I’m a firm believer that the personality of a resort’s upper management is reflected in the property itself — its appearance, level of service, overall atmosphere. Attitude seems to trickle down from the top, infusing every interaction between staff and guests.

When Windsong Turks & Caicos Resort opens its doors for the first time this winter season, owners and visitors are sure to soak in plenty of positive vibrations and more than a holiday helping of good cheer along with the warm sun and seabreeze. Jim Molter, the resort’s on-site developer/manager, has always impressed me as a fellow who is classy but not pretentious, detail-oriented but casual, and as friendly and respectful to his employees as he is to his guests. These qualities are reflected in the Windsong experience.

Windsong Resort is built along 450 feet of sugar-sand beach on the western edge of Grace Bay, tucked at the end of a cul-de-sac in a comfortably mixed neighborhood of residential and commercial properties. Each oceanfront suite has as its focal point that unforgettable tapestry of white sand, turquoise sea and azure sky that is the trademark of the Turks & Caicos. With only 50 condominiums on four stories, this boutique resort never feels crowded within its lovely landscaped grounds, oceanfront patio/pool or along the beach. And from the moment guests arrive at the reception pavilion, they’ll find smiling staff to meet, greet and look after them with a sincere and warm friendliness.

I visited the resort shortly before its grand opening in late 2008. Jim Molter, although he had dozens of items on his “to do” list, took time out to give me the grand tour. He was happy to report, “About 1/3 of the owners have already visited and they love the color combination and overall atmosphere of the resort.” It was easy to see why. Building exteriors are a pleasing sand tone, with swirled-stucco texture. Within the rooms, decor is simple, clean and elegant without being fussy, a soothing combination of ivory walls accented with dark woods and wicker. Living areas and master bedrooms offer a view to the sea, and spacious balconies line the oceanfront. The suites are appointed with all the important amenities, including huge, flat-screen TVs with built-in DVD players, wireless Internet, custom mattresses with ultra-soft linens, spacious closets with “storage systems”, double vanities and huge walk-in showers (some with terrace access), granite countertops and high-end Kitchenaid appliances and built-in wall safes.

I was most impressed, however, with the myriad small details Molter pointed out, items easy to overlook when planning, but which can make all the difference to a comfortable stay. (I suspect this is the result of his 25+ years of experience in South Florida development and construction combined with a decade in hospitality management.) For instance, a high-tech security system records when anyone uses their key card to enter a unit. Kitchen drawers pull themselves shut with a satisfying thump due to a hydraulic closure system. Bedroom bureaus transform into roll-top desks. Showers include rain showerheads and hand-sprays. Lock-out suites (allowing owners to rent out their units even while they are living there) feel totally private, with separate entrances, kitchen facilities and even ocean views. The entire grounds are wheelchair and senior-friendly, with below-ground parking for owners and elevator access to all the units; wide, stairless paths extend around the grounds all the way to the beach.

As we strolled to the elevated beachfront deck, I finally got to see the “really cool” pool that I had been envisioning from a mere description. Part of the patio is recessed below the level of the glass-sided pool. This allows sunbathers to watch the swimmers inside the pool, while relaxing with a drink and snack from JoJo’s Cafe. (Jim hopes to add an aquarium here, too.) The overall effect was quite unique, and destined to be a lot of fun for families. There is also a transparent bridge over the top of the pool from which a waterfall cascades.

Bordering the beach is a protective bunker of natural landscaping. Jim says, “We worked with the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources to plant dune-friendly plants such as sea oats to provide optimal stabilization of the dunes.” Other eco-friendly measures include energy-efficient lighting throughout the resort and a state-of-the-art cooling system that monitors when and where people move into rooms and adjusts temperatures accordingly.

Jim has always wanted the resort to have a casual, family-friendly appeal. He explains, “No matter how work-focused they are back home, most of our guests want to come here to kick off their shoes, relax and enjoy the beach, ocean and wonderful weather. To help them do so, we have a dedicated watersports manager with all the toys they need right here, including snorkeling gear, kayaks and paddleboats. The famous White House reef and snorkeling trail is right out front and 20 yards offshore.”

