
waterskiing, parasailing, sea kayaking, snorkelling,
scuba diving, kiteboarding, stand up paddleboarding,
and beachcombing. Pristine reefs, abundant marine life,
and excellent visibility make TCI a world-class diving
destination. Tennis and golf—there is an eighteen hole
championship course on Providenciales—are also popular.
The Islands are an ecotourist’s paradise. Visitors can
enjoy unspoilt wilderness and native flora and fauna in
thirty-three national parks, nature reserves, sanctuaries,
and areas of historical interest. The National Trust
provides trail guides to several hiking trails, as well as
guided tours of major historical sites. There is an excellent
national museum on Grand Turk, with an auxillary
branch on Providenciales. A scheduled ferry and a selection
of tour operators make it easy to take day trips to the
outer islands.
Other land-based activities include bicycling, horseback
riding, and football (soccer). Personal trainers are
available to motivate you, working out of several fitness
centres. You will also find a variety of spa and body treatment
services.
Nightlife includes local bands playing island music
at bars and restaurants and some nightclubs. There are
two casinos on Providenciales, along with many electronic
gaming parlours. Stargazing is extraordinary!
Shoppers will find Caribbean paintings, T-shirts,
sports and beachwear, and locally made handicrafts,
including straw work and conch crafts. Duty free outlets
sell liquor, jewellery, watches, perfume, leather goods,
crystal, china, cameras, electronics, brand-name clothing
and accessories, along with Cuban cigars. a
84 www.timespub.tc

where to stay
Grand Turk
range of daily rates
US$ (subject to change)
number of units
major credit cards
restaurant
bar
air conditioning
phone in unit
television in unit
kitchen in unit
laundry service
pool
on the beach
H
The Arches of Grand Turk – Tel 649 946 2941 190–210 4 • • • • • • •
Bohio Dive Resort – Tel 649 946 2135 • Web www.bohioresort.com 170–230 16 • • • • • • • •
Crabtree Apartments – Tel 978 270 1698 • Web www.GrandTurkVacationRental.com 210–250 3 • • • • • •
Grand Turk Inn – Tel 649 946 2827 • Web www.grandturkinn.com 250–300 5 • • • • • • •
Island House – Tel 649 946 1519/232 5514 • Web www.islandhouse.tc 110–185 8 • • • • • • •
Manta House – Tel 649 946 1111 • Web www.grandturk-mantahouse.com 110–130 5 • • • • • • •
Osprey Beach Hotel – Tel 649 946 2666 • Web www.ospreybeachhotel.com 90–225 37 • • • • • • • • • •
Pelican House – Tel 649 246 6797 • Web www.pelicanhousegrandturk.com 110-130 3 • • • • •
Salt Raker Inn – Tel 649 946 2260 • Web www.saltrakerinn.com 55–140 13 • • • • • • •
Solomon Porches Guesthouse – Tel 649 946 2776/241 2937 • Fax 649 946 1984 75–100 3 • •
Middle Caicos
H
Blue Horizon Resort – Tel 649 946 6141 • Web bhresort.com 265–400 7 • • • • • • • • •
North Caicos
H
Bottle Creek Lodge – Tel 649 946 7080 • Web www.bottlecreeklodge.com 155–240 3 • •
Caicos Beach Condominiums – Tel 649 241 4778/786 338 9264 • Web www.caicosbeachcondos.com 159–299 8 • • • • • • • •
Cedar Palms Suites – Tel 649 946 7113/649 244 4186 • Web www.oceanbeach.tc 250–300 3 • • • • • • • • •
Flamingo’s Nest – Tel 649 946 7113/649 244 4186 • Web www.oceanbeach.tc 175–340 2 • • • • • • • •
Hollywood Beach Suites - Tel 800 551 2256/649 231 1020 • Web www.hollywoodbeachsuites.com 200–235 4 • • • • • •
JoAnne’s Bed & Breakfast - Tel 649 946 7301 • Web www.turksandcaicos.tc/joannesbnb 80–120 4 • • • •
