Times of the Islands Spring 2018

TIMES 

OF THE 

SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS SPRING 2018 NO. 122 

ISLANDS 

BACK TO THE BASICS 

Wellness in TCI is nothing new 

A STRONG COMEBACK 

Ecotourism in South Caicos 

HANG TIGHT 

Solar panels in hurricanes

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contents 

Departments 

6 From the Editor 

13 Looking Back 

Hard Work Brings Success: 

Charles Hubert James 

By Hope Hamilton-James & Carlton Mills 

17 Macaw-very 

By Jody Rathgeb ~ Photo By Tom Rathgeb 

67 Faces & Places 

Swim & Surf TCI Fundraiser 

By Claire Parrish ~ Photos By Sandra Shaw 

68 Food for Thought 

Eating with Purpose: The Retreat Kitchen 

By Kathy Borsuk ~ Photos By Manisha Tolani 

73 Crossing Africa 

The Journey Ends! 

By Claire Parrish ~ Photos By Mario Rigby 

76 About the Islands/TCI Map 

81 Where to Stay 

83 Dining Out 

85 Subscription Form 

86 Classified Ads 

Features 

18 Mirages Come to Life 

Story & Photos By B Naqqi Manco 

34 A Strong Comeback 

By Don Stark & Kathleen McNary-Wood 

Photos By Kathleen McNary-Wood 

42 Back to Basics 

Finding Wellness in TCI 

By Ben Stubenberg 

52 Hang Tight 

Can Solar Panels Survive Hurricanes? 

By Paul Chaplin & Kathy Borsuk 

Green Pages 

24 Piping Plover Persevere 

By Eric F. Salamanca, Elise Elliot-Smith, 

Caleb Spiegel, Jen Rock, Beth MacDonald, 

Kathleen McNary-Wood, B Naqqi Manco, 

Katharine Hart and Nicole Caesar 

Photos By Eric F. Salamanca 

28 Caicos Pine Poetry Competition Winners 

31 Tracking Those Teens! 

By Katharine Hart & Dr. Peter Richardson 

Astrolabe 

58 Passing the Baton 

By Pat Saxton 

TIMES 

OF THE 

ISLANDS 

SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS SPRING 2018 NO. 122 

On the Cover 

Chrystel Loyer Kendrew captured the detail of 

this unfolding Agave plant. Through Chrystallize 

Photography, she offers fine art photography depicting 

the natural beauty of the Islands, often using close-ups 

to highlight patterns, colors or textures. Her work can 

be seen in private villas, resorts and restaurants and 

she offers customised wall art. For more, visit 

www.chrystallize.com. 

Instagram:chrystallizephotgraphy 

31 

60 Window to the Past 

The Legacy of Emily Kersteiner 

By Emily Malcolm 

64 A Homecoming of Sorts 

By Dr. Michael Pateman 

PETER RICHARDSON–MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY 

4 www.timespub.tc

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Bernadette delights in working in the real 

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from the editor 

MARTA MORTON—WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.COM 

This sea island cotton plant in bloom this spring has been 

growing on the Islands since the days of cotton plantations in 

the late 1700s! 

Whatever is Lovely . . . 

Just looking at the many spectacular photos of God’s handiwork in this issue is helping to lift a burden of anxiety 

off my shoulders. They remind me that we haven’t destroyed the planet (yet), that rebirth and restoration are possible 

after hurricanes, and that I am (still) blessed to live in this beautiful environment. 

I chuckled when I read Ben Stubenberg’s thesis that current “wellness” trends mimic life in TCI’s outer islands 

of North, Middle and South Caicos, and Salt Cay. Everything old is new again! All that walking through the bush and 

toting water from the wells; rising to the crow of the rooster; eating ground food picked fresh from the fields; conch 

and fish the staple protein; early evenings in bed when the sun went down; sharing and caring between households; 

church all day Sunday and Wednesday night; prayer a daily ritual. Turns out the old ways were the best ways. Easy 

does it is the way to go. How thankful I am for enjoying 25 years immersed in a culture based on those tenets! 

Immerse yourself in this issue and soak in TCI’s beauty and wonder. And for those who are residents or frequent 

visitors, ask yourself how you can find a way to combine a way of wellness for yourself and your family with the means 

towards protecting and keeping the world, place, community, and people you call home. 

6 www.timespub.tc 

Kathy Borsuk, Editor 

timespub@tciway.tc • (649) 946-4788

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PG advert_Layout 1 5/10/17 9:10 AM Page 1 

TIMES 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Kathy Borsuk 

OF THE 

ISLANDS 

ADVERTISING MANAGER 

Claire Parrish 

“Escape to the extraordinary.” 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Amy Avenant, Kathy Borsuk, Nichole Caesar, Paul Chaplin, 

Elise Elliot-Smith, Katharine Hart, Hope James-Hamilton, 

Beth MacDonald, Emily Malcolm, B Naqqi Manco, 

Kathleen McNary Wood, Carlton Mills, Claire Parrish, 

Michael Pateman, Jody Rathgeb, Peter Richardson, 

Jen Rock, Eric F. Salamanca, Pat Saxton, Caleb Spiegel, 

Don Stark, Ben Stubenberg. 

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS 

Paul Chaplin, Christopher Davis, FortisTCI, Katharine Hart, 

Heidi Hertler, iStock, Hope James-Hamilton, 

Chrystel Loyer Kendrew–Chrystallize Photography, 

B Naqqi Manco, Kathleen McNary Wood, Marta Morton, 

Jon Nickson–eyeSpice Photography, Martin Pepper, 

Annie Potts, Jody Rathgeb, Tom Rathgeb, Peter Richardson, 

Mario Rigby, Eric F. Salamanca, Neil Saxton, 

Pat Saxton, Sandra Shaw, Manisha Tolani, 

Jackie Walker, Candianne Williams. 

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS 

Wavey Line Publishing 

PRINTING 

southeastern, Hialeah, FL 

Times of the Islands ISSN 1017-6853 is 

published quarterly by Times Publications Ltd. 

Copyright © 2018 by Times Publications Ltd. All rights reserved 

under Universal and Pan American Copyright Conventions. 

No part of this publication may be 

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Submissions We welcome submission of articles or photography, but 

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While every care has been taken in the compilation and reproduction of 

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subject to change without notice. The publisher accepts no 

responsibility for such alterations or for typographical or other errors. 

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12 www.timespub.tc

looking back 

PHOTO COURTESY HOPE JAMES-HAMILTON 

North Caicos native Charles Hubert James was devoted and passionate about education—values 

reflected in the long and meaningful life he lived. 

Hard Work Brings Success 

Charles Hubert James. 

By Hope James-Hamilton and Carlton Mills 

Charles Hubert James was born in Bottle Creek, North Caicos on July 4, 1916 to Nathaniel and Isabella 

James. His parents were hard-working, strong disciplinarians, loving and caring. “Hubert” came from a 

humble beginning. He knew what it was to go without shoes as he walked the dusty roads of Bottle Creek. 

He grew up in the area that is called Richmond, a farming area, and developed a touch for plants. He took 

pride in keeping his kitchen garden where he grew foods for consumption. 

Times of the Islands Spring 2018 13

B NAQQI MANCO 

The Charles Hubert James Primary School in Kew, North Caicos bears the motto of its namesake, “Hard work brings success.” 

Education 

Hubert attended the Bottle Creek All Age School (now 

Adelaide Omeler Primary School). He was tutored by Ms. 

Albertha Seymour, a lady who was very influential in his 

life and eventually encouraged him to go into teaching. 

She detected that he had exceptional qualities which 

should not be left to chance and saw the need for him to 

pursue this calling. She recommended that he attend the 

Grand Turk High School (now Helena J. Robinson High 

School) under Principal Mr. C. E. Crawford. 

This was a challenge for Hubert. Being a poor boy 

from North Caicos, going to high school in Grand Turk was 

a privilege, as very few parents from the Caicos Islands 

had the financial resources to sustain their children in 

Grand Turk. Hubert also had to follow in the footsteps 

of the late Raymond Gardiner who was also from Bottle 

Creek and who had recently completed his high school 

education in Grand Turk. Raymond had performed most 

outstandingly, so a lot was expected of Hubert. 

This was not his only challenge. Shortly after starting 

high school, it was discovered that he had problems deciphering 

information from the chalkboard. He only spent 

one year in high school as his sight began to deteriorate. 

He was eventually sent to Nassau, Bahamas where he was 

fitted with glasses. This was the solution to his problem. 

Teaching career 

Following his return from Nassau, Hubert took up 

the post of assistant teacher at the Adelaide Omeler 

Primary School. In July 1944, on the recommendation 

of Ms. Seymour, he was appointed as head teacher at 

the Blue Hills School (the only school at the time on 

Providenciales). This new position brought a new set 

of challenges, including overcrowding, delinquency, 

truancy and under-staffing. He believed that to run an 

effective and efficient organization, these challenges 

needed immediate attention. He was very outspoken to 

the extent that he was labelled as “a thorn in the flesh of 

the authorities.” This did not discourage or deter him. He 

could be seen walking the beach and going through the 

communities of Providenciales looking for his students 

when they did not attend school. This inspired him to 

develop a good rapport with parents, and the situation 

started to improve. His concern was the welfare of his 

students. 

The year 1945 was a turning point in his career. He 

was appointed as head teacher at the Kew Primary School, 

a position he was reluctant to accept for being too abrupt. 

What further impacted his move was the onslaught of 

the 1945 hurricane which claimed the lives of 45 men at 

sea. This hurricane reaped havoc in Providenciales not 

14 www.timespub.tc

only killing people, but destroying homes and many of 

the fishing boats, having a major impact on the island’s 

economy. 

The government continued to insist that he be transferred 

to Kew and it eventually took place in July 1947. 

The Kew Primary School served the North Caicos communities 

of Kew, Whitby and Sandy Point. Based on his 

experience of involving parents and the community, he 

was quick to foster the same kind of relationships, gaining 

the respect and trust of members of the community. 

The spirit of the man 

Hubert was not only a teacher but also a community 

activist. Following the 1945 hurricane, he spent much 

time helping the people of Providenciales rebuild their 

lives, leading the relief effort. Even though he was head 

teacher with responsibility for the school, he served multiple 

roles such as Justice of the Peace and Chairman of 

the District Board. As board chairman, he was the key 

link between the government and the community. He and 

his board members were responsible for determining the 

needs of the community and representing these needs to 

the government. 

In 1960, while still in Kew, North Caicos, disaster 

struck again. Hurricane Donna struck the island levelling 

homes and dumping inches of rain resulting in severe 

flooding. Mr. James’s recovery skills were once again 

called into action. He was so concerned about the welfare 

of the people that he overworked himself, 

Juan Martinez Fall 15 sixth_Layout 1 5/27/16 11:58 AM Page 1 

falling 

ill and having to take a three-month respite. Despite his 

health challenges, when Governor Kenneth Blackbourne 

of Jamaica (with responsibility for the Turks & Caicos 

Islands) came to visit, it did not prevent Hubert from writing 

an enlightening song called “Hurricane Donna” and 

training the children to sing it during the visit. 

Reflections 

In July 1969, after serving some 25 years at the Kew 

Primary School and a total of 37 years in education, 

Hubert decided to retire. He continued teaching children 

privately, writing wills for people, settling disputes 

between family members, assisting persons with the 

administration of their properties and sitting on various 

boards. 

In 1972, he was one of the leading voices, along with 

Ms. Omeler and Ms. Jessie Campbell (two former head 

teachers in North Caicos, now deceased), agitating for a 

high school on North Caicos. They knew what children 

from North Caicos who attended the high school on 

PHONE: 

2 4 1 . 3 2 9 7 

2 4 4 . 9 0 9 0 

3 4 4 . 9 4 0 3 

2 4 4 . 6 1 9 1 

SOUTH DOCK 

ROAD, PROVO 


Grand Turk experienced. They felt that it was time for 

North Caicos to have their own high school where children 

could be close to their parents. The trio went about 

gathering signatures from the community. Their efforts 

were not in vain. One year later, in September 1973, the 

North Caicos Junior High School opened its doors to 99 

students and 3 teachers, with Hubert’s daughter Hope 

James-Hamilton as the first principal. The school was 

later named after Raymond Gardiner and became a fullfledged 

high school a few years later. 

Mr. James was a loving, caring and kind man. He 

was devoted and passionate about education. As a headmaster, 

he had the distinct honour of meeting several 

administrators and commissioners of the Islands. He 

also served as Returning Officer in three general elections 

and was appointed to various government boards. 

He was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 1956 and 

reappointed in 1970. In July 1966, he was awarded The 

Queen’s Badge of Honour which was personally bestowed 

on him by Her Majesty during Her visit to the Islands. In 

1974, he was awarded The Member of the British Empire 

(MBE). 

In 1984, the Kew Primary School was re-named in 

his honour as the Charles Hubert James Primary School. 

Just before his death on August 18, 1997, in June he 

received an accolade from the Providenciales Native 

Men’s Fellowship for his outstanding work. 

Mr. James also composed a number of songs for the 

children in Kew, including “Welcome to Kew,” “He Thinks 

of Me,” “Sweetly Sings the Donkey,” “Buy the Conch News” 

and “The Pelican.” 

Charles Hubert James was a patriot who dedicated 

his life to TCI’s education system. He was not afraid to 

speak his mind as he represented the interest of those 

who were voiceless. He was a true example of a man who 

cared about the welfare of his students, who he served 

with dignity and pride. His life is a tribute to one of the 

lines of the TCI’s National Song: “Our Allegiance Turks & 

Caicos we pledge and we affirm.” He certainly pledged his 

allegiance to making the Turks & Caicos Islands a better 

place. a 

display ads . . . 

are an inexpensive way to reach 

Times of the Islands readers, in the Turks & Caicos 

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email tfadvert@tciway.tc 

Dr. Carlton Mills has served as principal of the Marjorie 

Basden High School, Raymond Gardiner High School, and 

deputy principal of the TCI Community College. In 2015, 

he became principal of Long Bay High School. With his 

wife Debby-Lee, they own and operate the Mills Institute. 

Dr. Mills is author of A History of the Turks & Caicos 

Islands. 

16 www.timespub.tc

Macaw-very 

By Jody Rathgeb 

Photo By Tom Rathgeb 

Here’s a hurricane recovery story of a 

different colour: specifically, the reds 

and blue-greens of a Green Wing Macaw 

living on North Caicos. 

The bird, named Papi, was among 

several featured in an article in the 

Summer 2017 Times of the Islands. At 

that time, his caretakers, Howie Bartels 

and Patti Deslauriers of Major Hill, had 

encouraged him to fly free, and he 

became a bright spot in the neighbourhood, 

spotted on trees here and there 

but always coming home for meals and 

treats. Then came Hurricane Irma. 

Like everyone else, Howie was busy 

making preparations (Patti was visiting 

relatives in the United States). Among 

his many jobs was trying to capture 

Papi to keep him safe. For three days 

before the storm, Howie tried to nab 

the wary bird, who didn’t understand 

the need to be in a cage again. But with 

Irma bearing down, the attempts eventually 

had to be abandoned. 

After the storm, Howie went looking 

for the lost bird. A tip from a 

neighbor took him to another neighbour’s 

yard and one of Papi’s favorite 

trees for perching. “The tree was blown 

down, and Papi was lying on the 

ground,” Howie relates. “I thought he was dead. But 

when I picked him up, he moaned.” Howie took him 

home and put him in a waiting cage. “He climbed to the 

top of the cage and hung upside down for two days. 

His lungs were full of water, and he knew what to do to 

drain them.” 

When Papi finally started drinking water again, 

Howie began giving him antibiotics, and as the macaw 

improved he was put in the flight aviary for exercise. 

Several months later he was fully recovered, though 

not yet flying free again. There was, however, a new 

development in Papi’s life: love. 

“Papi decided he wanted to nest,” Howie says. “I 

Pre-hurricanes, Papi perches solo outside of his caretakers’ home in Major Hill, North 

Caicos. Post-hurricane, he/she now has a close pal. 

couldn’t keep him out of the chicken box!” Howie 

began to suspect that Papi might be a female and built 

him/her a nesting box. “And all of a sudden he and Oro 

(a blue and gold macaw) were an item.” The two birds 

have become inseparable, preening each other and 

defending the new box. Howie says he doesn’t know 

if Papi is a female, or if she is too old for egg-laying, 

but notes that there is definitely something hormonal 

going on. 

In mythology, the phoenix is a bird that rises again 

from its own ashes when burnt. On North Caicos, Papi 

gave a twist to the story of the phoenix, recovering 

from a near-drowning by hurricane to find a new love 

in and of life. a 


feature 

Opposite page: The eggs of giant waterbugs (Belostomatidae), affixed to a stem, hatched when this ephemeral pond filled in December. 

Above: Locally called “down” (often pronounced “dawn”) due to its seed fluff having been used to stuff pillows, Dominican cattails Typha 

domingensis are also harvested to make baskets and mats. Tattyland Down Pond in North Caicos is abundant in stands of this plant, sometimes 

growing three metres high. 

Walking over the cracked, hardened mud of the flat salinas of the Caicos Islands at the height of the dry 

season, it is hard to imagine any presence of sweet, fresh water nearby. Even in the cooler parts of the 

year, the sun burns down without interruption; there is no shade on the salina. A few mangroves and 

buttonwoods grow contorted, often horizontal and prostrate, hundreds of years old but only inches tall. 

The harsh sea air wisps through them, gusting in salty jets as the baked mud below reflects the sunlight 

in its array of saline crystals. 