And while the well-equipped, high-end kitchens might beg to be used, in the spirit of relaxation, guests can enjoy breakfast and lunch items — including pizza, salads, subs, soups and pasta dishes — from JoJo’s Cafe on the patio.
Within the reception facility, there is the management office, a business center with meeting rooms, wellness/fitness room and a concierge to help plan dinners, excursions, golf and other diversions. But Jim wants folks to meet and mingle here, too. There is a huge TV screen for sports and movie nights, and plans for competition Monopoly, bridge and bingo games, poker tournaments and even blackjack instruction nights (with help from Casablanca Casino). Outdoors, the breezy, covered patio is perfect for family reunions, social activities or small corporate functions. A separate building houses the on-site spa, with a full array of treatments offered by the professionals from Spa Tropique.

Jim was pleased to report no structural damage, flooding or “water issues” following this September’s hurricane barrage, nor did he need to use the property’s generator backup. In fact, he says, “The insulation, windows and soundproofing were so good that you did not even know there was storm taking place!”
I’ve experienced first-hand a taste of the “service with a smile” with which Windsong staff will grace guests. It’s sometimes rare to sense a sincere attitude of goodwill, but that’s what I found here, and I fully believe Molter’s motto, “Our staff is a team . . . and we never use the word ‘No.’”

Construction on Windsong’s Phase 2 is expected to start in May and be completed by October 2010. There are also six units still available for sale in the existing building. The global economic slowdown doesn’t ruffle Jim Molter. He explains, “I’ve been through the highs and lows of the Florida real estate market and because we are internally funded and not dependent on bank loans (nor are any of our buyers), we’re on very stable ground. I think our owners love their purchase — the chance to live in paradise — and for vacationers, we offer solid value and over-the-top service for their money.” In fact, room rates for Windsong are significantly less than many resorts on Grace Bay, while the beaches are less crowded and the atmosphere more peaceful in its Bight location.

As I left, Jim and his staff were preparing for a Christmas-tree decorating party for children of the Enquiring Minds primary school, to be followed by pizza and gift-giving. It was hard to tell who would have more fun!

For more information or to make reservations, call (649) 941-7700 or visit www.windsongresort.com.

One of the long-forgotten beatitudes reads: “Blessed are the Beadmakers, for they shall inherit Grand Turk.” Ok, we invented this supposedly Biblical reference, but the point is that Caribbean archaeology is going through a major episode of reinterpretation. The archaeology of the Turks & Caicos has contributed greatly to the new information and new interpretations. One of our most exciting discoveries is the prehistoric bead-making workshop on Grand Turk (Amuana).