Palmetto Villa – Tel 649 946 7113/649 244 4186 • Web www.oceanbeach.tc 225–250 1 • • • • • • • •
Pelican Beach Hotel - Tel 649 946 7112/877 774 5486 • Web www.pelicanbeach.tc 125–165 14 • • • • • • • •
Pine Cay
H
The Meridian Club Turks & Caicos - Tel 649 946 7758/866 746 3229 • Web www.meridianclub.com 800–1300 13 • • • • • • •
Parrot Cay
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Providenciales
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Airport Inn - Tel 649 941 3514 • Web www.airportinntci.com. 140 18 • • • • • • •
The Alexandra Resort & Spa - Tel 800 704 9424/649 946 5807 • Web www.alexandraresort.com 280–420 99 • • • • • • • • •
The Atrium Resort - Tel 888 592 7885/649 333 0101 • Web www.theatriumresorttci.com 159–410 30 • • • • • • • •
Amanyara – Tel 866 941 8133/649 941 8133 • Web www.amanresorts.com 1000–2100 73 • • • • • • • •
Aquamarine Beach Houses - Tel 649 231 4535/905 556 0278 • www.aquamarinebeachhouses.com 200–850 24 • • • • • • • •
Beaches Resort & Spa - Tel 800-BEACHES/649 946 8000 • Web www.beaches.com 325–390AI 453 • • • • • • • • •
Beach House Turks & Caicos – Tel 649 946 5800 • Web www.beachchousetci.com 532–638 21 • • • • • • • • • •
Blue Haven Resort & Marina - Tel 855 832 7667/649 946 9900 • Web www.bluehaventci.com 250–650 51 • • • • • • • • • •
Caribbean Paradise Inn - Tel 649 946 5020 • Web www.paradise.tc 162–225 17 • • • • • • • •
Club Med Turkoise - Tel 800 258 2633/649 946 5500 • Web www.clubmed.com 120–225 290 • • • • • • • • •
Coral Gardens on Grace Bay - Tel 877 746 7800 • Web www.coralgardensongracebay.com 199-449 32 • • • • • • • • • •
Gansevoort Turks + Caicos – Tel 877 774 3253/649 941 7555 • Web www.gansevoorttc.com 315–720 91 • • • • • • • • • •
Grace Bay Club - Tel 800 946 5757/649 946 5757 • Web www.gracebayclub.com 650–1750 59 • • • • • • • • • •
Grace Bay Suites – Tel 649 941 7447 • Web www.GraceBaySuites.com 99–195 24 • • • • • • • •
Harbour Club Villas - Tel 649 941 5748/305 434 8568 • Web www.harbourclubvillas.com 210–240 6 • • • • •
Kokomo Botanical Gardens - Tel 649 941 3121• Web www.kokomobotanicalresort.com 169–299 16 • • • • •
Le Vele - Tel 649 941 8800/888 272 4406 • Web www.levele.tc 303–630 22 • • • • • • • •
La Vista Azul – Tel 649 946 8522/866 519 9618 • Web www.lvaresort.com 215–375 78 • • • • • • •
The Lodgings – Tel 649 941 8107/242 6722 • Web www.hotelturksandcaicos.com 175–255 15 • • • • • •
Neptune Villas – Tel 649 331 4328 • Web www.neptunevillastci.com 150–400 10 • • • • • • • • •
Northwest Point Resort • Tel 649 941 5133 • Web www.northwestpointresort.com 196–550 49 • • • • • • • • • •
Ocean Club Resorts - Tel 800 457 8787/649 946 5461 • Web www.oceanclubresorts.com 180–690 191 • • • • • • • • • •
The Palms Turks & Caicos – Tel 649 946 8666 • Web thepalmstc.com 595–1700 72 • • • • • • • • • •
Pelican Nest Villa – Tel 649 342 5731 • Web www.pelicannest.tc 429–857 2 • • • • • •
Point Grace - Tel 888 682 3705/649 946 5096 • Web www.pointgrace.com 424–1515 27 • • • • • • • • • •
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 85

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where to stay
range of daily rates
US$ (subject to change)
number of units
major credit cards
restaurant
bar
air conditioning
phone in unit
television in unit
kitchen in unit
laundry service
pool
on the beach
Providenciales (continued)