Mirages Come to Life 

Ephemeral wetlands of the Turks & Caicos Islands 

Story & Photos By B Naqqi Manco, TCI Naturalist 


Even when rain does fall here, it will only quench the 

thirst of the salt enough to allow halophytic plants to 

grow. They hoard salty water in their succulent tissues 

and only grow inches high because of the energy they 

spend on extracting fresh water from the brine. For such 

small islands, the flatness seems to go on forever—but 

there looks to be relief in sight. Just below the horizon, 

a pool of inviting blue lays on the parched land. But the 

visible heat haze from the land around the pool belies its 

farce. That pool is a mirage, the bending of light waves 

that produce an optical illusion of blue where there is 

none. 

But just a bit further north, behind the first ridge, one 

can sometimes find a genuine oasis—deep, still pools of 

fresh water reflecting the sky and bringing forth life. But 

only sometimes, because these wetlands are temporary. 

Low areas filled with silt collect rainwater in the months 

following hurricane season, and the saturated, spongy 

limestone below allows the ponds to stay full. 

Life moves in. Eggs of crustaceans and insects and 

even fish left in the mud begin to hatch. Seeds and rootstocks 

grow. Sedges and ferns sprout, grasses grow 

drunkenly tall, falling lax into the pond at its edges, 

spreading just below the surface. Dominican cattails 

Typha domingensis spear skyward and push their runners 

aggressively through the mud, quickly filling shallow 

corners. Fog-fruit creeper Phyla nodiflora releases its formerly 

desperate hold on the pond bottom and doesn’t 

mind swimming around. Guadalupe water-nymph Najas 

guadalupensis sprouts, able to exist supported by deep 

water. Normally stiff hatpin sedge Eleocharis bahamensis, 

endemic to the Turks & Caicos Islands, becomes a 

lax mat of green hair-grass. Inundated bur-head sword 

Echinodorus berteroi plants transform their leaves from 

standing spade shapes to ruffled, flowing blades of kelp. 

Big-top palm Sabal palmetto and West Indian mahogany 

Swietenia mahagoni tangle with buttonwood Conocarpus 

erectus at the ponds’ edges, content with wet feet. Many 

of these plants are useful to people, who extract thatch 

for roofs, basketry straw, lumber and even pillow stuffing 

from these aquatic gardens. 

Among the aquatic plants, animals swim and feed. 

Clam shrimp, bumping along resembling oblong opal 

lockets, speed through their entire life cycle in just 16 

days—one doesn’t know how long the water will remain. 

Water fleas and copeopods jerk through the water, sometimes 

clouding it with their numbers. Maligned as they 

are, mosquito larvae dwell here, but are decidedly few 

compared to smaller puddles and water collecting in 

From top: Green and silver buttonwood trees Conocarpus erectus 

flank deeper pools where aquatic plants grow. 

A mat of hair-like hatpin sedge Eleocharis bahamensis, found only in 

the Turks & Caicos Islands, grows in the tea-stained water with algae 

and other plants. 

20 www.timespub.tc

This elegant, plume-gilled damselfly larva hunt the mosquito larvae and other aquatic animals amongst the immersed foliage. 

human-related debris—in this pond 

world, mosquito larvae are on nearly 

everything’s menu. Elegant, plumegilled 

larvae of damselflies and stout, 

deliberate larvae of dragonflies carefully 

hunt the mosquito larvae and 

other aquatic animals amongst the 

immersed foliage. As soon as they 

emerge as adults, they flit about, 

consuming adult mosquitoes, and 

laying sinking eggs back into the 

water. Mayfly larvae with frilly gills 

flashing develop quickly into adults 

which have precisely 24 hours to find 

a mate and lay eggs before their natural 

lifespan expires. 

Miniature snails, with flat, coiled 

shells looking like Middle Caicos 

fanner-grass baskets, drag themselves 

through the underwater 

forest. Inch-long fairy shrimp, with 

sky-blue bodies and orange tails, 

jet about looking far more impressive 

than their cousins sold as pets 

claiming to be monkeys from the sea. 

Caddisfly larvae haul their handmade 

junk-collector shells along with them, 

simultaneous experts in camouflage 

and compulsive hoarding. Cartoonish 

and bumbling, fat water mites pad- 

Clockwise from top left: Miniature snails with flat, coiled shells drag themselves through the 

underwater forest. 

The opaline pattern of the 1/4 inch-long clam shrimp, which live their entire life cycle in 16 

days, is visible through the transparent clasping shell that gives them their name. 

A small brown diving beetle clasps an air bubble under its modified forewings–a scuba diver 

millennia before humans. 

A young giant waterbug, or “toe-biter,” clasps a clam shrimp in its namesake pincerlike forelegs, 

while sucking out the shrimp’s innards through a piercing straw. 

dle furiously with tiny spider legs pulling along a perfectly spherical body 

far too big for them—and yet, they’re predators, terrifying to water fleas. 

Backswimmer bugs paddle in fits and starts with their pair of oar-like legs. 

Busy diving beetles and their dragon-like larvae prowl for smaller swimmers 


The still, reflective surface of these dark-water ponds often mirrors the overcast sky of the months after hurricane season. 

From left: Green herons frequent the freshwater pools in search of insects and fish. Red, fine-leaved water-nymph Najas guadalupensis is a 

true aquatic plant that is supported by the water. It disappears completely in the dry season, leaving behind only seeds. 

while young giant waterbugs, aptly nicknamed toe-biters 

or water-scorpions, grab their prey with forelegs modified 

into spiky calipers, and pierce them to feed with a decidedly 

unpleasant beak. 

On the water surface, drowning flies are collected by 

skating water striders and whirligig beetles spiraling like 

obsidian bumper cars. Hunting through are schools of 

sheepshead minnows, males flashing vibrant iridescent 

blue to attract mates and warn rivals. They want their 

territories to be full of eggs, deep in the mud, that will 

survive until the next post-hurricane rains. 

Where once stood a dry, low, meadow dotted with 

crinkly grass and stout weeds, waterfowl and seabirds 

forage. They have come inland for this bounty, the herons 

and egrets as well as the sandpipers, plovers and gulls. 

Ducks check stock and feed, jumping to the next pud- 

22 www.timespub.tc

Ferry Fall 17_Layout 1 8/22/17 12:52 PM Page 1 

dle—white-cheeked pintails with short bursts of flight, 

West Indian whistling ducks with deliberate overland 

hikes. Grebes and gallinules build their floating nests, 

giving their constantly-hungry young a bounty of subaquatic 

invertebrate protein. Walking along the edge of 

the ponds, diverse alarm calls can be heard clamoring to 

one another: the throat-clearing croak of night herons, 

the gruff squeal of green herons, the multisyllabic whistles 

of yellowlegs and willets, and the metallic hoots of 

black-necked stilts. They have all come to hunt in the still, 

settled water. 

Stained by fallen leaves and dead wood, the water 

begins to take on the hue of Earl Grey tea, preventing 

algae from taking over. The still surface becomes perfectly 

reflective. Surrounding trees’ images frame the 

clouds, mirrored sharply on the water. 

As the cooler weather sets in, conditions get dryer. 

By February and March, the water is nearly gone. By May, 

the ponds will look no wetter than the salina, and the 

real mirage of water will have disappeared. The grebes 

and ducks will have moved on, the dragonflies and damselflies 

fledged and left behind eggs, the waterbugs 

affixed their progeny to plant stems. The plants will have 

replaced their lax leaves with practical, leathery blades, 

the water-nymph desiccated down to nothing more than 

dust. Sheepshead minnows, corralled thickly in tiny 

mud-puddles, will have been finished off by herons and 

sandpipers, their eggs secure under the mummifying 

mud. 

The dried-down pond mud is rich in nutrients, and 

weedy herbs will quickly grow up and dominate the newly 

exposed ground. Historically, some crops were even 

planted in these “garden ponds.” By the months before 

the next hurricane season, the ground will turn from 

cracked mud to baked hardpan to fine dust. Life locked 

in hibernating capsules under the desiccated silt will wait 

a year, maybe more if the weather is disagreeable, for 

the next flood of fresh water. The teeming, tea-stained, 

mirror waters will only remain a memory, a mirage, until 

then. a 

* * 

Temporary suspension PROVO NORTH 12.30pm & 1.30pm Sept 1st to Oct 31st 

* 

Resumes Nov 1st 

If you want to visit TCI’s ephemeral freshwater wetlands, 

drive along the King Road in North Caicos between Whitby 

and Bottle Creek, keeping a lookout for flashes of water 

in the bush beside the road; or hike around Kew’s oak 

bottoms. In Middle Caicos, a walk along Garden Pond 

Field-road near Lorimers will find such ponds. Be sure to 

cover up and apply repellant, as some of the most common 

citizens of the freshwater wetlands are mosquitoes! 


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 

The number of Piping Plover counted this year in the TCI 

was less than half the number counted in 2017. 

Piping Plover Persevere 

How did the hurricanes affect shorebirds of conservation concern? 

By Eric F. Salamanca*, Elise Elliot-Smith**, Caleb Spiegel***, Jen Rock‡, Beth MacDonald, 

Kathleen McNary Wood‡‡‡, B Naqqi Manco*, Katharine Hart* and Nicole Caesar* 

*Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, Turks & Caicos Islands 

**US Geological Survey , ***US Fish and Wildlife Service, 

‡Environment and Climate Change Canada, ‡‡SWA Environmental 

Photos By Dr. Eric F. Salamanca 

An international team of researchers has just completed a survey of the Turks & Caicos Islands to document 

the impacts of Hurricane Irma and Maria on the number of wintering Piping Plover (Charadrius 

melodus) and other shorebirds. A total of 62 Piping Plover was counted this year, which represents a 64% 

decline compared to last year’s count. 

All shorebirds were counted during surveys of the Islands, representing over 15 species and many 

of conservation concern. While the total shorebird count has not been tallied, overall shorebird numbers 

were much reduced compared to last year with a 75% lower count at one particularly important site. 

24 www.timespub.tc

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources 

This year Piping Plover were seen at three locations: 

a small cay off South Caicos, a cay between Middle and 

East Caicos, and the East Bay Cay off North Caicos. They 

were missing from a few spots where they had been 

observed in prior years. Many quiet cays and remote 

beaches throughout the Islands were surveyed. Secluded 

and undeveloped mudflats and sandy beaches in the 

Turks & Caicos Islands make attractive wintering areas 

for many migratory shorebirds including the Piping Plover 

and another U.S. and Canadian threatened shorebird, the 

Red Knot (Calidris canutus). 

There is still some very good wintering habitat in the 

TCI for Piping Plover, but evidence of Hurricanes Irma and 

Maria was observed during surveys of most sites, with 

erosion having reduced habitat in some areas, at least 

temporarily. Little Ambergris Cay is one place that was 

particularly hard-hit by Hurricane Irma, reduced by erosion 

and overwashing. Piping Plover had been observed 

in multiple places there during prior surveys. Although 

a very thorough survey was conducted in 2018, fewer 

shorebirds were counted compared to previous years and 

no Piping Plover were seen on Little Ambergris. 

It is still unknown exactly how the birds respond to 

hurricanes, so this type of research is extremely important. 

The massive storms which hit the Turks & Caicos 

Islands in September 2017 could have caused direct 

Piping Plover mortality and other shorebird losses. 

However, it is also possible that birds left in advance of 

the storm and birds still migrating may have been steered 

off course, causing them to winter elsewhere. Numbers of 

Piping Plover were greatly reduced in the Bahamas after 

Hurricane Matthew (E.C. Dooley 2017, J. Carey 2016). In 

combination with Bahamas research and future research 

in the Turks & Caicos Islands, it may be possible to figure 

out if declines persist long-term or if the birds only temporarily 

relocate during the year of the storms. 

Another tool to help researchers better understand 

the impacts of the storms is marking and re-sighting 

birds. In each prior survey year, uniquely marked Piping 

Plover were observed. During the 2018 surveys, 12 of the 

62 birds spotted were tagged birds, marked with individual 

coded flags. The marked birds were banded in U.S. (5) 

and Canada (7) confirming that the Turks & Caicos Islands 

is an important wintering area for these threatened and 

endangered populations. At one very small cay off South 

Caicos some of the same birds have been seen multiple 

years in a row. But some marked birds seen previously 

were not seen this year. Researchers will be looking for 

these birds during the breeding season. If they are seen 

during breeding surveys or future winter surveys in the 

TCI, that would support the hypothesis that birds relocate 

for the winter after a storm. Alternatively, if these 

marked birds are never seen again, it is possible the 

storms cause some direct mortality. 

Numerous other shorebirds were counted in the TCI during the February 2018 survey, including Black-bellied Plover, Red Knot and Shortbilled 

Dowitcher. 



An international team of researchers surveyed many of TCI’s quiet cays and remote beaches to count shorebirds, including the Piping Plover. 

Given the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on 

Piping Plover and other shorebirds and their habitat in the 

From top: An important study tree in the strongest remaining Caicos 

pine Turks population & Caicos, in Middle future Caicos research was blown is needed. over, but Launching it may survive an 

if its roots were not too badly damaged. 

A extensive Caicos pine survey sapling of at the the DECR Islands Native requires Plant Garden a lot in of Kew, international 

was planning planted and by primary support. school However, students. the Piping Plover 

North 

Caicos 

is an international species of concern and working in 

collaboration is essential to assess threats throughout 

their lifecycle and to better understand the resilience and 

recovery of this species and the habitat to hurricanes. 

Thus, researchers from the U.S. and Canada will try to 

return next year and work again with TCI researchers 

to see if the Piping Plover population in the Islands has 

recovered and if they have returned in greater numbers. 

What is a Piping Plover? 

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). 

The Piping Plover is a rare shorebird that breeds in 

the U.S. and Canada and migrates to the southern U.S., 

Caribbean and Mexico for the winter. Wintering birds 

from the U.S. and Canada spend considerable time in the 

Turks & Caicos Islands, probably due to the favourable 

climate and habitats. 

Wintering Piping Plovers prefer mudflat and sandy 

beach habitats. They are particularly attracted to areas 

with tidal flats—coastal sandy or muddy areas that are 

bare or sparsely vegetated with algae which are flooded 

at high tide but exposed by low tides. During the breeding 

season, they nest on sandy and stony coastal beaches 

and feed along beaches and nearby sand and mudflats. 

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 snatch it up. 

Conservation status 

The Piping Plover is globally threatened or endangered, 

depending on the breeding location, with fewer than 9,000 

individuals in the world. In the U.S. Great Lakes region, 

it has been listed as Endangered, and it is considered 

Threatened in the remainder of its U.S. breeding range. 

In Canada, the Piping Plover is considered Endangered. 

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. 

26 www.timespub.tc


Surveys 

In 2011, many local bird enthusiasts had reported small 

numbers (less than 5) of Piping Plover during the winter 

months, but no authoritative confirmation of the 

birds’ migration to the Turks & Caicos Islands had yet 

been made. That same year, the Bahamas was for the 

first time identified as a major wintering site for the species 

(Elliott-Smith et al. 2015, Gratto-Trevor, et al., 2016). 

Knowing this, in 2016 a group of researchers from the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service (USFWS), in cooperation with the DECR, conducted 

a preliminary survey and found 96 Piping Plovers 

in the Turks & Caicos Islands. In 2017, the same group, 

with the addition of Environment and Climate Change 

Canada (ECCC), Turks & Caicos National Trust, the U.K.’s 

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and SWA 

Environmental collaborated to conduct a similar study 

expanded to cover more areas and 174 Piping Plover 

were documented. 

Threats 

Many anthropogenic activities can negatively affect Piping 

Plover populations in wintering areas. Disturbance to 

roosting and foraging birds may be caused by vehicle 

traffic including jet-skis, airboats and all-terrain vehicles. 

Habitat may be lost or degraded by dredging activities, 

construction and installation of structures including marinas, 

roads and dwellings, oil spills and oil spill clean-up. 

Also, beach nourishment, storm water and wastewater 

discharge, stabilization and cleaning may degrade shorebird 

habitat. Predation and disturbance by introduced 

animals such as feral cats and dogs can have direct and 

indirect effects on resting and feeding shorebirds. 

Bird conservation 

There is definitely a need to protect habitat and shorebirds 

in TCI. Tagging projects have highlighted the fact 

that many Piping Plover return to the same winter location 

year after year. If we want this endangered and 

threatened bird to continue visiting the Turks & Caicos 

Islands, there is a need to address the deterioration and 

destruction of important bird habitat including key roost 

sites where shorebirds rest, and sand and mudflats where 

shorebirds feed. 

If you want to take part in activities that will promote 

environmental sustainability, including bird conservation, 

Of the 62 Piping Plovers counted in 2018, 12 were banded birds 

marked with uniquely coded coloured flags. 

contact the DECR at environment@gov.tc. a 

This year’s fieldworks were supported by BirdsCaribbean, 

Turks & Caicos Reef Fund and SWA Environmental, in 

addition to the financial and in-kind contributions by the 

institutions of the participating team members. 

Literature sited 

Carey, J. 2016. Hundreds of Atlantic Piping Plovers 

Are Missing After Hurricane Matthew. Audubon News, 

14 December 2016. http://www.audubon.org/news/ 

Dooley, E.C. 2017. Bird watching: Eyes on plover 

population after Hurricane Matthew. Newsday, 20 

May 2017. https://www.newsday.com/long-island/ 

hundreds-atlantic-piping-plovers-are-missing-after-hurricane-matthew 

bird-watching-eyes-on-plover-population-after-hurricane-matthew-1.13650617 

Elliott-Smith, E., M. Bidwell, A.E. Holland, and S.M. Haig. 