The tendency in writing history is to create a linear sequence of time, people and events. A led to B, B led to C, C led to D, etc., etc. Yet for every A, B and C there are literally thousands of other events and people running around at the same time. In Caribbean prehistory the prevailing interpretation is that Ostionan peoples developed into Meillacan peoples who then developed into Chican (Taino) peoples. We could explain these names, but they really are only placecards on the table of history. The bottom line of such a linear history is that everyone was the same during specific time periods. Yet where has that ever been true? Just look at the diversity of Caribbean peoples today, or, more close to home, the diversity of people who call themselves Turks Islanders!
In previous articles we have written about the Coralie site (GT-3), located on the west side of North Creek on Grand Turk. The site is the oldest in the Bahamian archipelago (founded circa AD 700) and contains a unique combination of animals and plants, many of which are no longer found in the Turks & Caicos. Archaeologists classify the site as belonging to the Ostionan period based on the style of pottery. Present evidence suggests that the site was abandoned for the final time in the mid 12th century.
In the mid-1980s Robert Power and Josiah Marvel were pressing the case for Grand Turk as Columbus’ first landfall. In doing so they were following in the footsteps of Gustavus Fox (Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy) and local historian Herbert “Bertie” Sadler (see Turks Island Landfall). The missing piece of evidence for their notion was Indian sites. Columbus stated that he had visited several villages on the island where he made landfall, which the native peoples called Guanahani. Evidence for a native occupation had not yet been found on Grand Turk despite previous archaeological surveys. In 1989 Keegan was invited to take a closer look. During the survey, an Indian site was found in the antennae field of what once was Radio Turk & Caicos, just north of the Governor’s residence (called “Waterloo”). The site is covered by sand that has accumulated in the past 800 years, and would not have been found if they hadn’t used a “ditch-witch” to lay copper grounding wires for the antennae. This discovery of the first recorded prehistoric archaeological site on Grand Turk excited the proponents for a Grand Turk landfall so much that they actually broke out Champagne to celebrate!
The site is called the Governor’s Beach site (GT-2), and over several years of excavations we showed that it was a shell bead-making workshop. The bad news for the Grand Turk landfall proponents is that it was abandoned almost 200 years before Columbus arrived. The site itself is relatively small, confined entirely to one beach dune north of Waterloo. Governor Bradley was kind enough to let us dig in his yard (and his wife hosted a luncheon for the crew!), but nothing was found on the Waterloo property or on the north side of the antennae field.
The pottery in both sites (GT-2 and GT-3) was manufactured in Hispaniola and people who came to extract the island’s rich resources brought the complete vessels to Grand Turk. However, the ways the pots were made and decorated are very different at the two sites: Coralie has exclusively Ostionan style pottery (red painted), while GT-2 has Meillacan style pottery (rectilinear incision). The activities undertaken and resources extracted at the two sites were also very different: at Coralie they harvested and processed meat, while at GT-2 they produced shell beads. In both cases, the items produced on Grand Turk became part of a larger trade (serra) network.
The people who occupied GT-2 inherited the island from the peoples who had been visiting the Coralie site for four centuries. It is possible that their visits overlapped, given very similar radiocarbon dates for the beginning and ending of the two sites (circa AD 1150). Also, a single potsherd in the Ostionan ceramic style was found in GT-2. Given how very different these two sites are, is it likely that the people who occupied the first site transformed gradually into the people who occupied the second?
GT-2 was a seasonal workshop where shells were collected and made into beads (who wouldn’t want a working vacation on Grand Turk?). Excavations recovered 1,600 complete disc-shaped beads, more than 6,000 shaped shell fragments in various stages of bead manufacture, and 12,000 pieces of scrap shell leftover from making the beads. The Spanish recorded the Taino word cacona to mean “glass bead,” but it also meant “reward.” Before European contact, the red shell beads were a very esteemed item and perhaps they were also called cacona. We also recovered conch shell columella tools that probably were used to break the shells into roughly rounded- out shapes, after which they would be perforated with a chert tipped drill, and lastly polished into a smooth disc. We recovered 567 pieces of imported white chert (flint), which the beadmakers brought with them from Hispaniola; 52 pieces of chert had been fashioned into drill bits.
Although 800 years old, the recovered beads are still amazing. Most of the beads were made from the small bivalve cherry jewelbox shell (Chama sarda), although conch shell beads (from Strombus gigas, Queen conch) were made as well. The Taino word for conch shell jewelry was cohibici, which is derived from the term for conch (cobo or cohobo). The smallest complete Chama bead was only 2.3 millimeters wide (roughly the size of the openings in a window screen) and almost equal to the width of the hole. Chama shells were selected because they have a deep red color that is retained even after the animal dies (although the shell will bleach to white in direct sunlight). Many of the beads we recovered retained a brilliant scarlet color. These bright red beads were easy to find in the sifter screens; our biggest problem was volunteer Barbara Toomey’s bright pink shoelaces, which made it difficult for those of us with depth-perception issues to focus on the red beads in the screen. The one Taino word we know for red is bija and it refers specifically to red body paint. For the Taino, red was the color of blood and thus, the color of life (bi), and also was associated with male virility.