Ports of Call Resort – Tel 888 678 3483/649 946 8888 • Web www.portsofcallresort.com 135–210 99 • • • • • • •
Queen Angel Resort – Tel 649 941 8771 • Web www.queenangelresort.com 150–575 56 • • • • • • • • •
Reef Residence at Grace Bay – Tel 800 532 8536 • Web www.reefresidence.com 275-385 24 • • • • • • •
The Regent Grand – Tel 877 537 3314/649 941 7770 • Web www.TheRegentGrand.com 495–1100 50 • • • • • • • • •
Royal West Indies Resort – Tel 800 332 4203/649 946 5004 • Web www.royalwestindies.com 180–695 92 • • • • • • • • • •
The Sands at Grace Bay – Tel 877 777 2637/649 946 5199 • Web www.thesandsresort.com 175–675 116 • • • • • • • • • •
Seven Stars Resort & Spa – Tel 866 570 7777/649 941 7777 – Web www.SevenStarsResort.com 365–2400 165 • • • • • • • • • •
The Shore Club on Long Bay – Tel 888 808 9488/649 339 8000 – www.the shoreclubtc.com 465–4650 148 • • • • • • • • • •
Sibonné Beach Hotel – Tel 888 570 2861/649 946 5547 • Web www.Sibonne.com 110–375 29 • • • • • • • •
The Somerset on Grace Bay – Tel 649 339 5900/877 887 5722 • Web www.TheSomerset.com 350–1300 53 • • • • • • • • • •
Turtle Cove Inn – Tel 800 887 0477/649 946 4203 • Web www.turtlecoveinn.com 85–180 30 • • • • • • • •
The Tuscany – Tel 866 359 6466/649 941 4667 • Web www.thetuscanyresort.com 975–1300 30 • • • • • • • •
The Venetian – Tel 866 242 0969/649 941 3512 • Web www.thevenetiangracebay.com 695–1175 27 • • • • • • • •
Villa del Mar – Tel 877 238 4058/649 941 5160 • Web www.yourvilladelmar.com 190–440 42 • • • • • • •
Villa Mani – Tel 649 431 4444 • Web www.villamanitci.com See Web/AE 6 • • • • • • •
Villa Renaissance - Tel 649 941 5300/877 285 8764 • Web www.villarenaissance.com 295–650 36 • • • • • • • • •
The Villas at Blue Mountain – Tel 649 941 4255 • Web www.villasatbluemountain.com 1200–2500 3 • • • • • • • •
West Bay Club – Tel 866 607 4156/649 946 8550 • Web www.TheWestBayClub.com 235–1163 46 • • • • • • • • • •
The Windsong – Tel 649 941 7700/800 WINDSONG • Web www.windsongresort.com 275–925 50 • • • • • • • • •
The Yacht Club – Tel 649 946 4656 • Web www.yachtclubtci.com 250–350 52 • • • • • • •
Salt Cay
Castaway – Salt Cay – Tel 772 713 9502 • Web www.castawayonsaltcay.com 175–265 4 • • • • •
Genesis Beach House – Tel 561 502 0901 • Web www.Genesisbeachhouse.com 1000–1200W 4 • • • • •
Pirate’s Hideaway B & B – Tel 800 289 5056/649 946 6909 • Web www.saltcay.tc 165–175 4 • • • • • • •
Salt Cay Beach House – Tel 772 713 9502 • Web www.saltcaybeachhouse.blogspot.com 799W 1 • • • • • •
Trade Winds Lodge – Tel 649 232 1009 • Web www.tradewinds.tc 925–1325W 5 • • • • •
Twilight Zone Cottage – Tel 772 713 9502 • Web www.twilightzonecottage.blogspot.com 499W 1 • • • •
The Villas of Salt Cay – Tel 772 713 9502 • Web www.villasofsaltcay.com 150–475 5 • • • • • • • •
South Caicos
East Bay Resort – Tel 844 260 8328/649 232 6444 • Web eastbayresort.com 198–1775 86 • • • • • • • • • •
Sailrock South Caicos – Tel 800 929 7197 • Web sailrockresortcom 600–800 6 • • • • • • • • •
South Caicos Ocean & Beach Resort – Tel 877 774 5486/649 946 3219
Web southcaicos.oceanandbeachresort.com 120–275 24 • • • • •
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Green Globe Certified
Rates (listed for doubles) do not include Government Accommodation Tax and Service Charge
86 www.timespub.tc

dining out – providenciales
Amanyara — Amanyara Resort. Tel: 941-8133. Light gourmet
cuisine for lunch and dinner with menu changing daily.