2015. Data from the 2011 International Piping Plover 

Census: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 922, 296 p. 

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds922 

Gratto-Trevor C., D. Amirault-Langlais, D. Catlin,F. 

Cuthbert, J. Fraser, S. Maddock, E. Roche, F. Shaffer. 

2011. Connectivity in piping plovers: Do breeding populations 

have distinct winter distributions? Journal of 

Wildlife Management, 76:2 pp.348-355. 



Caicos Pine Poetry Competition Winners 

The Department of Environment & Coastal Resources 

(DECR) was overwhelmed by the number of entries to 

the Caicos Pine Awareness Month Poetry Competition. 

Over 80 students submitted well written, researched 

and passionate compositions by the closing date, 

January 31, 2018. Entries were judged in three age categories: 

ages 7–9, ages 10–12 and ages 13–16. Each 

entry was judged according to the following criteria: 

Form/Style: the character of the poem, like Rhymed 

and Metered (RM) or Free Verse (FV). Each poem was 

looked at for what it was and not compared to others. 

Rhyme/Rhythm: whether rhyme and/or rhythm was 

a characteristic of the poem, and if so, whether the 

rhymes were natural and sensible or artificial and 

forced, and whether the rhythm (which also applies 

to free verse) was consistent with the character of the 

poem. 

Poetic Devices: the number and effectiveness of those 

poetic elements that raise poetry beyond prose — there 

are at least 15 of them, including rhyme, alliteration, 

personification, and so on. Without their use, the writing 

becomes prose. 

Comprehension/Coherence: did the ideas presented 

hang together to create a whole? Was there “meaning” 

to the writing, and was that meaning realized? 

Mood/Imagery: did the poem illustrate its message— 

could the judges feel the feelings and/or visualize the 

images presented? How significant were those images 

to the purpose of the poem? 

Word Selection: had the writer chosen the words of 

the poem to enable the poem to reach its intent? Were 

there clichés or overused imagery to weaken the conveyance 

of meaning? 

Scope/Significance: did the poem deal with the 

human experience or in this case, the particular theme, 

and if so, to what extent was the poem successful in 

adding to our understanding? 

Line Endings/Line Breaks: were these visual aids 

used successfully to create emphasis and to carry the 

reader to the main significance of the writing? In free 

verse, were the line endings used to create emphasis, 

and were the line breaks used to create a longer pause 

that was significant? 

Marc Smith (at right) receives his award for the winning poem, 

“The Evergreen Beauty of the Isles.” 

Punctuation/Spelling/Grammar: did the poet respect 

our language conventions and provide punctuation to 

aid the reader in understanding of the poem? Did spelling 

errors interrupt the flow of the poem’s language? 

Were there distortions of word order that seemed artificial 

and obscure meaning? 

Content Realized: the poem had a purpose when it 

started out—did the poem realize its intentions? Did it 

lead naturally to its conclusion? 

Total: the accumulation of points in the ten categories, 

each category affording a maximum of 10 points. 

A poem earning 80/100 points or greater went in for 

secondary consideration. 

The winners in each category are printed on the following 

pages. The DECR extends a big “Congratulations” 

to these three winners! To all the participants and the 

finalists, thank you for taking the time to help the DECR 

create awareness about the plight of the Caicos Pine! a 

28 www.timespub.tc


Winner Ages 13–16 

Marc Smith, Marjorie Basden High School, with a top score of 98/100. 

The Evergreen Beauty of the Isles 

In these beautiful by nature isles 

Stands a tree that’s a blessing to my eyes 

The Caicos Pine so majestic and regal 

Caicos Islands: North and to the Middle she soars like an eagle 

On the island of Pine Cay her serenity flows regally 

When the golden light of the rising sun shines, 

Her evergreen beauty emits a mesmerizing glow. 

Fine, emerald green needle leaves that entwines; 

The softness of the afterglow; 

A majestic beauty reaching up to the clear, blue sky 

Oh, how such a tower may grow, so stately and so high 

Her existence is important to the Caicos Isles’ biodiversity, 

For many of the world’s precious lives, her strong branches provide a city. 

If she dies, the precious Caroline’s pink plant and the daring rock iguana would not be, 

Her fine leaves serves as a building block for numerous birds’ nests, you see. 

The Caicos Pine, is in trouble, 

She houses the pine tortoise scale insect who seeks refuge on the double! 

Though she welcomes them with open arm, 

They repay her by causing her so much harm. 

But our National Tree is as resilient as the Turks and Caicos Islands abode 

Through life’s storms and struggles, she still stands strong and bold! 

Let’s plant a seedling in our blinding white soil with faith and glee, 

And hope for growth and fruitfulness to be. 

And keep “The Evergreen Beauty of the Isles” bountiful and glowing, 

That her beautiful seedlings can dance to the rhythm, forever showing. 

B NAQQI MANCO 



Caicos Pine Poetry Competition Winners 


Carson Greatrex, British West Indies Collegiate, with a 

top score of 96/100. 

I stand alone… 

The sun is rising along with my sadness, 

Human needs have caused this. 

Morning dew drops like tears, 

For my long lost brothers gone for years. 

We are unprepared and cannot win, 

The small invaders eat our skin. 

One by one my friends dry up and fall, 

My brother, my sister, they get them all. 

Trade winds make my wispy arms sway, 

Fire approaching, smoke is grey. 

I stand firmly rooted, strong and brave, 

One final act, my arms I wave. 

I drop my seeds, floating free on the breeze, 

Consumed by flames, begin to ease. 

I hope a fertile home they find, 

My dying attempt to save my kind. 

Above: Carson Greatrex (at right) receives his award for the winning 

poem, “I Stand Alone.” 

Below: Chelsea Robinson (middle) receives her award for the winning 

poem, “The Caicos Pine.” 


Chelsea Robinson, Precious Treasures International 

School, with a top score of 81/100. 

The Caicos Pine 

Have you seen the Caicos Pine? 

The plants are not very fine. 

If you could, 

Then you should 

Save them and put them all in a line. 

30 www.timespub.tc


PETER RICHARDSON–MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY 

The Turks & Caicos Islands Turtle Project is contributing to a better understanding of sea turtle populations in the TCI. 

Tracking Those Teens! 

Following sea turtle migration via satellite. 

By Katharine Hart and Dr. Peter Richardson 

They have it down to an art. One stands on the bow of the boat, the other is poised to kick the boat 

into gear. Both are scanning the crystal clear water for dark shadows that show any sign of movement. 

Someone shouts that they’ve spotted one and the boat takes off, closely following the shadow through 

the water, mimicking every twist or turn that it makes. They are catching sea turtles. Sea turtles are still 

a highly valued food source in the Turks & Caicos Islands, primarily as part of a rich cultural history, and 

Gilbert Jennings and Dave Clare are the best sea turtle fishermen around. 



Turtle research in the TCI 

Dave and Gilbert now lend their expert skills to a 

long-running conservation project. The Turks & Caicos 

Islands Turtle Project (TCITP), initiated in 2008 by the 

Marine Conservation Society and the University of Exeter 

(UK), has contributed to a deeper understanding of sea 

turtle populations in the TCI, how they use the marine 

environment, and how they are impacted by traditional 

fishing practices. The TCITP conducts an extensive 

mark-recapture project with multiple partners throughout 

the Islands, including the Department of Environment 

& Coastal Resources (DECR), Amanyara Resort, SURFside 

Ocean Academy and the School for Field Studies (SFS). 

Sea turtles are captured, measured and tagged with 

metal flipper tags. These tags can provide incredible 

insight into the lives of sea turtles. They have allowed 

the project to confirm site fidelity of turtles, where individual 

turtles are recaptured in the same area over the 

course of multiple years. They also provide information 

on migrations, where sea turtles tagged in the TCI have 

been identified as far away as Nicaragua. In December 

2017, the team was thrilled to learn that a hawksbill turtle 

flipper-tagged in South Caicos as a juvenile in 2009 had 

emerged as an adult female to nest on a remote beach in 

Puerto Rico. 

PETER RICHARDSON 

Tracking teenage turtles 

In recent years, a team has come together annually with 

Dave and Gilbert led by Dr. Peter Richardson from the 

MCS along with Jackie Walker from the Amanyara Turtle 

Initiative, and Katharine Hart from the DECR. This part 

of the project takes a more in-depth look at the elusive 

lifecycle of the sea turtles found in TCI waters. It aims 

to catch large teenage green sea turtles and fit each one 

with a satellite transmitter (satellite tag). 

So far, 17 teenage green turtles have been satellite 

tagged and tracked by the project, including four in 

February 2018. These four satellite tags were sponsored 

by Amanyara guests Kim Charlton and Stephen Meringoff, 

MCS supporters Mr. and Mrs. Flockhart and the Gerrity 

family, Princess Yachts and the Amanyara Turtle Initiative. 

The satellite tags are glued to the turtles’ shells using 

marine epoxy. Each time the turtle comes to the surface 

to breathe, the tag transmits a signal to a satellite, which 

provides the precise location for the turtle and allows the 

researchers to follow their movements on a daily basis. 

From top: Dave Clare and Gilbert Jennings use their turtle catching 

skills to assist the Turks & Caicos Islands Turtle Project.. 

Katharine Hart measures a sea turtle prior to tagging it with a metal 

flipper tag. 

Why tag teenage turtles? 

Our tracking research is trying to better understand two 

key mysteries: How do teenage turtles use TCI waters? 

Where do they go when they leave TCI? 

Young sea turtles, about dinner-plate size, settle 

in shallow TCI waters after drifting for several years on 

ocean currents. We think they remain here for years to 

grow into teenagers, making TCI a regionally important 

developmental ground for these juvenile and sub-adult 

turtles. Teenage turtles are protected under TCI law, and 

to understand how best to further the conservation of 

32 www.timespub.tc


Peter Richardson, Gilbert Jennings and Dave Clare release a tagged sea turtle (named Scooter by TCI schoolchildren) back into the sea. Where 

will it go next? 

JACKIE WALKER 

these turtles, it is useful for us to know which areas in 

TCI waters are particularly important for them. But then 

where do they go? 

The theory goes that once they grow large and near 

maturity, they migrate away from these developmental 

grounds and settle in their adult feeding areas which 

could be thousands of miles away, but closer to the beach 

where they first hatched, and where they will likely return 

to breed as mature adults. This theory is yet to be proved, 

so through our satellite tracking study we hope to be the 

first to find out whether or not the theory is correct. 

Tracking migrations 

So far, TCI teenage green turtles have been tracked 

migrating to a number of different countries including 

Cuba, the USA, Costa Rica and Colombia. The TCITP is 

excited to watch the four newly tagged turtles to see if 

and when they migrate, and where they might end up. 

These long-ranging sea turtles highlight the importance 

of communication and collaboration between 

countries and regions. During their migrations, they are 

subject to multiple and varied regulations as they cross 

country boundaries. How we conserve sea turtle populations 

in the TCI undoubtedly impacts their ability to thrive 

in those countries they migrate through, to and from. 

School groups from Providenciales were invited to 

visit the turtles while they were being fitted with their 

satellite transmitters, getting an up-close look at these 

incredible, charismatic voyagers and the opportunity to 

talk directly to the sea turtle researchers. You, too, can 

join us in following Scooter, Chief, Lumi II and Wayne II at 

www.mcsuk.org. a 


feature 

Opposite page: Nash’s prickly pear Consolea nashii is a regional endemic cactus, found only in the Turks & Caicos, the Bahamas and Cuba. 

Above: This rocky shoreline is at Jacksonville, East Caicos. 

A Strong Comeback 

Can South Caicos become the ecotourism capital of the TCI? 

By Don Stark, Chairman, Turks & Caicos Reef Fund and 

Kathleen McNary Wood, Principal, SWA Environmental 

Photos By Kathleen McNary Wood 

According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), South Caicos was the 

second-hardest-hit island in the Turks & Caicos by the September 2017, back-to-back hurricanes (Irma 

and Maria). The poverty level on South Caicos is already high, hovering around 40% (CDB, 2014), and 

the primary industry, fishing, is being adversely affected by over-fishing, habitat destruction and climate 

change. Consequently, livelihoods of people living on South Caicos were already difficult, and the devastation 

caused by the storms only added to their problems. 


Fortunately, with two new resorts—Sailrock and the 

East Bay Resort—recently opening, the tourism industry 

is heating up on South Caicos. “It is our hope,” says 

Chairman of the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF) Don 

Stark, “that by helping people establish small businesses 

around ecotourism, the people of South Caicos can avoid 

some of the development mistakes that have been made 

on Providenciales. An increasing number of tourists 

offers the perfect opportunity to develop a tourism model 

that will help raise the well-being of all people on South 

Caicos, not just foreign investors.” 

“South Caicos is in an ideal location,” observes 

Kathleen Wood of SWA Environmental. “The island is 

surrounded on all sides by undeveloped landscapes 

of high ecological value, providing a perfect backdrop 

for the development of Belonger-owned, small ecotourism 

businesses.” In particular, nearby East Caicos 

provides significant opportunities for ecotourism. 

Ongoing research on that island and surrounding areas, 

by SWA Environmental and TCRF, has uncovered ecological 

assets that are unparalleled in the region. Ten plants, 

believed to be found only in the Turks & Caicos Islands 

(“endemic”), have been observed there, in addition to several 

other plant species endemic to TCI and the Bahamas. 

East Caicos also provides habitat for endemic birds 

(thick-billed vireo, Antillean bullfinch, Bahama woodstar 

hummingbird, Bahama mockingbird and Cuban crow), 

reptiles and insects and is an important breeding ground 

for these rare animals. 

In addition to the rich diversity of endemic organisms, 

East Caicos is a critical habitat for other breeding, 

migratory and globally threatened birds, including reddish 

egret, brown pelican, least tern, piping plover, West 

Indian whistling duck and numerous others. East Caicos 

beaches are recognized as important nesting areas for 

Critically Endangered hawksbill and Endangered green 

sea turtles. Offshore, East Caicos coral reefs are some 

of the healthiest in the Caribbean, with live coral averages 

approaching 28% and some areas where live cover 

exceeds 50%. 

“The current lack of development on East Caicos 

has allowed it to maintain some of the most important 

ecological values in the Caribbean,” comments Stark. “In 

fact, the exceptional ecosystem services and biodiversity 

values have resulted in the European Union recognizing 

East Caicos as a Key Biodiversity Area. Such a designation 

should be a source of great pride for the people of TCI.” 

“We want to ensure that East Caicos’ exceptional natural 

heritage is preserved not only for the people of today, 

From top: A small clump of mangroves between South and East Caicos 

serves as a nesting and roosting site for magnificent frigatebirds 

Frigata magnificens. 

Lucayan dog fennel Chromolaena lucayana is a Lucayan Archipelago 

endemic, with its range restricted to the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos 


Bahama boxwood Buxus bahamensis is a West Indian endemic with a 

range in the Lucayan Archipelago, Cuba and Jamaica. 

36 www.timespub.tc

ut for future generations of Turks & Caicos Islanders,” 

says Wood. “In order to do that, we need to make sure 

that any development on that island is approached sensitively 

and with the welfare of both the environment and 

people in mind. Development Provo-style at East Caicos 

would be an ecological disaster, but it would also rob 

the people of the surrounding islands of opportunities to 

make a better living for themselves.” 

With this in mind, TCRF and SWA Environmental 

recently applied for and were awarded a grant from the 

Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP) 

which is part of Cornell University’s (Ithaca, NY, USA) SC 

Johnson School of Business. (TCRF’s mission is to help preserve 

and protect the environment of the TCI by focusing 

on research, education and advocacy. SWA Environmental 

is a TCI-based company specializing in sustainable environmental 

management through scientific research, 

environmental impact assessment, environmental policy 

development and support for environmentally appropriate 

and sensitive development projects.) 

STAMP was started to support development of 

applied research and outreach activities that will increase 

collective knowledge and understanding of how to more 

effectively manage tourism destination assets over time 

in the face of endemic poverty, ecosystem degradation 

and climate change. STAMP provides grant funding for 

novel and interesting sustainable tourism research projects. 

TCRF and SWA Environmental realized that the 

needs of the people of South Caicos and the natural and 

cultural assets of South and East Caicos were a perfect 

match for the STAMP program. 

The project funded by the grant has the objective of 

assessing the interest, skills, enthusiasm and needs of 

fisherfolk and other South Caicos residents to develop 

viable plans for ecotourism businesses on and around 

South and East Caicos. 

Tourism is the largest and fastest growing industry in 

TCI, but where tourism has taken place, the environment 

and cultural assets are degrading. In spite of TCI’s tourism 

boom, South Caicos has not significantly benefitted; 

however, because of this, the environment and cultural 

assets remain relatively unspoiled. With the opening of 

the new hotels on South Caicos, there is an opportunity to 

get tourism right. Ecotourism is the opportunity to help 

people and protect the environment. 

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines 

ecotourism as “Responsible travel to natural areas that 

conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the 

local people and involves interpretation and education.” 

From top: Caves and other karst features are common across East 

Caicos. 

A silver orb weaver spider Argiope argentata takes advantage of an 

ample flying insect supply at East Caicos. 

Magnificent frigatebirds roost and care for their young. 


From top: Reddish egret Egretta rufescens is internationally considered Near Threatened, but 

the species thrives at East Caicos. 

The ruins at Jacksonville are a historical and cultural asset. 

