Times of the Islands Fall 2023
Presents the "soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands" with in-depth features about local people, culture, history, environment, real estate, businesses, resorts, restaurants and activities.
Presents the "soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands" with in-depth features about local people, culture, history, environment, real estate, businesses, resorts, restaurants and activities.
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hermit crabs in a pair made <strong>of</strong> russet-coloured cotton<br />
knit.<br />
Then it was Ginny Cowles. Ginny had once flown Louis<br />
Leakey, <strong>the</strong> renowned anthropologist and archaeologist,<br />
around Kenya one summer. Now she and her husband Bill<br />
owned and ran <strong>the</strong> Meridian Club on Pine Cay. She came<br />
to <strong>the</strong> door one day, also with pants, <strong>of</strong> durable taupe-coloured<br />
cotton. She’d bought <strong>the</strong>m from a catalogue and<br />
<strong>the</strong>y were several sizes too big for her. Could I fix <strong>the</strong>m,<br />
she asked. I was dubious about cutting <strong>the</strong>m to fit, but<br />
she said she didn’t care if <strong>the</strong>y were unwearable after I’d<br />
tried my best, as she couldn’t wear <strong>the</strong>m anyway. Okay!<br />
Scissors in hand, I cut and cut and cut. Then sewed everything<br />
back toge<strong>the</strong>r. Amazingly, <strong>the</strong>y looked like pants<br />
and, more amazingly, <strong>the</strong>y fit. How much, Ginny asked.<br />
Five dollars, I said. Oh, charge me more than that, she<br />
said. No, no, I said, that’s <strong>the</strong> hourly wage here. So, we<br />
settled on five and grinned.<br />
A few years later, circumstances dictated that I leave<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Islands</strong>—by far <strong>the</strong> most difficult departure <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
I gave <strong>the</strong> treadle to Alexander Grant, a young man who<br />
worked on Pine Cay during <strong>the</strong> week but lived in Sandy<br />
Point on North Caicos. Now Pastor Grant, forty years ago<br />
he wanted <strong>the</strong> sewing machine for his wife Nella and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
three growing children. Sturdy and dependable as those<br />
Singer treadles were, Nella used <strong>the</strong> sewing machine for<br />
straw work for many years, and it still resides with <strong>the</strong><br />
Grant family in Sandy Point, where it belongs. a<br />
Thank you to Charles Delancey for Sandy Point updates.<br />
Thank you, all <strong>the</strong>se years later, to Chuck Hesse for <strong>the</strong><br />
house.<br />
Chuck Hesse comments: “I lived, as a local, from 1974–75<br />
in South Caicos. I became aware that many pre-centralpower<br />
items were being stocked at TIMCO on Grand Turk.<br />
My house design on Pine Cay was an undertaking to live<br />
on a remote piece <strong>of</strong> property, making use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> kerosene<br />
refrigerator and freezer as well as <strong>the</strong> “wobble” hand<br />
water pump available through TIMCO. I added a 12-volt<br />
wind generator, VHF radio, and car tape player. For bathing,<br />
I added a passive solar hot water heater and cattle<br />
trough tank for gravity water pressure, and sunk my tub<br />
into <strong>the</strong> floor to assure better shower water pressure.<br />
Along with a small skiff and hand spear, I knew what<br />
happiness was about. I thought my home incorporated<br />
all that local residents saw as normal with just a few<br />
more creature comforts—a lifestyle Diane seemed to find<br />
uniquely memorable.”<br />
<strong>Times</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islands</strong> <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 21