Angela’s Top O’ The Cove Deli — Suzie Turn, by NAPA.
Tel: 946-4694. New York-style delicatessen. Eat-in, carry-out,
catering. Open daily 7 AM to 5 PM; Sunday 7 AM to 2 PM.
Asú on the Beach — Alexandra Resort. Tel: 941-8888. Casual
Caribbean and popular international fare. Open daily for breakfast,
lunch and dinner. Service indoors, poolside, and at beach.
Baci Ristorante — Harbour Towne, Turtle Cove. Tel: 941-3044.
Waterfront Italian dining. Brick oven pizza. Popular bar. Open
for lunch Monday to Friday 12 to 2 PM and dinner nightly from
6 to 10 PM. Closed Sunday.
Bay Bistro — Sibonné Beach Hotel. Tel: 946-5396. Oceanfront
dining featuring creative international cuisine. Open daily
7 AM to 10 PM. Weekend brunch. Catering and special events.
Beaches Resort & Spa — The Bight. Tel: 946-8000.
All-inclusive resort. A variety of restaurants and bars on premises.
Non-guests can purchase a pass.
Bella Luna Ristorante — Glass House, Grace Bay Road. Tel:
946-5214. Fine Italian dining. Indoor or terrace seating above
tropical garden. Open daily from 5:30 PM. Closed Sunday. Lunch
and pizza in the garden. Private catering available.
Big Al’s Island Grill — Salt Mills Plaza. Tel: 941-3797. Wide
selection of burgers, steaks, salads, and wraps in a diner-like
setting. Open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM.
Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl — Five Cays. Tel: 941-3863. Fresh
local conch and seafood by the beach. Rum, buckets of beer,
live local bands. Open daily from 11 AM to late.
Cabana Beach Bar & Grill — Ocean Club. Tel: 946-5880.
Casual island fare, burgers, salads, snacks. Open daily from 7
AM to 10 PM. Tropical cocktails with a view of the sea.
Caicos Bakery — Caicos Café Plaza. Authentic French boulangerie.
Fresh-baked breads, rolls, croissants, muffins, quiche,
pastries, cakes. Open 7 AM to 4:30 PM daily except Sunday.
Caicos Café — Caicos Café Plaza. Tel: 946-5278.
Mediterranean specialties, grilled local seafood. Fine wines, dining
on the deck. Open 6 PM to 10 PM Monday to Saturday.
Carambola Grill & Lounge — Airport Inn Plaza. Tel: 946-
8122. Generous portions of local and international fare at
moderate prices in a casual atmosphere. Catering available.
The Caravel Restaurant — Grace Bay Court. Tel: 941-5330.
Cozy restaurant offering island food with flair; famous for fish
tacos. Full bar. Open daily 5 to 10 PM.
Chicken Chicken — Times Square, downtown Provo. Fast food,
fried chicken, native fare.
Chinson’s Grill Shack — Leeward Highway. Tel: 941-3533.
The Islands’ best jerk and barbecue, Jamaican pastries. Open
daily 8 AM to 10 PM; Friday to Midnight.
Chopsticks — Neptune Court. Tel: 333-4040. Fusion of Asian
cuisines. Take-away, delivery, on-site dining. Open daily 11:30
AM to 3 PM and 5:30 to 10:00 PM.
Club Med — Grace Bay Road. Tel: 946-5500. All-inclusive
resort. Buffet-style dining; live show and disco in the evenings.
Non-guests can purchase a daily pass.
Coco Bistro — Grace Bay Road. Tel: 946-5369. Continental
Caribbean cuisine by Chef Stuart Gray under a canopy of palms.
Serving dinner nightly from 5:30 PM. Closed Monday.
Coconut Grove Restaurant & Lounge — Olympic Plaza,
Downtown. Tel: 247-5610. Casual native fare for residents and
tourists. Cracked conch, conch fritters, fried fish. Pool and game
room. Open daily 11 AM to 10 PM.
Coyaba Restaurant — Caribbean Paradise Inn. Tel: 946-5186.