Ecotourism provides a long-term 

solution to protect the natural and 

cultural resources around South 

Caicos and East Caicos. By providing 

sustainable jobs and business 

opportunities, ecotourism empowers 

people rather than “commodifying” 

them. The education and awareness 

aspects of ecotourism help to protect 

natural and cultural assets, while 

simultaneously providing a broader 

distribution of economic benefits, as 

compared with typical developments, 

where the greatest economic benefits 

often go to foreign investors. 

Ecotourism business opportunities 

include birdwatching tours, 

kayaking trips, eco-lodges, in-home 

stays, traditional cuisine, cultural 

tours and potentially any other activities 

that are respectful of the local 

culture, heritage and environment. 

By providing positive growth experiences 

for both visitors and hosts, 

ecotourism empowers people to be 

38 www.timespub.tc

Boxit2me_Layout 1 3/14/18 12:15 AM Page 1 

the masters of their own destinies, while at the same time 

encouraging visitors to make positive changes at home. 

The defining feature of ecotourism is that it leaves people 

and places better than they existed prior its introduction. 

The STAMP project, “Assessing the Viability of 

Alternative and Improved Livelihoods in Sustainable 

Tourism at the East Caicos Key Biodiversity Area,” was 

awarded in mid-2017, but the start of the project was 

delayed due to the two September 2017 hurricanes. The 

project plan includes a preliminary workshop to obtain 

stakeholder input on: 

• How the natural assets of South and East Caicos are 

currently used ; 

• How such use can be sustainably maximized; 

• What it would take to expand current activities for 

ecotourism; 

• Beliefs about the viability of ecotourism business 

opportunities and 

• Level of interest in becoming part of an ecotourism 

economy. 

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Hugh final_Layout 1 5/29/17 1:15 PM Page 1 

Captain Timothy Hamilton and First Mate Marley Hamilton use their 

generational knowledge to provide ecotours at East Caicos. 

The project plan also includes field studies conducted 

at key sites identified by stakeholders at the preliminary 

workshop. The field studies will use a multi-criteria 

evaluation to assess the potential environmental concerns 

associated with ecotourism activities at each site. 

Following the field studies, a second workshop will be 

held on South Caicos to review results with stakeholders 

and to secure feedback on the practical implementation 

of feasible ecotourism packages on East Caicos and 

around South Caicos. At the end of the project, up to five 

preliminary business plans for ecotourism businesses will 

P 

E 

R 

S 

HUGH G. O’NEILL 

ATTORNEYSN 

AT 

L AW 

P.O. Box 267 

Hibernian House 

1136 Leeward Highway 

Providenciales 

Turks and Caicos Islands 

B.W.I. 

Tel 649-946-4514 

Fax 649-946-4955 

Email hugh.oneill@hgoneillco.tc 

& 

C 

CO. O 

N 

F 

I 

D 

E 

N 

T 

I 

A 

L 


From top: The long swaths of windswept beaches on East Caicos are 

still unspoiled. 

Participants at the first STAMP workshop on South Caicos expressed a 

high level of interest in protecting the island’s unique assets. 

be prepared. TCRF and SWA Environmental are also committed 

to providing assistance in helping people get their 

ecotourism businesses off the ground. 

The preliminary workshop was held on February 6, 

2018 on South Caicos and 49 people attended. The project 

objective and the rationale for a focus on East Caicos 

were discussed, including a review of the natural and 

cultural assets that are found there. After the formal presentations, 

attendees were divided into breakout groups 

to answer questions. It was clear that there are many nat- 

40 www.timespub.tc

Blue Loos_Layout 1 5/28/17 4:13 PM Page 1 

ural and cultural assets on East Caicos and around South 

Caicos that would be ideal for ecotourism businesses. 

Expressed was a high level of interest in protecting those 

assets, so they can continue to be used and shared in the 

future. 

Attendees identified challenges to starting ecotourism 

businesses, such as complying with government 

regulations, preparing business plans, securing financing 

and identifying the right people for the job, but all 

were optimistic that these obstacles can be overcome. 

“We are encouraged by the level of support for this project 

so far,” commented Don Stark after the workshop had 

concluded. “The level of participation and enthusiasm is 

really unprecedented, and we look forward to helping to 

make South Caicos the ecotourism capital of the Turks & 

Caicos Islands.” a 

Sources cited 

CDB. (2014). Turks and Caicos Islands Country Poverty 

Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.caribank.org/ 

uploads/2014/09/TCI_CPA-2012-Executive-Summary.pdf 

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feature 

Opposite page: Life in the outer, rural islands (shown here is the path to Wade’s Green in North Caicos) is like a tropical Shangri-La, where the 

older generation has a naturally healthy lifestyle. 

Above: This lovely sunrise above the salinas of Salt Cay reflects the slow, peaceful way of life prevalent there. 


Back to the Basics 

Finding wellness in TCI. 

By Ben Stubenberg 

A tropical Shangri-La hides in our midst. Islands where the ills of modern society—hypertension, diabetes, 

cancer, obesity—rarely appear, and people often live well into their 90s and sometimes over 100. A trip 

to the outer, rural islands of North, Middle or South Caicos and Salt Cay tells you why: These folks, the 

older generation, do everything right. They eat fresh fruits and vegetables from their gardens along with 

fresh-caught snapper, lobster and conch, and use almost no sugar. They walk or cycle everywhere they 

need to go, sleep deeply in darkness and quiet and go about their affairs with little stress. Above all, they 

visit and talk and laugh with each other from early in the morning through the day to evening. 


The Turks & Caicos Islanders who engage these simple 

yet vital practices for health and longevity don’t call 

it anything. For them, it is just a way of life. As it turns 

out, the very lifestyle routines they have been carrying 

on without much fanfare for some two centuries have 

been “discovered” and embraced as an antidote to the 

illnesses of modernity. Broadly known as “wellness,” this 

holistic approach to living represents a growing segment 

of the upper end of the tourist industry—people worldwide 

seeking to re-wire and re-centre prosperous but 

hectic lives. These “Wellness Travellers” have spawned 

a burgeoning demand for personalised, health-centred 

vacations that engage, teach, heal, and in some cases 

transform them. 

The irony of the financially secure exploring and 

pursuing a simpler, healthier lifestyle long cultivated by 

people here with little economic wealth is not lost. Nor is 

the paradox of the latest generation of Islanders (along 

with many TCI immigrants) brought up in a modern lifestyle 

far different from their ancestors, and who now 

face their own crisis of health and well-being. That still 

unbridged social divide necessarily raises a provocative 

question: Can you experience true wellness if the benefits 

of a holistic approach to health and well-being do 

not extend to all, especially those on the lower economic 

rungs of society? 

Catering to wellness on the basic level is nothing 

new, as spas, medical professionals, fitness centres and 

upscale food purveyors have long tapped into a desire 

to live healthier lives and feel better about themselves. 

According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness 

economy worldwide generated $3.7 trillion as far back 

at 2013, and the Wellness Tourism industry alone comprised 

$563 billion. 

What is new is that wellness vacationers today seek out 

destinations that offer long term, life changing answers 

that include science-based medical approaches to finding 

and enjoying healthier, spiritually connected lives. This 

mirrors the overall trend of more choice as the tourism 

industry fragments into smaller, specialised niches and 

active vacations replace passive ones.According to Travel 

Market Report (TMR), a leading on-line news service for 

travel agents in North America, the industry will see 

more demand for alternative treatments and therapies 

beyond the standard massage. This includes advances 

in medicine combined with holistic practices that focus 

on “prevention, precision, and personalisation.” TMR predicts 

that the number one driver of wellness will continue 

to be stress management and sleep. These tie in directly 

Janderlyn Forbes of North Caicos, shown above in 2008, continues to 

grow what she can for her own consumption. She is a repository for 

the “old ways” that have kept many of her generation healthy. 

with diet, exercise and meditation. 

The intense interest in wellness programs coincides 

with studies of “Blue Zones,” pockets of humanity 

worldwide where people live far longer than the rest of 

us. These Blue Zones include Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia 

(Italy), Ikaria (Greece), Loma Linda (California) and Nicoya 

(Costa Rica) that, not surprisingly, have much in common 

with rural pockets of TCI. 

The Turks & Caicos Islands are well poised to be a 

major destination for the new wellness traveler. Naturally, 

we already have spectacular, world renowned beaches 

and gorgeous turquoise water that mesmerise and relax 

discerning tourists who come on vacation here. Indeed, 

mounting scientific evidence as presented in Blue Mind 

by Wallace J. Nichols, indicates that just looking out over 

blue water has a calming effect on specific parts of the 

brain that govern stress. So, TCI is already one big step 

ahead. Fortuitously, we also possess a vibrant health and 

wellness infrastructure well-suited to meet the heightened 

interest in lifestyle change—and one that can draw 

on the rich living history of TCI people who lived wellness 

long before it became popular. 

The advent of greater wellness tourism in TCI also 

presents an extraordinary opportunity to take on a larger 

social mission to address the problem of young Islanders 

drifting farther from the healthy, stress-free ways of their 

forebears. The transformative benefits from advances in 

medicine together with changes in lifestyle to achieve 

JODY RATHGEB 

44 www.timespub.tc

peak health can just as well apply to everyone in TCI— 

resort workers, schoolchildren, government employees, 

labourers. In other words, wellness amenities for visitors 

can be leveraged to create a healthier TCI society, as well 

as generate additional tourism revenue. A progressive 

idea to be sure, since luxuries enjoyed by visitors seldom 

reach the people who serve them. But forward-thinking 

TCI “Wellness Pioneers” have already established a beachhead 

for reaching a broader base of people in the Islands. 

Wellness pioneers 

David Bowen, former TCI Director of Culture and current 

Wellness and Entertainment Director at Grace Bay Club 

Resort, states plainly: “We cannot sell wellness unless we 

connect with the rest of society because true wellness is 

not just a good workout. It impacts our higher consciousness. 

It’s all about the ‘inner’ expanding ‘outward.’ Fix 

yourself first and practice social wellness by relating to 

others.” Taking wellness to the spiritual level, Mr. Bowen 

continues, “When we breathe, we need to remind ourselves 

that we are just one exhalation from death. Then 

we really live in the moment. We can have emotional 

control and balance and be non-judgmental, even for 

ourselves.” 

Mr. Bowen practices what he preaches. Not only 

does he conduct yoga and lifestyle classes to guests 

at the Grace Bay Club Resort, but he teaches the same 

healthy living lessons to all new members of the staff. 

“They should be able to benefit from wellness practices 

the same as resort guests.” Mr. Bowen also teaches well- 

ness to young Islanders when he speaks at the Edward C. 

Gartland Youth Centre and TCI public schools. He tells 

young people how their grandparents and great-grandparents 

used to live. “Back in the day,” he notes, quite 

mindful of the sharp decline in healthy diet, “Turks & 

Caicos Islanders ate small portions and indulged in special 

foods, macaroni and cheese and ribs, for example, 

only during celebratory events like Christmas. Now, we 

eat those rich, fatty foods all the time—made worse by 

the ready availability of sugar-filled drinks.” The Grand 

Turk native knows full well the challenge of reversing the 

prevalence of an unhealthy lifestyle, but also recognises 

the power of a wellness trend that can be harnessed for 

good. 

Providenciales-born nutritionist Tamika Handfield, a 

frequent contributor to Times of the Islands on nutrition, 

drives home the link between diet, exercise and wellness: 

“Convenience is killing us!” she states emphatically. “Not 

only do we go for the easy, convenient foods, often filled 

with sugar and fat, but we fail to move around. TCI people 

used to dive for conch and lobster, work the small 

farm or garden and build boats. Now we drive everywhere 

and sit all day.” Unhappily, that has resulted in far more 

cases of diabetes, hypertension and obesity, not unlike 

what is taking place in North America and Europe for the 

same reasons. Distressingly, as Ms. Handfield points out, 

“These diseases once found only in older adults are now 

seen in children.” 

To combat the unhealthy lifestyle and change 

directions, Ms. Handfield has developed an extensive 

JON NICKSON–EYESPICE PHOTOGRAPHY 

Grace Bay Medical Centre’s recent wellness retreat at the Coral Pavilion helps clients incorporate wellness elements into their daily lives. 



“Bush food” is what practically all Islanders ate generations ago; 

today it is seen as a healthy choice. 

46 www.timespub.tc

media and education wellness outreach initiative called 

Nutrition-in-Demand. One of the programs, Kidfit, introduces 

children ages 8–12 to healthy habits from a young 

age. To make a point visually to these youngsters, Ms. 

Handfield will measure out in a cup the amount of sugar 

in a soda and ask if anyone wants to dig in for a spoonful. 

Of course, no one takes her up on the offer. 

Ms. Handfield’s non-profit also organises the premier 

running/walking/cycling event on Provo as a fundraiser 

and to raise awareness. The Move-a-Thon has grown 

quickly by offering something for everyone from a 5 km 

run/walk to a full marathon. As a result, far more island 

residents are getting fit, becoming more wellness-aware 

and taking charge of their health future. Not incidentally, 

the Move-a-Thon events have received international exposure 

and now draw in visitors from abroad seeking to 

enhance their own wellness in TCI while enjoying an athletic 

challenge. 

At Carolina Medical Centre on Provo, primary care 

physician Dr. Marcela Malcolm brings wellness practices 

to the people who need it most and can least afford it. 

She sees dozens of patients every day who suffer the 

same diseases—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, 

thyroid, gout, hypertension—to name a few. In almost 

all cases, these ailments are lifestyle-related and remedied 

by applying wellness concepts and making simple 

changes. Of course, it’s never that easy, since the underlying 

socio-economic causes that lead to high stress 

levels and contribute to auto-immune diseases are less 

amenable to a solution. 

Dr. Malcolm notes that young Haitian men in particular, 

some just 30 years old, suffer abnormally high 

rates of stress and depression because of the pressure 

on them to send remittances back to Haiti. Although they 

try to send most of what they make back home, they 

often fall short. And that means families in Haiti suffer by 

foregoing basics ranging from regular meals to medical 

treatment to high school education. That, in turn, makes 

the men, and sometimes women, feel like failures, especially 

given the perception back in the home country that 

TCI abounds with opportunity for making money. 

Undaunted, Dr. Malcolm focuses on diagnosing 

exactly the nature of the medical problem through basic, 

less-expensive tests and then provides guidance to at 

least mitigate the impact of their socio-economic hardship. 

This starts with standard counselling for better 

diets, like eating less animal fats to reduce free radicals, 

and exercising more, especially if one’s job involves sitting. 

She also takes an imaginative approach in advice to 

The Move-a-Thon has become the premier running/walking/cycling 

event to raise awareness of getting fit among residents and visitors. 

her patients who are stressed out: Talk to someone who 

makes you laugh, watch a comedy video, have more sex 

with your spouse! 

For at-risk children, Dr. Malcolm goes straight to the 

parents and tells them to ditch the unhealthy, high calorie 

snacks and corn syrup-filled candy their kids are eating. 

She encourages them to get children to put down the 

iPads and move their bodies by laying out a plan. Monday 

ballet, Tuesday football, Wednesday dance, Thursday tennis. 

If that’s not possible, just play outdoors. 

The Grace Bay Medical Centre has for several years 

combined an established general practice primary care 

with an expanding wellness program that includes naturopathic 

and osteopathic doctors, an acupuncturist and 

a psychologist. Putting all these medical professionals 

under one roof allows patients to get the full spectrum 

of standard and holistic healing. Dr. Sam Slattery, the 

founder of Grace Bay Medical Centre, explains, “Wellness 

is not just about absence of disease but rather about 

improving overall quality of the human experience. 

Wellness is about reaching the pinnacle of health given 

an individual’s circumstances.” 

For many years, Dr. Slattery and other TCI health 

care deliverers have promoted increased consumption of 

plant based foods, or what is colloquially known as “bush 

food.” Indeed, bush food is what practically all Islanders 


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Focused on the patient 

The way medicine should be practiced 

ate two or more generations ago. They supplemented 

plant-based diets with fresh seafood and maintained 

impressive health despite limited standard medical attention. 

With an MSc advanced degree in gastroenterology 

and nutrition, Dr. Slattery touts the importance of the 

“gut” whose complex nervous system is called the “second 

brain” with its huge colony of essential bacteria. Dr. 

Slattery points out that the gut together with the liver 

are home to 85–90% of the body’s immune system, and 

thus the most influential organs in the body. A good, predominantly 

plant-based diet keeps that immune system 

operating at peak performance and reduces the chances 

of disease. Not incidentally, Dr. Slattery notes that he is 

seeing more of his patients heeding the message by eating 

better, reducing sugar and alcohol consumption, and 

getting into sport or some form of exercise. 

Dr. Meghan O’Reilly, Grace Bay Medical Centre’s naturopathic 

physician, has looked closely at the TCI bush 

diet and daily lives of the elders of North and Middle 

Caicos. “The key to their healthy living was the absence 

of refined foods and sugars, Dr. O’Reilly says, confirming 

the observations of others. “That and consumption 

of ‘ground food’ like sweet potato, cassava and plantain, 

along with greens like callaloo. She continues, “Along 

with walking everywhere and physical work, people felt 

they belonged to their communities and thus connected. 

Meet someone from North or Middle Caicos now living in 

Provo. They long to get back to their friends and family, 

away from the hustle and bustle of the ‘Big City.’” 