The archaeological deposits at GT-2 are relatively thin so we were able to open a very wide area. In doing so we found a swath of midden (trash deposit) made up of small, burned limestone rocks. The amount of burned rock in this midden is impressive; on average a 1-x-1 meter area only 10 centimeters deep contained 400 rocks! In front of the midden, closer to the beach, we found four dark stains in the sand indicating the location of posts. The four posts formed a square measuring 3-x-3 meters, and were supports for some type of covered structure, likely a shelter from the sun and rain.
Inside this shelter we found six small circular areas, each measuring about 30 centimeters in diameter, which were perfectly level, extremely compact, and darker then the surrounding sand. We nicknamed them “mushrooms” because when we excavated around them, but left them intact, that is what they resembled. We identified 20 “mushrooms” in total. The six inside the shelter were organized in a circular pattern. Bead-making scrap clustered around the mushrooms. We had the soil from a “mushroom” analyzed, and the result was that it had a similar chemical composition as modern concrete. We concluded that the “mushrooms” were work surfaces manufactured from sand, salt water and burned and pulverized conch shell. All the burned rock in the site related to the burning of the conch shell. Conch lime such as this has been used historically in construction in the Turks & Caicos; here is an example of its use by prehistoric peoples.
Carlson did an experimental study of how the beads were made and she found that a hard surface to polish the beads against was vitally important, something like a large basalt stone basin (which doesn’t exist on Grand Turk; in fact there are no stones on Grand Turk that are harder than the shell). Everything necessary for making beads was improvised from this environment with the exception of the chert drills. The polishing blocks were manufactured and used as an abrasive surface upon which to polish the beads. They are an ingenious solution to the lack of hard stone on this island.
The midden itself contained no bead debitage. The bead scrap was found in “workshop areas” across the site. Different areas in the site focused on different parts of the bead making process—chert drill production, the shaping of shell bead blanks, drilling of the bead blanks, and lastly, stringing and polishing them into round discs. Under the covered shelter the beadmakers were working at polishing the finished beads.
One strange thing about the Governor’s Beach site is that it contains very few food remains; only reef fishes and mostly grunts (chachicata). In contrast, the Coralie site has a lot of large animal remains. Had the environment of Grand Turk deteriorated so much in so few years that the new residents were reduced to eating only reef fish? Did the new arrivals have a different concept of cuisine? Were they so focused on the mission of producing beads that they could bring home to Haiti that they ate only “fast food” (netted reef fish from off the Governor’s Beach)?
The archaeological evidence indicates that Grand Turk never had permanent residents until the Bermudians arrived in the 17th century, therefore, there were never large villages of Lucayans on Grand Turk ready to greet Columbus. Nonetheless, the island was visited for centuries by itinerant merchants, fishermen, and craftspeople, who all exploited Grand Turk’s most important resources. In addition, the record left by these temporary residents proves that not all Tainos were alike.
Because the dates of the Coralie and Governor’s Beach sites slightly overlap, the question is, did the earlier group simply transform themselves into the later group, or were these entirely different cultures? We support the latter. The timing of their visitations is too close for one to have changed into the other. Furthermore, other groups were living on (at least) Middle Caicos at the same time. Today we call them Lucayans based on their distinctive pottery made from local materials. The burning of a string of complete, intact beads along with the abandonment of a working trumpet, effigy pottery vessels, and complete stone beads at GT-2 suggests conflict at the site and thus a rapid abandonment. It appears that hostilities between competing groups led to the abandonment of the site (people from Middle Caicos versus those who had arrived from Haiti?). Whatever happened, the notion that there was only one Taino people is misleading, especially given the evidence from Grand Turk.
The people at GT-2 produced beautifully crafted shell beads, which they brought back to Haiti. It is curious why people would make the beads on Grand Turk instead of just gather the Chama shell raw material and produce them closer to home. It is possible that the knowledge of how to make these uniform, small red disk beads was guarded information and that the beads could only be produced in isolation. The value of these brilliant red beads was enhanced by the fact that they came from across the sea and arrived complete and ready to be fashioned into jewelry or woven into sacred belts, baskets or effigies. One can imagine the chiefs upon the return of the canoes exclaiming, “Blessed are the beadmakers.”