Contemporary Caribbean gourmet cuisine in a private tropical
garden setting. Extensive wine list. Dinner nightly from 6 to 10
PM. Closed Tuesday. Reservations recommended.
Crackpot Kitchen — Ports of Call. Tel: 245-0005. Experience
the best of authentic Turks & Caicos and Caribbean cuisines
with local celebrity Chef Nik. Open for dinner 5 to 10 PM daily
except Thursday; Happy Hour 5 to 7 PM.
Crust Bakery & Café — Graceway IGA. Tel: 941-8724.
Breakfast sandwiches, specialty coffees, soups, salads, gourmet
sandwiches and desserts. Open Monday to Saturday, 7 AM to
8:30 PM. Covered patio dining or take-out. Catering available.
Da Conch Shack & RumBar — Blue Hills. Tel: 946-8877.
Island-fresh seafood from the ocean to your plate. Covered
beachfront dining for lunch and dinner daily from 11 AM.
Danny Buoy’s — Grace Bay Road. Tel: 946-5921. Traditional
American pub fare; imported draught beers. Open for lunch and
dinner daily from 11 AM. Happy Hour specials. Large screen TVs
for sporting events. Karaoke.
The Deck — Seven Stars Resort. Tel: 941-7777. All day dining
and cocktails by the water’s edge. Open daily 11 AM to 11 PM.
Live music Friday nights.
Drift — West Bay Club. Tel: 946-8550. Open-air beachfront
dining. Creatively used local ingredients. Full bar. Open daily for
lunch and dinner.
Dune — Windsong Resort. Tel: 333-7700. Private beachfront
dining with limited availability. Fresh fare prepared to perfection.
Open daily.
Element — LeVele Plaza. Tel: 348-6424. Contemporary, creative
cuisine in an elegant setting. Open daily.
Fairways Bar & Grill — Provo Golf Club. Tel: 946-5833. Dine
overlooking the “greens.” Open for breakfast and lunch from 7
AM to 4 PM daily; Friday, Saturday and Sunday open until 8 PM.
Great Sunday brunch 9 AM to 3 PM.
Fire & Ice — Blue Haven Resort & Marina. Tel: 946-9900.
Drinks at the Ice Bar, dessert by the fire pits. South Americanmeets-Caribbean
flavors and spices. Open for breakfast daily
7:30 to 10:30 AM; dinner 6 to 9:30 PM. Closed Wednesday.
Fresh Bakery & Bistro — Atrium Resort. Tel: 345-4745.
Healthy European salads, soups, sandwiches, bakery, pies and
cakes. Gelato. Open daily 7 AM to 6 PM, closed Sunday.
Fresh Catch — Salt Mills Plaza. Tel: 243-3167. Authentic native
cuisine, from seafood to souse. All-you-can-eat seafood buffet
on Wednesday. Open daily 8 AM to 10 PM. Closed Sunday.
Carry-out available.
Garam Masala — Regent Village. Tel: 941-3292. Authentic
Indian cuisine, including tandoori charcoal-oven specialties.
Open daily 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 5:30 to 10 PM. Dine-in, take-out
or delivery.
Giggles Ice Cream & Candy Parlour — Ports of Call &
Williams Storage. Tel: 941-7370. Cones, sundaes, shakes,
smoothies, “Gigglers,” ice cream pies and cakes. Pick ‘n’ mix
candies. Open daily 11 AM to 10 PM.
Gilley’s Sky Lounge & Bar — At the airport. Tel: 946-4472.
Burgers, sandwiches, local food. Open daily 6 AM to 9 PM.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 87

Grace’s Cottage — Point Grace Resort. Tel: 946-5096.
Elegant, gourmet Caribbean cuisine showcasing regional foods.
Extensive wine list. Gazebo seating under the stars or indoor
dining in a romantic gingerbread cottage. Serving dinner from
6 PM nightly. Reservations required. Native cuisine night on
Tuesday with live music.
Greenbean — Harbour Town at Turtle Cove. Tel: 941-2233.
Internet café, coffee, salads, wraps, pizza, sandwiches, fresh
bakery. Open daily 7 AM to 6 PM.
The Grill — Grace Bay Club. Tel: 946-5050. Al fresco bistro.