Grace Bay Medical Centre has now taken this base of 

medical knowledge to develop wellness retreats. Clients 

get a highly personalised diagnosis and a detailed plan of 

how to incorporate wellness elements—diet, sleep, exercise, 

stress reduction, meditation, “me time”—into their 

daily lives long after they return home. Not surprisingly, 

many of these elements correlate with the lifestyles of 

older generations of Turks & Caicos Islanders. 

Entrepreneurs of wellness 

Meanwhile, several cottage industries have sprung up 

providing products and services. These include some 

that uniquely draw on locally grown bush foods and 

plant-based diets that complement wellness tourism and 

enhance the health of TCI residents. 

Three years ago, Donna Gardiner started the Caicos 

Tea Company (see Times of the Islands, Fall 2016) using 

the same plants from the bush that her ancestors used to 

augment health and treat various ailments. A North Caicos 

native, Ms. Gardiner says, “I wanted to produce a truly 

48 www.timespub.tc

authentic TCI product that had its roots here—steeped 

in history and brewed in culture! My grandmother and 

others taught me a lot about the local bush, and so making 

teas is a way to honour them. TCI has a ‘tea history,’ 

and I want to preserve and share that. The fact that the 

teas have medicinal qualities makes it that much more 

important.” 

Harvested from the North Caicos bush and packaged 

there as well, the Tea Company produces six flavours of 

tea—mint, fever grass, moringa, Caicos Sunshine, soursop 

and soursop/fever grass blend. Each of them has 

one or more medicinal purposes, Ms. Gardiner notes. 

Moringa, for example, helps with anemia and flus, while 

soursop and fever grass promote relaxation and sleep, as 

well as reduce fever. Peppermint enhances digestion. All 

of these remedies from bush tea were applied long before 

modern medicine arrived in the Islands and developed 

from observations over decades of experience. While the 

teas have their own curative qualities, they go hand in 

hand with the simple lifestyle and self-reliant culture that 

fosters general wellness in these rural outer islands. 

Two years ago, sisters Laura and Lindsey Mensen 

opened TCI’s first all-vegan café, Retreat Kitchen (see 

pages 68-72). Located next to their yoga studio in the 

Ports of Call plaza, the café has become quite popular 

with vegans, as well as non-vegans wanting to reduce 

meat consumption and increase plant food in the diet. 

Retreat isn’t just about serving one class of people, however. 

When Hurricane Irma struck last year, Retreat, like 

many restaurants in TCI, provided hundreds of free vegan 

meals to people in need throughout the Islands—a wellness 

diet in a time of crisis. 

Regina Radisic recently opened a vegan take-out café 

kitchen, Island Raw, next to her Pilates Studio 90 Degrees 

in Grace Bay. As a sideline, she started brewing and bottling 

locally made kombucha. As sometimes happens, 

North Caican Donna Gardiner started the Caicos Tea Company to preserve 

and share her family’s culture. 

the sideline product got discovered and quickly became 

a major segment of the business. 

Kombucha, essentially a fermented green or black tea 

together with a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast 

(“SCOBY”) creating a probiotic food, has proven to be an 

effective digestive aid and often recommended as part 

of a wellness diet. Ms. Radisic’s now popular kombuchas 

come in a variety of flavours that uniquely contain local 

bush, as well as other medicinal plants, including mulberry, 

North Caicos plum, moringa, lemon grass, noni 

fruit, turmeric and ginger. Some come from Misick’s 

Organic Farm on North Caicos, others from her own garden 

on Providenciales. 

For the past six years, the skin care company and 

spa Rejouvenance, located at Grace Bay Court Plaza, 

has created and locally manufactured a range of coconut-based 

products. (See Times of the Islands, Spring 

2013.) Coconuts have many healing properties that people 

living on tropical islands all over the world have used 

for centuries for healthy hair and skin and as a natural 

protector against the sun. Notably, Rejouvenance pro- 

TOM RATHGEB 


duces effective reef-safe sunscreens by combining locally 

derived coconut oils with clear sun-blocking minerals like 

zinc oxide. These natural sunscreens not only minimise 

risk of sunburn but don’t contain the oxybenzone chemical 

typically found in popular sunscreens that has proven 

to be harmful to reefs. In this way, Rejouvenance’s wellness 

products take care of people, as well as TCI’s critical 

marine resource, living coral. 

Benefits for all 

Despite the undeniable positive health and wellness 

impact of island self-reliance in the past, we must acknowledge 

that life back then was also hard. Nobody, not even 

the older generation, wants to go back to that existence. 

Modern conveniences, for all their unhealthy baggage, 

have made life much less strenuous. That, of course, 

underscores the overshadowing dilemma of modernity, 

brought into sharp focus in TCI: How best to employ and 

enjoy the benefits of technological advancements and 

mass consumer convenience without succumbing to the 

toxic by-products that are killing us slowly? 

With a confluence of resources in TCI—a legacy of living 

well, enlightened medical and lifestyle professionals, 

and a budding class of creative wellness entrepreneurs, 

together with magical scenery—these Islands could be a 

model for how to get it right. 

Imagine for a moment the Turks & Caicos Islands as 

an international centre for wellness, a tropical island destination 

where visitors come to learn and experience what 

it is for mind and body to be at its human zenith. Not only 

could TCI be at the forefront of wellness tourism as it 

emerges from niche to mainstream, but shape the course 

of how to live well. At the same time, envision a society 

where the tenants of wellness become the adopted 

norms—a society physically healthier but also one where 

each individual realises their capacity to control their lives 

and circumstances. 

As David Bowen observed, we cannot sell wellness 

unless we connect with the rest of society. Indeed, the 

benefits can and should flow both ways: Just as advances 

in medical knowledge and wellness practices around 

the world have much to offer TCI, so too does TCI have 

remarkable treasures to share with others. Linking the 

lifestyle and discoveries of TCI people to present wellness 

needs generates compelling cross-pollination opportunities 

that serve visitors and residents alike. 

Luckily, positive signs loom for a more wellness-conscious 

TCI in its holistic approach to elevating the human 

experience—starting with the grassroots work done by 

TCI healers—the primary care doctors, naturopaths, dieticians 

and spiritual guides. We also see a strong growth 

in participatory sports. Run/walks, swim competitions, 

sailing regattas, cycling ride-alongs, rugby tournaments 

and mini-triathlons have noticeably spurred more people, 

young and old, to incorporate exercise into their daily 

routines. Mainstream sports like football (soccer), bas- 

50 www.timespub.tc

ketball and track and field also continue to attract more 

players, as have the secondary sports. Give due credit 

to steadfast TCI government policy and the Department 

of Sports for prioritising sport, not just for competition, 

but for the positive values of health and well-being that it 

instills. 

Some top athletes have become role models who 

make living well a “cool” thing and influence how people 

think and act. Who doesn’t want to be like elite TCI track 

star Delano Williams? We can’t run like him, but we can 

emulate his healthy lifestyle. Musicians, actors, dancers, 

designers, models, painters and video personalities— 

homegrown and from abroad—also have the power to 

change perceptions because of their high profile visibility 

and engaging talents. Once they adopt a wellness lifestyle, 

others follow. 

The word is getting out about the foods and drinks 

that harm our bodies and those of our children, even 

if the implementation might be lagging. Often small, 

simple actions can yield big dividends—like taking out 

the Coke machine and putting in vending machines 

that dispense coconut waters and other healthy drinks. 

Substitute one convenience for another and build on that. 

Implementation of wellness is not just for professionals 

in the field. We still have a way to go, even as TCI makes 

positive gains. 

In the end, the goal must be to close the gap between 

those who are barely hanging on and those who have 

comfortably made it. Wellness offers real hope as an 

agent of change that breaks the cycle of poverty and 

allows people to rise with a new sense of possibilities 

for themselves and their children. Small countries like 

TCI can be as bold as big ones and much nimbler. Look 

to those already transforming one life at a time with an 

approach as holistic as the practice of wellness itself. And 

draw on the wisdom of older generations of Islanders to 

show us the way. a 

The longest established legal practice 

in the Turks & Caicos Islands 

Real Estate Investments 

& Property Development 

Immigration, Residency 

& Business Licensing 

Company & Commercial Law 

Trusts & Estate Planning 

Banking & Insurance 

1 Caribbean Place, P.O. Box 97 

Leeward Highway, Providenciales 

Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI 

Ph: 649 946 4344 • Fax: 649 946 4564 

E-Mail: dempsey@tciway.tc 

Cockburn House, P.O. Box 70 

Market Street, Grand Turk 

Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI 

Ph: 649 946 2245 • Fax: 649 946 2758 

E-Mail: ffdlawco@tciway.tc 

Ben Stubenberg is a contributing writer to Times of the 

Islands with a passion for Turks & Caicos Islands history. 

An avid ocean man, he is the co-founder of the sports and 

adventure tour company Caicu Naniki and the annual 

Turks & Caicos “Race for the Conch” Eco-Seaswim. Ben 

can be reached at ben@caicunaniki.com. 

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION 

www.caicosteacompany.com 

info@caicosteacompany.com 

1.649.245.9449 


ISTOCK–MYCOLA

feature 

Opposite page: Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available, and the TCI has substantial solar resources 

(5.7 kilowatt-hours/square meter) each day with more than 350 days of strong sunshine. 

Above: FortisTCI and Green Revolution engineers inspect the Atlantic Stone/BRM Limited solar panels prior to the 2017 hurricanes, when an 

inspection was taking place just before the system was commissioned. 

COURTESY FORTISTCI 

Today (March 7, 2018) marks the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Irma’s brutal attack on the Turks & 

Caicos Islands. The flocks of visitors from cold-weather climes continue to land daily, and most see little 

evidence of the powerful storm as they enjoy the TCI’s trademark “Beautiful by Nature” sun, sand and 

sea. (In fact, Grace Bay Beach was awarded “World’s Best Beach” in the TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice® 

awards for 2018, reclaiming its crown from 2016.) 

But many scientists fear that extreme weather may become an all-too-common occurrence, as the 

planet struggles to remain in balance in spite of the effects on climate of an exponentially compounding 

global population. With this in mind, solar and other alternative forms of energy are more important than 

ever. 

Hang Tight 

Can solar panels survive hurricanes? 

By Paul Chaplin, Green Revolution & Kathy Borsuk 


Key to recovery from the most powerful storm to ever 

hit TCI was power being restored quickly and safely across 

the Islands. FortisTCI accomplished that in a extraordinary 

way. In fact, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) in 

January 2018 presented FortisTCI with the association’s 

“Emergency Recovery Award” for its outstanding power 

restoration efforts after Hurricane Irma in September 

2017. 

FortisTCI completed full restoration of electricity to 

its customers across the country on November 6, 2017, 

less than 60 days following the passing of Hurricane Irma. 

Damage across the archipelago varied, with as much 

as 90% of the electric utility infrastructure destroyed in 

some places like Grand Turk and Salt Cay. The massive 

response by FortisTCI was supported by parent company 

Fortis Inc. and the Fortis group of companies across the 

USA, Canada and the Cayman Islands. 

By the time power was completely restored, a total of 

three waves of utility workers (120 in total) from Fortis 

subsidiaries had arrived in TCI, along with over 60 utility 

trucks, 600+ utility poles, hundreds of rolls of wires 

and transformers, palettes of tools and food to feed the 

army of workers. Over the two months, FortisTCI spent 

$30–$35 million to restore services to the Islands. EEI 

President Tom Kuhn explained their choice for the award, 

“While many of FortisTCI’s employees were impacted by 

the storm, crews worked diligently and often in dangerous 

conditions to restore service to customers safely and 

as quickly as possible.” 

According to FortisTCI President/CEO Eddinton 

Powell, the company took the opportunity to rebuild a 

transmission and distribution network that is stronger 

and more capable of weathering massive hurricanes, and 

grid resiliency continues to be an important goal. 

In the Summer 2016 Times of the Islands, we 

published “Let the Sun Shine,” an article introducing 

FortisTCI’s solar energy program. Since then, FortisTCI 

made strides in integrating renewable energy sources into 

the grid during 2017 (pre-Irma!). In February 2017, the 

company signed its first set of Utility Owned Renewable 

Energy (UORE) Program contracts, one with Mills Learning 

Institute in Juba Sound and the other with Atlantic Stone/ 

BRM Limited in South Dock. The total aggregate size is 

178kW. Both projects were installed and commissioned 

between May and July 2017. 

FortisTCI plans to integrate 1.2MW of renewable 

energy on the grid for 2018. This includes a one megawatt 

(1MW) large-scale, utility-led solar project awarded 

following a competitive bid process and planned through 

From top: Key to recovery from the unprecedented 2017 hurricanes 

were award-winning efforts by FortisTCI. Shown here are linesmen 

from Grand Turk, Providenciales, and a visiting worker from 

Newfoundland, Canada. 

COURTESY FORTISTCI 

54 www.timespub.tc

PAUL CHAPLIN 

an MOU signed in 2016 with the Rocky Mountain Institute– 

Carbon War Room, a leader in creating clean, resilient and 

affordable energy solutions by working with utilities and 

governments. The 1MW project will encompass several 

sites across the Islands. 

Paul Chaplin and Jim Dunlop are the owners of Green 

Revolution, a TCI company whose mission is to introduce 

renewable energy and energy efficiency into the lives of 

Caribbean people. They focus on ideas and technologies 

that offer low maintenance, speedy paybacks and are 

suited to the region’s idiosyncrasies and weather (including 

hurricanes!) They have been working with FortisTCI 

on the UORE Program contracts. 

Paul recalls, “The morning after Hurricane Irma, we 

visited our largest electric-grid-tied solar systems, concerned 

that the storm had been too powerful for the 

hurricane-rated design and specification we had developed. 

At that stage we had no clue as to Irma’s strength. 

En route to the first installation, we noted the considerable 

damage to surrounding properties, some worse than 

others. It was clear that the south side of Providenciales 

had been hit the hardest—some areas had experienced 

worse pockets of the storm than others.” 

Opinion in the Islands is that Hurricane Irma spawned 

tornados, which can account for the sporadic instances 

of damage. According to the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), when a hurricane 

makes landfall, it can create ideal conditions for tornado 

formation. As tropical cyclones begin to die off, the 

atmosphere becomes unstable as winds near the surface 

weaken while higher altitude winds remain strong. That 

instability, paired with a strong vertical wind shear, can 

spawn tornadoes. Hurricane-generated tornadoes are 

often weaker, says the National Hurricane Center, and 

typically strike a small, concentrated area. 

Paul continues, “Our first port of call was our largest 

installation, a 166kw grid-tied solar installation at South 

Dock. This system is made up of 550 solar panels over 

an area of 20,000 square feet. It produces approximately 

220,000kw per year and was the first major grid-tied 

solar installation in the TCI. We arrived at the property 

and found the entire structure to be completely intact. 

This was a huge relief! We went on to visit several other 

sites. Damage to our systems from the hurricane was 

minor.” 

Paul and Jim continued to be pleasantly surprised, 

“The following day, as winds died down, we decided to 

carry out a drone survey for a detailed visual inspection, 

as it was too soon after the storm to determine whether 

From top: The largest grid-tied solar installation in TCI (Atlantic 

Stone) sustained minimal damage after Hurricane Irma. 

Flexible racking devices, as shown on the AirCool building in 

Providenciales, help a solar panel system bend under wind stress. 

Ground-mounted solar energy systems are another option. 


enewable energy solutions 

energy efficiency solutions 

www.greenrevolutionltd.com 

moreinfo@greenrevolutionltd.com 

tel. 649-232-1393 

TWATIMES_Layout 1 2/16/17 7:49 AM Page 1 

Serving international & domestic clients in real estate, property development, 

mortgages, corporate & commercial matters, immigration, & more. 

TEL 649.946.4261 TMW@TMWLAW.TC WWW.TWAMARCELINWOLF.COM 

the building was structurally sound. The drone footage 

showed that we had lost a total of two panels, with eight 

more damaged by flying debris. We were delighted with 

the outcome! The drone shots also showed the devastation 

to surrounding properties and severe damage to 

other steel building roofs and wall panels.” 

In summary, Paul says, “We reflected on what we had 

seen and concluded that with the additional structure we 

had installed over the metal building roof for our solar 

panels—and the solar panels themselves—we had likely 

provided another level of protection for the building roof. 

All solar systems we supply are designed to withstand 

major hurricanes with winds 155+ MPH, from the fixings 

to the roof, to the framing (racking) that support the panels, 

to the clips that hold the panels in place. Obviously 

direct impact from flying debris will cause damage at 

these windspeeds. After a thorough structural assessment, 

the building was deemed structurally sound and 

the solar system activated.” 

Green Revolution’s experiences support other reports 

from hurricane-prone areas. Hurricane-force winds can 

damage solar panel installations in several ways. Rooftop 

solar panels can be blown off by wind blowing between 

the roof and the panels. Vendors ensure systems are 

designed to withstand uplift forces by fastening panels 

to the roof beams with large lag bolts. As long as the roof 

itself was properly built and maintained, there is little 

chance of solar panels tearing the roof off your house due 

to uplift or other wind forces. 

Testing by solar manufacturers includes a certification 

that the panels can withstand winds of up to 140 

MPH, the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. In realworld 

performance, there are reports that nearly all solar 

panels that were in areas hit by Superstorm Sandy (2012), 

Hurricane Michael (2016) and Hurricane Irma (2017) survived 

the high winds with few individual panels damaged 

beyond functioning. Any other losses were due to the 

destruction of an entire roof or structure. 

Hurricane Maria’s path through Puerto Rico has given 

insight into the durability of solar energy systems as well. 