Dr. Bill Keegan is Curator of Caribbean Archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Betsy Carlson is Senior Archaeologist with Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. (SEARCH), Jonesville, Florida.

Look for their new book, Talking Taino, published by The University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0380
(www.uapress.ua.edu),
ISBN -13: 978-0-8173-5508-1

The Turks & Caicos Islands have a long history of boat-building—combining the use of native materials, plans created in the minds of the local builder and lots of hard work and ingenuity.The end result is the colorful island sloops that are unique to the Turks & Caicos Islands.
North Caicos resident Howard Gibbs bears a similar passion for boat building; a dream that he recently turned into reality with the opening of North Caicos Boats in Bottle Creek. Here is his story.

I started North Caicos Boats because I have long held a passion for building a boat that is both beautifully crafted and strongly constructed. My wife and I have lived in the Turks & Caicos Islands for over 10 years. We love the beauty and peacefulness of North Caicos. We especially like to explore the uninhabited beaches on the out islands, fishing on the way there.
I wanted to build a boat that “fit” these Islands, so I started listing the features that are most important. Shoal drafted, so I could follow bonefish into the shallowest of water. Steady, so I could stand on a poling platform or up on the bow to cast my line. Lightweight, so I could travel for hours on a couple of gallons of fuel. Strong, so I could travel safely on a rough sea. And finally, blessed with a hull design that would slide through the water, providing a comfortable ride with a minimum of spray.
There is already a proud heritage of boat building in Turks & Caicos. The colorful island sailing sloop is beautiful to behold and should continue to be built by the talented local boat builders. But I ask, “Why stop there?” Fiberglass boatbuilding could also find a useful place here.
North Caicos Boats is a new company, but my experience and training as a boat builder goes back many years. It officially started when I entered an apprenticeship program in the 1960s with Merle Stevens Dry Dock in Miami, Florida. It continued in the Florida Keys, where I learned from fellow Key Largo Islander Willy Roberts, well known for his classic back country skiffs, as well as other craftsmen. I have built sailboats, small skiffs and large boats. During this time, I developed an eye for evaluating boat hulls for their performance capabilities, combining boatbuilding products so they set properly, spray-painting hulls at the correct rate and volume, and learned the many boatbuilding skills that are needed to create a professional product.
I recall the introduction of polyurethane paints such as Awlgrip and Imron in the 1970s. It was the first photochemically nonreactive paint available to boatbuilders and repair yards, advertised as “the sun won’t chalk, peel or change the color of the paint.” I attended a training class to learn the application techniques. It was extremely important to understand the proper mixture and volume of paint and how to use the spray gun equipment so that the paint was applied correctly. But the end result was well worth the effort. Before polyurethane, the topside marine paint only lasted for a couple of years due to sun damage. Boats painted with Awlgrip or Imron stand up to the sun for years and years.
For several years I operated a 53′ fishing charter boat out of Whale Harbor in Islamorada, Florida, which I had built in the 1970s. We offered deep sea fishing trips for the day or overnight. My boat caught the eye of 20th Century Fox film agents looking for a charter boat for the movie they were making in Miami. The chose my boat to be the Manta Four in the movie, “Cocoon Two, The Journey Back.” I was also hired to prepare the boat for the movie, using my skills in a very unexpected, but interesting way.
One of the first decisions I made for North Caicos Boats was choosing the hull design for my first production boat. The delta deadrise hull that I selected for the Shearwater 16 model was one that would deliver on all my criteria: shoal draft, strong, steady and fuel efficient. It is so important to choose a hull design that will perform well in the environment where it will be used.
The next step in fiberglass boat-building is building the mold of the chosen hull (“making a mold off the plug”). This is the most difficult aspect of the whole process. The surface of the original hull, or plug, must be as smooth as glass before you create the mold of it. Any irregularities or blemishes on the surface can prevent the mold from separating properly from the plug when it is time to pull them apart. In some cases, both the mold and the original boat hull are ruined when separated. This is where experience really pays off.
Many things have to be put in place to be able to build a boat. All the supplies, resins, fiberglass materials, cleats, lights, wiring, steering gear and paint (just to name a few items) must be available. This can be a challenge on North Caicos. It can sometimes take days, weeks and numerous phone calls to facilitate the transport and handling of items from Miami to Providenciales to North Caicos, and finally to the site of North Caicos Boats.