Diverse menu. Fun cocktails. Open 7 AM to 9:30 PM daily.
Hemingways on the Beach — The Sands at Grace Bay. Tel:
941-8408. Casual beachfront bar and restaurant. Fresh fish,
pasta, sandwiches, salads and tropical drinks by the pool.
Oceanfront deck for great sunsets! Open 8 AM to 10 PM daily.
Hole in the Wall Restaurant & Bar — Williams Plaza, Old
Airport Road. Tel: 941-4136. Authentic Jamaican/Island cuisine
where the locals go for jerk chicken. Full bar. Indoor A/C dining
or outdoors on the deck. Open 7 days from 8 AM. Cash only.
Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar — Grace Bay Club. Tel: 946-
5050. Elegant beachfront dining for lunch and dinner. Gourmet
Euro/Caribbean cuisine; fine wines. Full bar and lounge.
Reservations required.
Island Boochery — Le Petite Plaza. Tel: 348-7027. Vegan
lifestyle kitchen, offering fresh, organic, raw, vegan, gourmet.
Open daily 10 AM to 6 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM.
Island Conch Bar & Grill — Bight Cultural Market. Tel: 946-
8389. Caribbean and local cuisine. Open daily 11 AM to 9 PM.
Island Scoop — Grace Bay Plaza. Tel: 242-8511/243-5051.
21 flavors of ice cream made locally. Cones, smoothies, blizzards
and shakes. Open daily, 11 AM to 10 PM.
The Java Bar — Graceway Gourmet. Tel: 941-5000. Gourmet
café serving fresh baked desserts, sandwiches and coffee
delights. Open 7 AM to 8 PM daily.
Jimmy’s Dive Bar — Ports of Call. Tel: 946-5282. The place for
steaks, BBQ, booze and breakfast. Open daily, 7 AM to 11 PM,
(Thursday to Saturday to Midnight); open Sunday at 8 AM.
Kalooki’s Beach Restaurant & Bar — Blue Hills. Tel:
941-8388. Caribbean-infused dishes in an oasis-like setting
overlooking the sea. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 10 PM;
Sunday 11 AM to 7 PM. Live music every Friday!
KItchen 218 — Beach House, Lower Bight Road. Tel: 946-5800.
Caribbean cuisine with hints of French and Asian fusion and the
chef’s passion for fresh ingredients. Open 8 AM to 10 PM daily.
The Landing Bar & Kitchen — Grace Bay Road across from
Regent Village. Tel: 341-5856. Unique nautical setting for dinner
under the stars. Cocktails, fire pit. Open daily except Tuesday
5:30 PM to . . .
Las Brisas — Neptune Villas, Chalk Sound. Tel: 946-5306.
Mediterranean/Caribbean cuisine with tapas, wine and full bar.
Terrace, gazebo and inside dining overlooking Chalk Sound.
Open daily 8 AM to 10 PM. Take-out available; private parties.
Le Bouchon du Village — Regent Village. Tel: 946-5234. A
taste of Paris. Sidewalk café with sandwiches, salads, tartines,
tapas, dinner specials. Open daily 11 AM. Closed Sunday.
Le Comptoir Francais — Regent Village. Tel: 946-5234.
French deli, bakery, wine shop. Open daily.
Lemon 2 Go Coffee — Ventura House, Grace Bay Road. Tel:
941-4069. Gourmet coffeehouse. Sandwiches, muffins, cookies,
croissants, yogurt, salads. Open Monday to Saturday 7:30 AM to
7 PM, Sunday 9 AM to 1 PM.
The Lounge — Grace Bay Club. Tel: 946-5050. Decidedly hip
lounge. Caribbean-infused tapas, martinis, tropical cocktails,
world music and the finest sunset location in Providenciales.
Lupo — Regent Village. Tel: 431-5876. Authentic Italian “comfort
food.” Regional wine list. Dine in or take out ready-made
gourmet meals. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Magnolia Restaurant & Wine Bar — Miramar Resort. Tel:
941-5108. International cuisine with island flavors, north shore
views. Open for dinner from 6 to 9:30 PM except Monday. Wine
bar opens at 4 PM.
Mango Reef — Turtle Cove. Tel: 946-8200. Fresh local flavors
and seafood, homemade desserts. Open daily 8 AM to 10 PM.