A 645kw rooftop solar array on San Juan’s VA Hospital 

installed in 2015 continued to operate 100% post-storm, 

even though it was exposed to 180 MPH hurricane winds. 

What kept this system intact? The racking and anchoring 

systems used to keep the solar panels in place were the 

ultimate factor in determining wind resiliency. By utilizing 

flexible racking devices, the system was able to work like 

a chain link fence to bend under stress rather than staying 

rigid and eventually breaking. 

56 www.timespub.tc

If you are considering a roof-mounted solar system, 

be safe in the knowledge that if designed and installed 

correctly it can withstand the forces of a major hurricane, 

and in some cases provide an additional layer of protection 

to your existing roof finish. a 

Renewable energy programs 

Ready to be a part of the green energy movement? 

FortisTCI can assist you in realizing the benefits of 

solar energy in a safe and reliable way. 

CORE 

Under the CORE program, customers can install their 

own solar system and connect to the FortisTCI grid. 

All the energy production will feed back to the grid. 

Customers’ consumption will come from FortisTCI’s 

production and the Company will buy all of the customer’s 

PV system production at CORE Rate/kwh. In 

2016, the average monthly CORE rate was 18 cents. 

UORE 

Under the UORE program, customers lease their roof 

space to FortisTCI. The company will install solar 

panels on the customers’ rooftop and take care of 

the operation and maintenance for the entire lifecycle 

of the system. Customers will benefit from a fixed 

monthly lease payment for the Company’s use of the 

customer’s roof and a variable annual share of the 

PV system’s operating results. A typical residential 

house with installed capacity of 10 kWdc can collect 

Harbour Club:Layout 

an average of 

1 

$2,000 

8/17/16 

per 

10:16 

year. The 

AM 

contract 

Page 1 

term for 

this program is 20 years. a 

For more information, visit www.FortisTCI.com. 

Kathryn's experience in real estate 

began in 1997 with ERA in Cayman 

Islands. In 2000 Kathryn moved to 

Turks and Caicos Islands to take 

up the position of Managing 

Director of ERA Turks and Caicos 

Real Estate (formerly ERA Coralie 

Properties Ltd.). Kathryn was a 

founding member of Turks and 

Caicos Real Estate Association (TCREA) that implemented the 

MLS for Turks and Caicos. She was instrumental in drafting the 

Ethics and Rules and Regulations for the Association. She also 

headed up a certified training program for members of TCREA. 

As well as sitting on many of the Association committees, she was 

Vice President for 3 years, followed by 5 years as President. 

Kathryn has recently been awarded Certificate of Distinction, Life 

Time Membership to TCREA. Now C.E.O. of ERA, she still loves 

being involved with listings and sales and has many repeat clients 

and customers, most of whom have become friends. Kathryn has 

been Top Selling Broker for ERA for 15 years. Real estate is her 

passion; she consistently provides service with integrity and vision 

ensuring the best results for both customers and clients. 

Tel: 649 231-2329 

Email: krbrown@era.tc 

Web: www.eraturksandcaicos.com 

Kathryn 

Brown 

Director ERA Turks and Caicos Real Estate 

ERA Turks and Caicos Real Estate 

Harbour Club Villas 

Turtle Tail Drive, Providenciales 

Six one-bedroom villas. 

Dive operators at our dock. 

Bonefishing in the lake. 

Fabulous beaches nearby. 

Ideal for couples or groups. 

Trip Advisor 

Travellers’ Choice 

Awards Winner 

E: harbourclub@tciway.tc 

T: 1 649 941 5748 

See our website 

for details. 

www.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.com 


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 

CANDIANNE WILLIAMS 

TCNM Director Pat Saxton (far right) shows HE Governor Dr. John Freeman and his wife Corinna the Museum’s archive. 

Passing the Baton 

Pat Saxton recalls her years as TCNM Director. 

By Pat Saxton 

By the time you read this, the Turks & Caicos National Museum Foundation will have a new Director. 

A few years ago, I informed the Board that I wanted to retire and it was time we hired someone with 

museum credentials. When I took over as director in August 2010, my job was to curtail spending, look 

for fresh avenues of funding, and offer new tours and exhibits. I am not a curator, nor an archivist. I am 

a businesswoman with a passion for this little Museum. Of all the jobs I have had, none has given me the 

opportunity to learn so much every day, nor broaden my interests with such a wide range of activities. 

58 www.timespub.tc

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum 

TCNM Director Pat Saxton is helping put up the first Bird Trail signs 

in the Turks & Caicos Islands. 

The first part of my job was easy. Curtail spending—simple 

things like making sure all non-essential air 

conditioning units were set at a reasonable temperature, 

turned off or replaced with units that were more energy-efficient. 

We also painted the roof a reflective white. In 

the first year we cut our electric bill by 67%! We purchased 

in bulk, made improvements in the gift shop with the 

help of volunteers and secured more Island-made items 

to sell. 

Finding new avenues of funding were vastly helped 

by partnerships I had forged previously. The UK Overseas 

Territories Conservation Forum helped the TCNM secure 

funding from the Infrastructure Fund to install the firstever 

birding trails on Grand Turk. We were also able to 

establish the Botanical and Cultural Garden adjacent 

to the Museum. With the help of the TCI Department 

of Environment & Coastal Resources and Royal Botanic 

Gardens in the UK, the arboretum was transformed into 

a learning garden showcasing indigenous and medicinal 

plants. (Unfortunately, Hurricanes Irma and Maria did 

quite a number on the garden, but we will be refurbishing 

it in the first quarter of 2018. Carnival Corporation has 

since restored the garden’s historical stone wall which 

was destroyed.) 

After proving to the Infrastructure Fund that we could 

finish these projects on time and on budget, the Museum 

was granted funds to improve the historic Guinep House 

building. We installed hurricane doors and windows, 

new flooring, a new balcony floor and the spacious deck 

between buildings where we hold movie night fundraisers 

and our “Evening with the Expert” series. 

We received two British Library Grants and through 

these I learned about archiving general practices. These 

grants provided for digitization of records we currently 

hold in our archive. 

We also secured funding for new exhibits, including 

the Jeremiah Murphy and Lighthouse exhibits along with 

the 19th Century Office exhibit. Hugh Hutchings, descendant 

of H.H. Hutchings (one of TCI’s first Administrators, 

who named Grace Bay on Providenciales after his wife) 

donated so many items from both his father and grandfather 

that we had enough to open a new exhibit. 

In total, just over $500,000 in grants and donations 

came through during my tenure of over seven years. 

I leave the Museum in very capable hands. Our new 

director is Dr. Michael Pateman, who comes with impressive 

credentials. He was the assistant director of the 

National Museum of the Bahamas, where he worked for 

over 11 years. I could not be happier to have Dr. Pateman 

at the helm. I first met him when he came to help with the 

Endangered Archive Project in 2016. After three weeks 

I was convinced this young, enthusiastic professional 

would do wonders for our Museum. It only took two 

years to convince him! He has a daunting task ahead with 

recovery from the hurricanes, yet I do believe Dr. Pateman 

sees this as an opportunity to start fresh with new interactive 

exhibits in Grand Turk and further development of 

the Grace Bay site. 

For me, it is bittersweet to leave. On one hand, I am 

going to miss all the new and exciting things I believe 

the future holds for the Museum. On the other hand, my 

husband Neil and I want to travel, spend time with our 

grandchildren, and start our next life adventure. I will 

continue my position on the Board, and stay connected 

to this amazing institution. 

I wish nothing but success to Dr. Pateman and the 

rest of the TCNM staff. It has been a wild and wonderful 

ride! a 

NEIL SAXTON 



The Kersteiner House today, renovated to serve the School for Field Studies on South Caicos. 

Window to the Past 

The legacy of Emily Kersteiner. 

By Emily Malcolm ~ Photos Courtesy Heidi Hertler, School for Field Studies, South Caicos 

The Turks & Caicos Islands are literally “Beautiful by Nature” with crystalline waters, white sandy beaches 

and stunning shoreside terrain. An archipelago of astonishing and well-preserved ecosystems, it is also 

home to well-preserved historical buildings of Bermudian-styled architecture found on the Salt Islands of 

Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos. 

These beautifully designed buildings with their rich history are slowly disappearing from sight due to 

man-made and natural disasters such as fire, termite infestation, storms and, most recently, the destructive 

hurricanes Irma and Maria. The loss of these buildings should not create a vacuum of cultural and 

historical knowledge of the life of our ancestors. 

60 www.timespub.tc


So journey with me as we take our first look through 

the “Window to the Past” at Emily Ann Stubbs Kersteiner, 

female entrepreneur and native of South Caicos. Mrs. 

Kersteiner, as she was affectionately known, was a household 

name on the island of South Caicos where she owned 

several business entities. Her husband lived on the island 

for only a short period before returning to Germany. They 

had no children. 

Kersteiner House 

Mrs. Kersteiner’s two-story home, simply known as the 

“Kersteiner House,” was situated on a hill overlooking the 

southern and western sides of the island with a beautiful 

view of the Caicos Bank. She had several employees. 

Many young ladies received their training in domestic 

work at her house. She had no tolerance for tardiness 

and the words “spic and span” aptly describe how she 

liked everything. Although stern, she was compassionate 

to the sick and was known to correctly diagnose and successfully 

treat many ill persons. 

The estate grounds were well-kept even though many 

large horses, chickens known as “yardies,” turkeys, ducks 

and dogs were raised on her estate. Her animals all were 

given very special attention. 

In the 1960s, Kersteiner House became the Admiral 

Arms Hotel, the first hotel in the Turks & Caicos Islands. 

The 14-room hotel was started by Liam McGuire, who 

operated the Caicos Company. Many small planes flying 

between South America, North America, Puerto Rico and 

the US Virgin Islands would stop and visit South Caicos. 

Several fascinating aspects of the hotel were captivating 

points of conversation. For instance the registration 

numbers for airplanes flown by every pilot who stayed 

at the hotel were posted on the walls and ceiling of the 

bar. The large underwater mural adorning the wall in the 

dining room was a backdrop for many photo shoots. The 

meals were tasty and delicious but the conch fritters were 

the ones that got international word-of-mouth recognition. 

The saltwater pool was the center of attraction, but 

most people simply enjoyed lounging around it with a 

cool drink, enthralled by the majestic view so often captured 

in photos. 

The Admiral Arms was also the venue for the annual 

Miss Regatta Beauty Pageant, part of the South Caicos 

Regatta Festival. This packed, fun-filled series of events 

took place for many, many years. 

From top: The Kersteiner House was the venue for the South Caicos 

Regatta Festival. 

This photo from a promotional brochure depicts guests lounging 

around the Admiral Arms Hotel pool. 

The estate has never been without activity. The late 

Eben Mills and George Garland operated the island’s first 

telecommunication system from the second story of the 

hotel in the late 1960s. Today it is home of the School for 

Field Studies. Every semester sees 30–35 students from 

the University of Boston attending courses in marine biology 

and other related areas. 

Carpenter Shop 

Another building on the estate that was integral to life 

in South Caicos was the “Carpenter Shop,” a rock structure 

now housing faculty members of the School for Field 



Left: The Kersteiner Shop building housed the Caicos Company, shown here with Liam McGuire and Norman Saunders standing outside. 

Right: The Kersteiner Tin Shop has been a store of some kind for many years. 

Studies. Many island tradesmen learnt their carpentry 

skills at this shop, including my father and grandfather. 

In the early days in South Caicos, it was customary for 

girls to learn domestic work and/or how to sew. Young 

men worked in the salt industry or in carpentry. 

Kersteiner Shop 

Mrs. Kersteiner also owned a two-story building originally 

built in 1870 that was always a center of activity. Back 

then, the first floor was a clothing store and the second 

floor was the home of the resident doctor. Later, the second 

floor housed the head office of the Caicos Company 

started by Liam McGuire in the 1960s. 

About 1964, and for several years after that, the 

first floor was a general merchandise store, owned or 

operated by the late Phenous Ritchie and Gladys Mills, 

affectionately known to all as “Uncle Rich and Ma Curly.” 

They also operated the famous Ice-Cream Parlour, the 

popular stop on a Sunday afternoon outing. Many children 

went to Sunday School just to ensure that they could 

go for ice cream later on. It was a treat to buy a cone for 

just one shilling (10 cents) or a cup for one shilling and 

three-pence (thirteen cents). Some years later, in the late 

1970s, this same first floor became the general merchandise 

store for Caicos Company Ltd. Some of the finest 

china could be bought there. 

catering primarily to Mrs. Kersteiner’s employees. They 

were given first preference to purchase merchandise, 

especially if there were any items in short supply. The 

employees were able to establish a line of credit at the 

store. Weekly deductions were made from their pay to 

settle their bills. One of the early shopkeepers was Mr. 

Benjamin Saunders. 

Throughout the years, this building has consistently 

been a store of some kind operated by a number of different 

owners. Today one can find a grocery store there, 

operated by Anise Pierre. 

Kersteiner Salt Shed 

On the Kersteiner estate, very near the coastline on the 

southern side of South Caicos, is an area referred to as 

Buttmon. There you can find the ruins of the Kersteiner 

The Tin Shop 

As the name implies, the Tin Shop was made of corrugated 

zinc plates. This was a general merchandise store 

These are the remains of the Kersteiner Salt Shed at Buttmon. 

62 www.timespub.tc


Salt Shed. This was the last stop for the salt harvested in 

Kersteiner ponds before being bagged and shipped off to 

the United States and Canada. Trucks delivered raw salt 

to the shed’s eastern entry where it was first put through 

the mill to be refined, then bagged and stored until the 

steamer or salt boat would come to pick it up. 

At one point, the Salt Shed served as a movie theatre. 

That was in the 1940s when Puerto Ricans lived on 

the island helping with the building of the airport, the 

dock at the Buttmon and the Old School. I have been told 

stories about people sitting on bagged salt to watch movies 

shown there. In 1972 this building hosted the first 

Miss Regatta Beauty Pageant, won by my sister Patsylee 

Malcolm. In the intervening decades, most of the shed’s 

limestone walls have crumbled due to erosion. 

Odd Fellows Building 

The building that became the Odd Fellows Lodge was built 

in 1926. Originally it was the home of Mr. John Godet, but 

at one point was owned by Mrs. Kersteiner who gifted it 

to the Odd Fellows Lodge. They held their meetings on 

the second floor in “The Temple” and the Eunice Lodge, 

Household of Ruth, also held their meetings in this building. 

Both organizations were known for their elaborate 

initiation banquets for new members and annual lodge 

marches. The ladies dressed in all white, while the men 

wore all black. Everyone wore regalia depicting their positions 

in the lodges. 

The facades of the Kersteiner House and Carpenter 

Shop have changed through the years, but they still retain 

their resemblance to the original structures. They were 

damaged in the most recent hurricanes but are repairable. 

The School for Field Studies still occupies both 

buildings. 

These buildings were renovated and maintained 

by some of South Caicos’ most skilled carpenters and 

masons: Cornelius Basden, Turton Clare, Nehemiah 

Williams, Calvin Williams (all deceased), the Thomas 

Brothers (Shirlen, Wilfred and Carlton), and my father 

Walter Malcolm. 

Mrs. Emily Ann Stubbs-Kersteiner might not be spoken 

about much today, but her legacy as an entrepreneur 

continues in the minds of many residents. a 

Emily Malcolm is a native of South Caicos and a teacher 

by profession who owns and operates Elam’s Care Centre. 

At the Salt Shed, salt was bagged and stored until a salt boat would 

come to pick it up. 

The Household of Ruth annual march was held outside the Odd 

Fellows Lodge. 

She has twice served as district commissioner for South 

Caicos, besides holding other local offices. Emily is a local 

preacher in the North Turks & Caicos Islands Circuit of 

Methodist Churches. She has mothered five sons and one 

daughter (all nieces and nephews), and has assisted in 

the upbringing of all of her other nieces and nephews 

and now, her grand nieces and nephews. Her hobbies are 

cooking, reading, writing and handicraft, especially shell 

work. 



A Homecoming of Sorts 

By Michael P. Pateman, Ph.D. Director, TCNMF 

It is indeed an honour to be appointed the fifth (and 

first from the Caribbean) director of the Turks & Caicos 

National Museum Foundation. I look forward to continuing 

to build on the legacy first established by Grethe 

Seim and furthered by all the previous directors. 

CHRISTOPHER DAVIS 

I am the only child of a Bahamian, Jean (Kemp) and 

an Englishman, Peter Pateman. I grew up in Nassau, 

New Providence (capital of The Bahamas). I was fortunate 

that I spent a lot of my summers as a child on 

our Family Islands exploring beaches, communities, 

historic sites and caves, amongst other things. These 

visits helped to shape me as an “Island Boy” who loves 

to “dig and explore.” This is who I am—both as a child 

and as the adult I’ve become today. Therefore, moving 

to Grand Turk has been like a homecoming. 

For the last 11 years I have worked at the Antiquities, 

Monuments and Museum Corporation (AMMC) of 

The Bahamas. The AMMC is a quasi-governmental 

agency with responsibilities for Archaeology, Historic 

Preservation, Heritage Sites and Public Museums 

throughout The Bahamas. I had the primary responsibility 

for the Archaeological and Paleontological 

Research Unit, Public Relations and Marketing and the 

IT Department. However, it was through field projects 

in archaeology that I had the pleasure of traveling and 

exploring the entire archipelago, including the Turks & 

Caicos Islands. With my travels of the islands, I have had 

the joy to go to the very top of The Bahamas (the Top 

of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse) and to explore the very 

bottom (Blue Hole diving with National Geographic). 

Dr. Michael Pateman (at right) collects oral history on Cat Island. 

New TCNMF Director Dr. Michael Pateman (far right) is on top of 

The Bahamas at Top of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse. 

While the islands of the Bahama archipelago all 

share a common history, each island has a unique 

history and sense of community. While working in 

the various islands, I have learned how important it 

is to engage fully with local communities and this has 

shaped my entire career since. I look forward to exploring 

the histories and heritage of TCI’s communities. 

In fact, I plan to make community engagement 

my main focus. It is vital that residents of the Turks & 

Caicos Islands feel that the Museum is a part of their 

communities. To begin this, the Museum will launch an 

oral history project—first on Grand Turk and then on 

the other Islands. These oral histories will begin to form 

a living, interactive museum exhibit where our patrons 

will be able to see and hear the history of the Turks & 

Caicos as told by the residents themselves on touch 

screen displays. Additionally, I look forward to partnering 

with local schools to ensure that schoolchildren 

visit at least one of our sites as part of their school year. 

My academic research has focused primarily on the 

Lucayans and the Liberated African experience. Both 

subjects I am excited to continue to explore further, 

as Grand Turk has the oldest pre-Columbian site in the 

Bahama Archipelago. The story of Liberated Africans 

through the slave ships Esperanza and Trouvadore 

along with the settlement of Bambarra are important 

aspects of the history of the Turks & Caicos. 

This is a new beginning for not only the Museum, 

but for me. Like Pat Saxton, I believe in answering every 

email, call and text I receive. I look forward to the relationships 

that I will form and the adventures to be had 

as we grow and expand the Museum together. a 

ANNIE POTTS 

64 www.timespub.tc


Museum matters 

Pat’s friends 

Over the seven years of my tenure I have met some very 

interesting and unique individuals. One never knows 

if a chance meeting will be anything but that or, as in 

the case of David Mayberry, a new friendship will be 

forged. 

David came to the Museum in July 2017 with 

his wife Anna. As we talked, David mentioned he 

had worked in landscaping. I offered to give them a 

personal tour of the garden while we waited for the 

Museum to open, and they accepted. We had a wonderful 

conversation about plants and how hard it is to 

grow things on Grand Turk. Being from New Mexico, he 

could appreciate the difficulty. 

Months passed. Then came Hurricanes Irma 

and Maria and in the midst of trying to work under 

extraordinary circumstances (non-existent Internet, 

no computers, etc.), I finally was able to download a 

multitude of work-related emails while visiting the U.S. 

in October. Among them was David’s request to come 

and help with hurricane recovery, specifically for the 

Museum. 

At first, I was not sure if we could accommodate 

his wonderful offer. We were still in total recovery 

mode at the Museum, Science Building, Garden and our 

personal homes. Since he was coming to Grand Turk 

before I returned, I asked Museum Chairman Seamus 

Day to advise David as to how he could help. 

By the time I came back, David was in full swing 

making new gates for the Museum entrance. The precision 

and passion he put into that gate was amazing. 

The Science Building workshop was literally “buzzing” 

again. The smell of sawdust filtered to our makeshift 

office in the conference room. This small gesture 

meant something was being fixed—finally! 

The finished product is beautiful. The gate took 

on a lovely mahogany look after just one coat of linseed 

oil. David added his personal touch by cutting out 

small Turks Head cactus silhouettes. 

After a week of hard work, David flew home. We 

remain in touch and I do believe David has become a 

longtime friend of the Museum and my family. Not only 

has David become a member, not only did he fly down 

David Mayberry stands in front of the new gates he built for the 

Museum entrance, to replace the original gates destroyed by 

Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. 

on his own expense, but he and his family have generously 

donated to our recovery fund through Friends of 

the Turks & Caicos National Museum. 

In mid-January 2018 I received an email from Ms. 

Clare Meredith. She informed me that in the late 1960s 

she came to Grand Turk as a young teacher with the 

UK Voluntary Service, and also helped start up Conch 

News. She left TCI after serving her term. Clare’s message 

said she was planning a return to Grand Turk for 

a three-week visit. Could the Museum use her as a volunteer 

to help with curation issues? I jumped at the 

chance to meet what sounded like a very interesting 

woman. Clare and I met up and I took her through the 

Museum, Science Building and archives. She had so 

many ideas after seeing the Museum. 

I would be remiss if I did not mention some of the 

folks I met through email, phone calls and other chance 

meetings during my time as director. Hugh Hutchings 

was one of the first people I had the pleasure of hearing 

PAT SAXTON 



Museum matters 

from. He donated so many 

things from his grandfather, 

H.H. Hutchings, 

who served as one of 

the first administrators 

for Turks & Caicos. Then 

there was Doug Rodgers, 

Bill Hockings, and Fritz 

Miller—a.k.a. the “Range 

Rats”—who sent us photos 

and other memorabilia. 

Other U.S. servicemen such 

as Charlie Wright and John 

Conley also donated photos 

and paperwork from when 

they served on Grand Turk. 

Jeff Dodge, our own deltiologist, 

has written quite a 

Pat Saxton’s plans for “retirement” include spending more time with her husband Neil (far right) 

and beloved grandchildren. 

BRYAN MANCO 

Join the Museum 

Become a Member of the 

Turks & Caicos National 

Museum and receive a 

year’s subscription to 

Times of the Islands (which 

includes Astrolabe), free 

admission to the Museum 

and other benefits. 

of HISTORY and CULTURAL 

PRESERVATION 

Senior (62+) $35 • Individual $50 

Family/Friend $100 • Sponsor $250 

Contributor $500 • Partner $750 

We have several options for joining: 

• Visit the Museum at our Providenciales location 

at The Village at Grace Bay or our Grand Turk location 

in Guinep House on Front Street 

• Visit our website at www.tcmuseum.org/membership-support/. 

• Send a cheque or money order payable to the 

“Turks & Caicos National Museum” in care of: 

Friends of the Turks & Caicos National Museum 

39 Condesa Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508 USA 

*For U.S. residents, support of the Museum may be tax-deductible 

if you join via Friends of the Turks & Caicos National 

Museum, our affiliated institution and registered 501 (c) (3). 

See our website for more details: 

www.tcmuseum.org. 

few books and articles on the extensive TCI postcard 

collection he accumulated. I believe this passion started 

while he was serving at the U.S. base here in Grand 

Turk! 

Salt Cay-born Captain Willard Kennedy sent us his 

sextant and other navigation tools from his years at 

sea. A chance phone call from Ms. Adrienne Lighbourn 

Butz resulted in her donating copies of her book The 

Letter Book of Captain John Lighbourn Sr and William 

Astwood. And who can forget Art St. John who used to 

live in Guinep House with his wife Gretchen in 1957–58 

while serving as Commanding Officer for the LORAN 

station at North Base? When he came back a few years 

ago to see Grand Turk with his family, he donated his 

photographs from his time here. We made a lot of them 

into postcards and are ever so thankful for his photographs, 

now in our archive. He remains a lovely friend. 

Most of these folks sent an email or phoned. All I 

did was respond—and the rest is history—history that 

might have been lost if someone had not responded. 

Everyone has a story to tell, and it is up to us to listen! 

a 

Pat Saxton 

66 www.timespub.tc

faces and places 

Left: Sandra Walkin with Swim & Surf founding members Brigida Walkin, Jena Janse and Roechelle Gardiner. Center: Jacynthia Rigby, Swim & 

Surf founding member Sandra Shaw and Joshua Bratter, writer and executive producer of “The Black Line.” Right: Surfside National Coach 

Jessica Sloan and Swim & Surf President Brad Walkin. 

Swim & Surf TCI’s First Fundraising Event 

Brayton Hall was the venue for a formal evening showing of the Indigenous Films production, “The Black Line,” with 

Writer and Executive Producer Joshua Bratter present, as well as Shaune Fraser of the Cayman Islands, a three-time 

Olympic swimmer, CARIFTA champion and Pan-American Games champion. The film brings to our attention the contradiction 

that Black swimmers are breaking racial barriers in the world of competitive swimming, yet Black children 

are nearly six times more likely to drown in swimming pools than their White peers. Swimming is a key life skill that 

should be available to all. The reasons it is not are discussed in this film, as is the rich culture of swimming in the 

Caribbean. 

Joshua Bratter, Shaune Fraser and Swim & Surf President Bradley Walkin spoke from the stage to the large audience 

along with Swim & Surf founding member Sandra Shaw. The beneficiaries of this fundraising event were Swim & Surf 

TCI, the Edward Gartland Youth Centre and TCI’s 2018 CARIFTA swim team athletes. Swim & Surf TCI and the Black 

Line Team enjoyed a four day screening tour in TCI bringing the film to EGYC members and CARIFTA 2018 swimmers, 

South Caicos schoolchildren, and 250 Providenciales middle and high school students with support from Sailrock 

South Caicos, The Shore Club and Brayton Hall BWIC. See more on the movie at www.theblacklinemovie.com and 

more on Swim & Surf at www.teamunify.com. 

Story By Claire Parrish ~ Photos By Sandra Shaw 

Left: The Swim & Surf TCI and Black Line Team had great interaction with schoolchildren in South Caicos. 

Right: TCI student screening of the film at The Shore Club with Shaune Fraser present. 


food for thought 

Opposite page: Sisters Laura and Lindsay Mensen are owners of The Retreat Kitchen, a very special place that helps residents and visitors 

eat and drink their way towards wellness. 

Above: The zucchini bowl is one of the most popular lunch choices, regularly changing its primary flavours. 

Eating with Purpose 

The Retreat Kitchen vegetarian café and juice bar 

By Kathy Borsuk ~ Photos By Manisha Tolani 

I’m a firm believer in purpose: we all have a unique contribution to make with our life on this earth. If we 

discover that best thing to do we are fortunate, and others are blessed. 

When I met Laura and Lindsay Mensen, owners of The Retreat Kitchen, a vegetarian café and juice bar 

on the upper level of Ports of Call Shopping Centre in Grace Bay, it was clear that they were operating in 

that “zone,” blending their life experience, training and talents to create a very special place that helps 

residents and visitors eat and drink their way towards wellness. 


Every time I have lunch at The Retreat Kitchen, my 

body feels cared for, comforted and sated. Every dish is 

a combination of natural colors, flavors and textures that 

appeal to every sense. Made daily with fresh ingredients, 

soups are thick without the use of heavy creams and 

rich with flavor from herbs and spices. Salads burst with 

color and contrast, combining greens, nuts, vegetables 

and cheeses (if you like), enhanced by exquisite dressings 

made with cold-pressed juices and oils. Even the treats, 

such as peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies, manage 

to be decadent and healthy at the same time! 

The feeling of being lovingly nurtured starts when 

you walk into the space. Its clean, white-washed appearance 

is accented with darker wood tables, potted cacti 

and a selection of raw-food and vegan cookbooks. The air 

is filled with a fresh lavender scent that is refreshing and 

relaxing. You can dine inside or outdoors on the balcony. 

The Mensen sisters glow with good health and a natural 

beauty and vibrancy that is the result of their approach 

to living. Laura and Lindsay were born in Canada, but 

spent many of their younger years in Turks & Caicos. 

Their father, Henry Mensen, was the original developer 

of Ambergris Cay. When he spent time at the Hippocrates 

Health Institute in Florida undergoing intensive alternative 

healing through diet, yoga and meditation, the sisters 

took note. 

They spent three months training at the Institute’s 

raw food program, witnessing miraculous transformations 

in their father, others and themselves. Laura 

recalls, “When we left, we felt physically light, healthy, 

clear minded and introspective—like we were learning 

Every day, The Retreat Kitchen offers a soup/salad combination, 

changing regularly with the availability of fresh ingredients. 

Summer Rolls with Almond Dipping Sauce are an exotic vegan treat. 

a new way of being in the world.” Laura continued her 

nutrition training, acquiring her certification as a Holistic 

Nutritionist through a year-long intensive at The Institute 

of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto, Canada. Both sisters 

went on to gain extensive training in the Barkan Method 

Hot Yoga and, later, yoga teacher training through the 

Asheville Yoga Center and Rolf Gates Yoga. 

Eventually they returned to TCI to create wellness 

retreats at their father’s home on Ambergris Cay, 

emphasizing raw food, health and yoga. In 2013, Laura 

started a small business delivering fresh juice around 

Providenciales, with as many as 30 stops a day. In 2014, 

the sisters opened their own Retreat Yoga and Wellness 

Studio there, offering a variety of yoga classes, workshops 

and fresh-pressed juice and healthy, vegan snacks. 

During this time, the sisters recall, their diet gradually 

evolved as they learned to listen to their bodies. “At 

first, we only ate raw foods and then began introducing 

some cooked vegan foods and eventually transitioned 

back to organic eggs, goat cheese and a little fish. When 

we came to TCI, the abundance of fresh seafood was too 

good to pass up, so we became pesca-vegetarian. Our 

philosophy now is that people should become conscious 

eaters, know where your food is coming from and the 

farming and transportation practices involved in getting 

it to you. Eat whole foods, organic if possible, choosing 

bright colors and plant-based fare. Most importantly have 

fun! It’s all a matter of balance and what works for you.” 

The enjoyment of and demand for healthy fare 

caused Laura’s Juice Kitchen to thrive. She marvels, “Our 

original Omega 8000 juicer (nicknamed “The Pig”) is still 

going strong after a decade of daily operation!” It is a 

70 www.timespub.tc

slow, cold-press model that keeps the vital enzymes, “the 

life force,” of the produce intact. The juice bar expanded 

into the Retreat Kitchen in late 2016 when the space next 

to the yoga studio became vacant. The sisters recall, 

“We’ve always been passionate about healthy food, so we 

decided to put our vision into practice.” 

Lindsay and Laura agree that they weren’t quite 

ready to start a restaurant, but took on the challenge full 

force. They were used to cooking wholesome and tasty 

food—raw, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free—but not in 

quantities to serve more than a family. At the beginning, 

they laugh, the lunch combination was a daily surprise. 

They slowly added soups, salads and sandwiches, treats 

and beverages a little at a time. Now, there is a weekly 

menu from which lunchers can choose from a daily soup/ 

salad special, along with a standard chalkboard menu 

including the popular zucchini bowl, summer rolls, and 

gourmet toasts, including fig and goat cheese, pear, blue 

cheese and walnut and the beloved avocado toast. 

The Mensen sisters don’t deny it was a steep learning 

curve. It was important to procure a steady supply of the 

variety and quantity of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, 

grains, seeds and spices they require. Ordering enough 

was crucial, as there is a limited choice of such ingredients 

on-island should they run out. A major challenge was 

to develop a system for their growing kitchen staff to follow, 

especially since preparation of the ingredients is very 

time and labor-intensive. They say, “The first year, we ran 

on instinct; the second year, we actually had procedures 

and recipes, which streamlined things in the kitchen.” 

Like many restaurateurs, Laura and Lindsay say it is 

hard to rely on local farmers for a consistent supply of 

produce, although they use fruits and vegetables from 

North and Middle Caicos whenever available. Their father 

has a farm in the Dominican Republic and sends over 

moringa, cacao, and honey from his beehives that finds 

its way into sweet treats, including raw cacao bites. 

The first time I visited The Retreat Kitchen, I expected 

the customers to be either ultra-fit super-models or ethereal 

angels. It was a surprise to find so many residents 

in all shapes, sizes and nationalities. In fact, the sisters 

say about 80% of their business are residents, including 

many restaurateurs and business professionals. The rest 

are tourists who typically discover The Retreat Kitchen on 

the Internet and social media (TripAdvisor or HappyCow, 

Facebook/Instagram). 

The sisters believe in keeping their eco-footprint to a 

size 2. So at The Retreat Kitchen, you will find your meal 

served with “real” silverware, plates and glasses. Take-out 

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containers are eco-friendly, biodegradable paper products 

whenever possible, and regulars receive a discount 

when they bring in glass jars to be refilled with juices. 

My friend Sara swears by The Retreat cleanses, and 

her sparkling eyes and clear complexion validate her 

experience. You choose from a liquid or food cleanse 

for three, five or seven days, then collect a bag containing 

your supplies for each day: de-tox true green 

juice, smoothie, healing broth and tumeric shot with an 

optional large salad or soup. 

The Retreat Kitchen is also branching out into catering, 

most recently serving vegan tapas at the opening 

of the luxury villa Coral Pavilion. They also offer regular 

workshops featuring a variety of health topics alongside 

naturopathic doctors of Grace Bay Medical Centre. In the 

future, Laura says, the restaurant will be open for pop-up 

dinners and as a wine and craft cocktail bar serving “biodynamic” 

wines and incorporating their fresh produce, 

juices and herbs for creative mixed drinks. The sisters 

hope to expand the existing space to open up much 

needed dining and kitchen areas. 

Caring for others within the community is another 

aspect to healthy living. Following the destructive hurricanes 

last fall, Laura and Lindsay prepared pumpkin soup, 

peas ’n’ rice and zucchini bread that was delivered by 

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Post-hurricanes Irma and Maria, The Retreat Kitchen became a comforting 

place to enjoy Banana-Walnut Muffins and Wi-fi. 

friend Dom Rolle and his crew to Islanders whose homes 

were severely damaged by the storm. The Retreat Kitchen 

also became a gathering place, as they had power, Wi-fi 

(and banana-walnut muffins) within days after the storm. 