Set price dinner on weekdays. Waterside deck, indoor or patio
dining. Tie-up to dock at Turtle Cove Marina.
Market Café — Blue Haven Resort. Tel: 946-9900. Gourmet
coffees, teas, frozen drinks; fresh breads and pastries; grab ‘n’
go salads, sandwiches, smoothies. Open daily 7 AM to 8 PM.
Melt Ice Cream Parlour — Regent Village. Tel: 432-1234.
Carefully crafted selection of sumptous and inspired sundaes,
with coffee, champagne and cocktails for the grown-ups! Open
Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 10 PM.
Mis Amigos Cocina Mexicana — Central Square. Tel: 946-
4229. A variety of traditional Mexican fare, including salads and
the best margaritas in town. Open daily.
Mother’s Pizza — Downtown Times Square. Tel: 941-4142.
Best pizza in the Turks & Caicos, available by the slice or the
island’s biggest “large.” Open daily 11 AM to 9 PM; to 10 PM on
Friday and Saturday; Noon to 8 PM on Sunday.
Mr. Groupers — Lower Bight and Airport Road. Tel: 242-6780.
Serving fresh local seafood straight from the sea. Open daily 10
AM to 10:30 PM, Sunday 3 to 11 PM.
Opus — Ocean Club Plaza. Tel: 946-5885. Wine • Bar • Grill
International menu with Caribbean flair. Wine tastings. Serving
dinner nightly 6 to 10:30 PM. Closed Monday. Indoor/outdoor
dining. Conference facility, events, catering.
Parallel23 — The Palms. Tel: 946-8666. Pan-tropical cuisine in
a setting of casual elegance. Boutique wine list. Al fresco or private
dining room available. Open for breakfast and dinner daily.
The Patty Place — Behind Shining Stars; Le Petit Place, Blue
Hills. Tel: 246-9000. Authentic Jamaican patties and loaves. 18
flavors of Devon House ice cream. Open daily 9:30 AM to 10 PM.
Pavilion — The Somerset. Tel: 339-5900. Chef Brad offers a
global palate, interpreted locally. Seafood raw bar. Open daily
for breakfast, lunch, dinner; Sunday Prime Rib special.
Pelican Bay Restaurant & Bar — Royal West Indies Resort.
Tel: 941-2365/431-9103. Poolside restaurant and bar with
Caribbean, French and Asian fare. Breakfast, lunch, dinner daily
from 7:30 AM to 10 PM. Special events each week.
Pepper Town Café — Digicel Cinema, #4. Tel: 246-9237.
Native and Caribbean Dishes. Open daily except Sunday 11:30
AM to 7 PM. Island breakfast on Saturday at 7 AM.
Pizza Pizza — Grace Bay Plaza/Cinema Plaza. Tel: 941-
8010/941-3577. New York style specialty pizzas. Open daily
11:30 AM to 9:30 PM, weekends until 10 PM. Free delivery.
Rickie’s Flamingo Café — Between Ocean Club and Club Med.
Tel: 244-3231. Local fare and atmosphere right on the beach.
Best grouper sandwich and rum punch! Don’t miss Curry Fridays
and Beach BBQ Saturdays.
Sailing Paradise — Blue Hills. Tel: 344-1914. Casual beachfront
restaurant and bar. Caribbean fare. Open daily 7 AM to 11
PM. Sunday brunch and beach party, daily happy hour.
88 www.timespub.tc

Salt Bar & Grill — Blue Haven Resort & Marina. Tel: 946-9900.
Casual dining with outdoor seating overlooking the marina.
Sandwiches, burgers and salads, classic bar favorites with local
flair. Open daily from 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM.
Seaside Café — Ocean Club West. Tel: 946-5254. Casual fare,
burgers, salads, tropical drinks, served with panoramic views of
the ocean. Open daily from 8 AM to 10 PM. Kid-friendly.
Seven — Seven Stars Resort. Tel: 339-7777. Elevated contemporary
cuisine fused with TCI tradition. Open Monday to Saturday,
5:30 to 9:30 PM.
72West — The Palms Resort. Tel: 946-8666. Beachside dining
with a family-friendly, Caribbean-inspired menu. Serving lunch
daily; dinner seasonally.
Sharkbite Bar & Grill — Admiral’s Club at Turtle Cove. Tel:
941-5090. Varied menu; casual dining. Sports bar/game room
with slots. Open daily from 11 AM to 2 AM.
Shay Café — Le Vele Plaza. Tel: 331-6349. Offering organic
coffees, teas, sandwiches, salads, soup, pastries, gelato, sorbetto,
smoothies, beer and wine. Open daily 7 AM to 7 PM.
Simone’s Bar & Grill — La Vista Azul. Tel: 331-3031. Serving
fresh seafood and local cuisine. Open daily 11 AM to 11 PM;
weekends 7 AM to 11 PM. Popular bar!
Solana! on Grace Bay Beach — Ocean Club West. Tel: 946-
5254. The Grill Deck menu from sushi to burgers. Bar & Lounge
curated cocktail list and tapas. Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar to
engage directly with the chefs. Open daily 7:30 AM to 10 PM.
Somewhere Café & Lounge — Coral Gardens Resort. Tel:
941-8260. Casual dining with Tex-Mex flair right on the beach.
Cocktails, beers, specialty drinks. Open early to late daily.
Stelle — Gansevoort Turks + Caicos. Tel: 232-4444. Modern
Mediterranean cuisine featuring fresh fish and seafood. Open 6
to 10 PM daily, until 2 AM on Friday with DJ.
Sui-Ren — The Shore Club. Tel: 339-8000. Inspired flavors of
Peruvian-Japanese fusion cuisine with fresh seafood and organic
produce in a unique setting. Open daily.
Thai Orchid — The Regent Village. Tel: 946-4491. Authentic
Thai cuisine; over 60 choices! Dine in or carry out. Open for
lunch and dinner daily.
Three Brothers Restaurant — Town Center Mall, Downtown.
Tel: 232-4736. Seafood and native cuisine. Tuesday night buffet
dinner. Catering services. Open daily, 7 AM to 10 PM.
Three Queens Bar & Restaurant — Wheeland. Tel: 243-
5343. Oldest bar on Provo, serving Jamaican and Native dishes.
Serving lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday.
Tiki Hut Island Eatery — Dockside at Turtle Cove Inn. Tel:
941-5341. Imaginative sandwiches, salads, seafood, Black
Angus beef, pasta, pizzas, fresh fish. Open daily 11 AM to 10
PM. Breakfast on weekends.
Turkberry Frozen Yogurt — Regent Village. Tel: 431-2233.
Frozen yogurt in a variety of flavors, with a large selection of
toppings. Open 11 AM to 11 PM daily.
Turks Kebab — At Craft Market on Sand Castle Drive. Tel: 431-
9964. Turkish and Mediterranean fare. Salads, falafel, gyros,
kebabs, hummus. Open for lunch and dinner.
Via Veneto — Ports of Call. Tel: 941-2372. Authentic Italian
dining in a stylish indoor/outdoor venue. Open from 5:30 PM to
late. Closed Thursday. Saturday is Pizza Night!
The Vix Bar & Grill — Regent Village. Tel: 941-4144. Highend,
island-inspired world cuisine, fine wines. Open daily for
breakfast, lunch and dinner. Available for meetings.
Yoshi’s Sushi & Grill — The Saltmills. Tel: 941-3374/431-
0012. Sushi bar menu plus Japanese cuisine. Open daily Noon
to 3 PM; 6 to 10 PM. Closed Sunday. Dine indoors or out. Carry
out available.
Zanzi Bar & Tapas Restaurant — Leeward Highway. Tel: 342-
2472. Sophistication meets class at the new tapas eatery and
entertainment venue overlooking Grace Bay.
Zest! — Gansevoort Turks + Caicos. Tel: 232-4444. Lunch and
dinner beachfront. Taste of the Caribbean and Americas. Open
daily Noon to 5 PM; 6 to 9 PM. a
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Times Publications Ltd., c/o Kathy Borsuk,
247 Holmes Ave., Clarendon Hills, IL 60514
Please allow 30 to 60 days for delivery of first issue.
Times of the Islands Spring 2017 89

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GBC2017_Layout 1 2/16/17 9:10 AM Page 1
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