I feel grateful that people like the Mensen sisters 

choose to dedicate their lives to helping the rest of us 

more able to enjoy ours. a 

The Retreat Kitchen is currently open for lunch from 9 AM 

to 3 PM from Monday to Saturday. Delivery is available 

via the IsleHelp app. For more information, visit www. 

retreatkitchentc.com. 

72 www.timespub.tc

crossing africa 

Clockwise from top: Mario gets a visitor from TCI—his biggest fan and mother Zemar. Tribal dancers. A view of life in Africa near Khartoum. 

The journey’s end at the Great Pyramid of Giza, Cairo, Egypt. Mario with Mama Malak who runs an orphanage in Khartoum. 

Crossing Africa Update 

The journey is completed from Sudan to Cairo. 

Compiled by Claire Parrish ~ Photos By Mario Rigby 

When we left Mario in late August, 2017, the journey was nearly over after two years of walking 11,500 

km through nine countries. But Crossing Africa was never a simple journey. 


Mario got to Sudan at Metema, enjoyed tea, and was 

then turned back to Ethiopia and Addis Ababa for a weeklong 

wait for a new visa plus penalties, money exchange 

issues and much authority confusion. Heran, an amazing 

friend and contact in Addis, helped get him through 

the immigration process. His ongoing Sudanese visa 

had the same issues—hence a bus from Addis Ababa to 

Khartoum, Sudan with an overnight stop in Gondar. Here 

a man kindly bought dinner, showed Mario around town, 

accepted money to exchange, and was never seen again. 

A defeated Mario ran into a pack of dogs and received his 

first-ever dog bite. Ten checkpoints and police stops later 

he reached Khartoum. 

Here, while waiting for his visa extension, Mario 

talked about fitness and health on Capital Radio 91.6 FM. 

There followed a talk with youth MMA fighters who taught 

him about Sudanese youth culture; these NubaWrestlers 

are typically from the tribes in West Sudan. Social media 

caught up with Mario in the form of a Khartoum University 

student who had been following his journey and three 

professional Sudanese ladies who met him for lunch, 

where everything from women’s rights to African poverty 

and politics was discussed. 

By now the dog bite had gotten painful and following 

a vaccination and antibiotic prescribed by the local 

hospital doctor, Mario spent one month in Khartoum 

recovering. September 1 is the Day of Eid, so Mario got 

to witness sacrificial rituals of sheep slaughtering as well 

as enjoying conversations with friends and their families. 

Sheep would be the meal at most Khartoum houses for 

many days. 

During this recovery time, Mario presented in a TedX 

conference in a beautiful old town along the River Nile, 

Wad Madani. Then there were trips to the Temple of 

Amun, an archaeological site at Jebel Barkal and to the 

ancient city of Meroe, where hundreds of pyramids predate 

those in Egypt. Camping out with friends in these 

ancient areas (despite temperatures a staggering 45ºC) 

made for new best-Africa memories; standing at the 

edge of cliffs overlooking 3,000 year old ancient temples 

carved from mountains. 

Another Crossing Africa talk to 7th and 8th graders 

in a Khartoum school generated questions and excitement 

as refreshing as ever. But nothing beat the thrill 

when Mario’s mother, Zemar, came from TCI to visit! 

Together they went to the National Museum, followed 

by dinner with new close friends. (Zemar soon realised 

alcohol wasn’t allowed in the country and juice was its 

replacement.) 

There followed a visit to Mama Malak who houses 

60 children: orphans, children with Down Syndrome or 

autism, and more. Some days she has no food for her 

flock so Zemar pledged $200 each month to help. 

S24 News Television interviewed Mario, then he 

caught up with some of the TedX talkers for a roam 

around the town of Al Ubayyid, the capital of the state of 

North Kurdufan. Tolerance and acceptance were apparent 

as one of Sudan’s largest Catholic churches sat opposite 

one of its biggest mosques. Yet whilst Mario has probably 

passed over 75 different tribes and found African people 

to be kind-hearted, they still say of each other: Beware of 

the neighbour. Mario knows that to get through the problems 

Africa faces, people must get to know each other 

and work together. 

When Mario was fit to start walking again he knew 

lots of deserts, tribal villages and water crossings were 

in the plan. The Sudanese desert was an adventure— 

crossing deserts, ancient temples, pyramids and walking 

alongside camels and desert tribes. He saw the pyramids 

of Meroe, slept under the stars and even learned Arabic 

en route. At an archeological site in Kowikka and Mario 

he was given a lesson in finding the blueprint of ancient 

civilizations as far back as 3,500 years. 

From Atbara, Mario crossed the white desert with 

camels bought by Zemar and her friend Dee—sold again 

in Karima. The camels carried water, food and other supplies 

for roughly 10 days. Dust storms pierced his skin. 

74 www.timespub.tc

Mario enjoyed sleeping next to the Nile, listening to waves 

lightly splashing to shore. Magzub Nubian Guesthouse 

was one of first backpackers’ guesthouses seen in Sudan 

in the small town of Abri. The Nubian people are an ethnic 

group which originated in present-day Egypt and Sudan. 

They have a long history that dates back to the Egyptian 

dynasty and they ruled Egypt during the eighth century 

B.C. The Nubians have strong cultural differences, identified 

in their literature, music and poetry, and they speak 

their own, non-written language. 

At the Egyptian border, more visa issues meant a 

12-hour bus back to Khartoum. But there Mario witnessed 

an amazing food/cultural festival of mostly West and 

Southern Sudanese people—darker-skinned, incredibly 

friendly and beautiful. Conflicts and wars in the southern, 

eastern and western regions of Sudan have dominated 

life over the past few decades, but for now, traditional 

foods and amazing dancing took over. 

Egypt is the last of this nine-country, on-foot journey. 

There have been many life-changing moments for Mario, 

including a visit to Hope School for displaced youth and 

former child soldiers from South Sudan, trying to rehabilitate 

their lives from the wars and conflicts. 

The last few days of the journey were tough mentally 

as Mario dealt with journey nostalgia. But great hospitality 

in Egypt kept him going. Amna was Mario’s support, 

guide and light in Egypt. Sarah made him laugh. Sophie 

helped Mario ground his thoughts. (Mario met Sophie in 

South Africa; she’d come to Egypt from Germany to wish 

him well.) 

The endpoint finally did arrive. Mario’s Cape to Cairo 

journey was completed at the pyramids of Giza, Cairo, 

Egypt on January 24, 2018. Then he spent time in Cairo 

doing a talk at the Cairo-American college in Maadi to 

200 middle school students. Mario got to be the tourist 

visiting such places as the Citadel of Salah al-Din 

al-Ayyubi and the Great Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha 

or Alabaster Mosque. 

We covered this epic journey since the Times of the 

Islands Winter 2016 issue, and congratulate Mario on his 

tremendous accomplishment. We end with a poem sent 

to Mario, that will no doubt have him walking again soon 

. . . a 

The Christmas holidays brought a two-week break for 

Mario in Zamalek, Western Cairo. He then travelled to 

Luxor and Dendera’s sacred and beautiful temple of 

Hathor, the most preserved temple in Egypt celebrating 

fertility and divine feminine energy. 

The last 350km along the river Nile to Girga had 

probably been the easiest of his entire journey with cheap 

hotels, some costing just $2, every 10km. Living conditions 

were not the same as Aswan or Luxor but as Mario 

stated, “comfort was the enemy to progress.” Arrival to 

Cairo wasn’t as glamorous as he’d imagined, but it was 

majestic. Uwe Schmidt was there, a man he’d previously 

met crossing Africa by bicycle. 

None of your knowledge, your reading, your connections 

will be of any use here: two legs suffice, and big eyes 

to see with. Walk alone, across mountains or through 

forests. You are nobody to the hills or the thick boughs 

heavy with greenery. You are no longer a role, or a status, 

not even an individual, but a body, a body that feels 

sharp stones on the paths, the caress of long grass and 

the freshness of the wind. When you walk, the world has 

neither present nor future: nothing but the cycle of mornings 

and evenings. Always the same thing to do all day: 

walk. But the walker who marvels while walking (the blue 

of the rocks in a July evening light, the silvery green of 

olive leaves at noon, the violet morning hills) has no past, 

no plans, no experience. He has within him the eternal 

child. While walking I am but a simple gaze. 

Frédéric Gros, A Philosophy of Walking 

For more on Mario, visis www.mariorigby.com 


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 40,000. 

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. American Airlines flies from Miami, Charlotte and 

New York/JFK. JetBlue Airways offers service from Fort 

Lauderdale, Boston and New York/JFK. Southwest Airlines 

travels to Fort Lauderdale. Delta Airlines flies from Atlanta 

and New York/JFK. United Airlines flies from Chicago and 

Newark. WestJet travels from Toronto. Air Canada offer 

flights from Toronto and Montreal. British Airways travels 

from London/Gatwick via Antigua. 

76 www.timespub.tc

Bahamasair and InterCaribbean Airways fly to Nassau, 

Bahamas. Flights to: Antigua; Dominica; Cap Haitien and 

Port Au Prince, Haiti; Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica; 

Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; San 

Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Lucia; St. Maarten; Santiago, Cuba; 

and Tortola are available on InterCaribbean Airways, while 

Caicos Express travels to Cap Haitien daily. (Schedules 

are current as of February 2018 and subject to change.) 

Inter-island service is provided by InterCaribbean 

Airways, Caicos Express Airways, and Global Airways. Sea 

and air freight services operate from Florida. 

Language 

English. 

Time zone 

Eastern Standard Time (EST)/Daylight Savings Time 

observed. 

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. 

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, 

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 

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. 

78 www.timespub.tc

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 once 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 

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 

twr ad Times Fall 1/4_Layout 1 8/11/17 7:12 PM Page 1 

Tradewinds Radio 

on the dial at FM104.5 

104.5 

Enjoy. 

THE SOUND OF THE TROPICS 

Call 431 7527 


㈀㠀 

吀甀爀欀猀愀渀搀䌀愀椀挀漀猀刀攀猀攀爀瘀愀琀椀漀渀猀椀猀礀漀甀爀洀漀猀琀甀瀀搀愀琀攀搀 

爀攀猀漀甀爀挀攀 Ⰰ 愀渀搀戀攀猀琀瀀氀愀挀攀琀漀最攀琀最爀攀愀琀搀攀愀氀猀愀渀搀椀猀氀愀渀搀搀椀猀挀漀甀渀琀猀 ℀ 

䄀爀攀礀漀甀愀䰀甀砀甀爀礀吀爀愀瘀攀氀䄀搀瘀椀猀漀爀㼀䘀椀渀搀漀甀琀洀漀爀攀 

愀戀漀甀琀漀甀爀渀攀眀猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀 ᰠ 䰀甀砀甀爀礀䔀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀猀 ᴠ 

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 18 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 33 

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 is 

a casino 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 

80 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 

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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 

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Dragon Cay Resort at Mudjin Harbour – Tel 649 344 4997 • Web www.dragoncayresort.com 325 8 • • • • • • • • • 

North Caicos 

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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 • Web www.pelicanbeach.tc 125–165 14 • • • • • • • • 

Pine Cay 

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The Meridian Club - Tel 649 946 7758/866 286 7993 • Web www.meridianclub.com 800–1300 13 • • • • • • • 

Parrot Cay 

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COMO Parrot Cay Resort & Spa - Tel 649 946 7788/855 PARROTCAY • Web www.parrotcay.com 550–2850 65 • • • • • • • • • • 


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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.aman.com 1000–2100 73 • • • • • • • • 

Aquamarine Beach Houses – Tel 649 231 4535/905 556 0278 • www.aquamarinebeachhouses.com 200–850 24 • • • • • • • • 

Beaches Resort Villages & Spa – Tel 888-BEACHES/649 946 8000 • Web www.beaches.com 325–390AI 758 • • • • • • • • • 

Beach House Turks & Caicos – Tel 649 946 5800 • Web www.beachchousetci.com 532–638 21 • • • • • • • • • • 

BE Beach Enclave – Tel 888 434 3981 • Web www.beachenclave.com see web 24 • • • • • • • • 

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.caribbeanparadiseinn.com 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 649 941 5497/800 787 9115 • Web www.coralgardensongracebay.com 199-449 32 • • • • • • • • • • 

Gansevoort Turks + Caicos – Tel 888 844 5986/649 941 7555 • Web www.gansevoorttc.com 315–720 91 • • • • • • • • • • 

Grace Bay Club - Tel 800 946 5757/649 946 5050 • Web www.gracebayclub.com 650–1750 75 • • • • • • • • • • 

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 • • • • • 

The Inn at Grace Bay – Tel 649 432 8633 • Web www.innatgracebay.com 179–379 48 • • • • • • • 

Kokomo Botanical Gardens - Tel 649 941 3121• Web www.aliveandwellresorts.com 169–299 16 • • • • • 

Le Vele - Tel 649 941 8800/888 272 4406 • Web www.leveleresort.com 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 5880 • Web www.oceanclubresorts.com 180–690 191 • • • • • • • • • • 

The Palms Turks & Caicos – Tel 649 946 8666/866 877 7256 • Web thepalmstc.com 595–1700 72 • • • • • • • • • • 


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where to stay 

Providenciales (continued) 

Pelican Nest Villa – Tel 649 342 5731 • Web www.pelicannest.tc 429–857 2 • • • • • • 

Point Grace – Tel 649 946 5096/888 209 5582 • Web www.pointgrace.com 424–1515 27 • • • • • • • • • • 

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 877 288 3206/649 941 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 7777/649 333 7777 – Web www.sevenstarsgracebay.com 365–2400 165 • • • • • • • • • • 

The Shore Club – Tel 649 339 8000 – Web www.theshoreclubtc.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 5900/888 386 8770 • 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 877 277 4793/649 941 3512 • Web www.thevenetiangracebay.com 695–1175 27 • • • • • • • • 

Villa del Mar – Tel 877 345 4890/649 941 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 855 749 5750/649 946 8550 • Web www.thewestbayclub.com 235–1163 46 • • • • • • • • • • 

Windsong – Tel 649 333 7700/800 WINDSONG • Web www.windsongresort.com 275–925 50 • • • • • • • • • 

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 

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 • • • • • • • • 

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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 • • • • • 

Hotel & Tourism Association Member 

Green Globe Certified 

Rates (listed for doubles) do not include Government Accommodation Tax and Service Charge 

82 www.timespub.tc

dining out – providenciales 

Amanyara — Amanyara Resort. Tel: 941-8133. Light gourmet 

cuisine with menu changing daily. Open 6 to 10 PM. 

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 7:30 

AM to 10:30 PM. 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. 

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, closed Thursday. 

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; 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 from 5:30 PM. Closed Monday. Look for the new 

Cocovan airstream lounge with garden seating or take-away. 

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: 2313336. Experience 

the best of authentic Turks & Caicos and Caribbean cuisines 

with local celebrity Chef Nik. Open daily 5 to 10 PM 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. 

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 for dinner Friday to 

Wednesday 6:30 to 10:30 PM. 

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 daily 5:30 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, 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. 

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 to 10 PM nightly. Reservations required. Native cuisine night 

on Tuesday with live music. 

Grill Rouge — Grace Bay Club. Tel: 946-5050. Al fresco bistro. 

Diverse menu. Fun cocktails. Open daily for lunch Noon to 3 PM, 

dinner to 9 PM. 

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. Full bar. A/C dining or outdoors on the 

deck. Open daily 7 AM to 9 PM. Pick-up/delivery available. 

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 Raw — Le Petite Plaza. Tel: 346-5371. Vegan lifestyle 

kitchen, offering fresh, organic, raw, vegan, gourmet. Open 

Friday, Noon 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. 

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 and gazebo 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, wine, cheese, dessert, coffees. 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. 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 readymade 

gourmet meals. Open daily 11 AM to 3 PM; 6 to 10 PM. 

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 Sunset Ridge Hotel (near airport). 

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 Wine • Bar • Grill — Ocean Club Plaza. Tel: 946- 

5885. International menu with Caribbean flair. Fresh seafood. 

Serving dinner nightly 6 to 10:30 PM. 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 daily 6 to 10:30 PM. 

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: 941-2365/431-9101. 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. 

Provence — Le Vele Plaza. Tel: 946-4124. Traditional French 

artisan-style cuisine. Fresh pasta, gelato, cheeses, charcuterie, 

pastries, desserts. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Retreat Kitchen Vegetarian Café & Juice Bar — Ports of 

Call. Tel: 432-2485. Fresh, organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free 

fare. Fresh juices, daily lunch specials. Open for lunch 

Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM. Delivery available. 

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. 

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. 

84 www.timespub.tc

Seven — Seven Stars Resort. Tel: 339-7777. Elevated contemporary 

cuisine fused with TCI tradition. Open Monday to Saturday, 

5:30 to 9:30 PM. 

72ºWest — 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/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! 

Skull Rock Cantina — Ports of Call. Tel: 946-5282. The 

place for Tex-Mex; daily drink specials. Open daily, 10 AM to 

Midnight. 

Solana! Restaurant — Ocean Club West. Tel: 946-5254. 

Oceanfront dining from sushi to burgers. Teppanyaki and Sushi 

Bar, engage 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. 

Tiki Hut Island Eatery — Dockside at Turtle Cove Inn. Tel: 

941-5341. Imaginative sandwiches, salads, seafood, Black 

Angus beef, pasta, pizzas, fish. Open daily 11 AM to 10 PM. 

Turkberry Frozen Yogurt — The Saltmills. 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. 

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. Fisherman’s night Wednesday. a 

subscription form 

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WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE BACK ON, WE’RE 

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Each Sotheby’s International Realty® office is independently owned and operated.

Times of the Islands Spring 2018

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