To get equipment and supplies from Provo to North Caicos presents some unique challenges. When items arrive in Provo, we pay the duty, arrange transport to the dock, then onto a boat to North Caicos, weather and sea conditions permitting. Sometimes transportation and fork lift service must be arranged on North Caicos. One incident comes to mind involving a new boat trailer I purchased in Miami. The trailer was sent on a pallet, wheels off, completely disassembled. It arrived at the deep water port in North Caicos in the late afternoon. I was quite dismayed to find the trailer in pieces on the ground. I gathered the few tools I had in my jeep and prepared to assemble the railer. I was even further disappointed to discover no instructions had been sent with the trailer. As day turned to evening, I worked furiously to put the trailer together, using one hand to slap away sand flies while the other hand assembled. I would not leave here without it! It was dark before we had it together.
Back to creating the mold . . . if the surface of the plug was correctly prepared and the mold-making supplies correctly applied, the mold comes off the plug easily and cleanly. The mold is now ready for creating exact replicas of the original boat hull. Knowing how to lay up fiberglass on the mold, where to apply resin at the best thickness and how to build the supports of the future boat are just a few of the decisions to be made as the new boat is built.
Many marine supplies are needed to finish a boat for sale. North Caicos Boats has some extra items on hand for sale to the general public. Resin and fiberglass have been popular, especially so just before the lobster season. We are affiliated with a major catalog sales outfit in Florida and can order just about any marine supply for someone needing them.
There is a large interest in boatbuilding already here in the TCI. It makes sense to me to develop a commercial business that could provide a livelihood for those interested and skilled in the trade. We live on islands, surrounded by beautiful seas. I believe there could be a market niche for producing fiberglass boats designed to travel well on these waters.
I would like to see North Caicos Boats grow into a company that exports boats to other countries. But at a minimum, NCB could provide custom built skiffs to TCI residents without the cost of travel and shipping from the States. And, our customers will have the opportunity to select deck and hull colors, the layout of the interior seating, the location of live wells and other choices that can be made while a boat is being put together. Here in the Islands, our customers can select a boat model that fits their needs and wallets.
As our business progresses, I envision starting an apprentice program for young people truly interested in learning the skills of fiberglass work. These skills could lead to a lifelong profession in building or repair, or simply help to work on their own boat.
I have started with a 16′ boat called the Shearwater 16. It is ideal for two persons, but can easily handle up to four. My next production boat will be a 21 or 23′ model, built more for the open seas than the shoreline and flats. These boats could also be customized to meet the needs of anyone looking for a boat of this size, perhaps even outfitted as a government patrol boat. And, the price would be very attractive.
The regattas that we have today are a joyous event for all. The colorful island sloops take a considerable amount of time, money and skill to build. Because they tend to have different sail areas and length on water, the largest boat with the largest sail tends to win the race. If a mold for a fiberglass sailboat was made, a class of sailboats could be produced for racing that was equal in basic design and sail. Then, the skill of the sailor would be the most important factor in who crossed the finish line first.
Boatbuilding, in whatever form, is an activity that complements tourism. Its history should be preserved and the building and racing of island sloops should be encouraged. But having custom fiberglass production boats, built here in the Turks & Caicos, available to residents and visitors alike, is another worthy endeavor that could ultimately make it easier for everyone to enjoy the exquisite turquoise waters surrounding us.

It is October in the North Atlantic, and she circles the remaining school of krill. The small shrimp-like creatures have become few and far between in recent weeks, but after six months of feasting she feels satisfied and full of energy compared to her exhaustion back in May. With an almost playful twist of her tail she lunges for the surface, jaw agape, feeling the rush of salt water flowing past her thick, brush-like baleen.
As she swallows the filtered prey—a snack sized portion that was possibly not worth the effort—the water leaves a lingering icy bite that’s been increasing over the last weeks. The lunge, though, gave her a chance to glimpse the dry world beyond the surface. A moment’s image revealed a fresh extension to the solid, icy, dry land mass that stirs her growing desire for the warm waters in the south and her yearnings to find a mate.

Mystery surrounds the ability of humpback whales, one of the largest creatures on earth, to navigate between locations in freezing high latitude seas to distinct regions of warmer waters around the equator. Whether they feed in the northern or southern hemisphere, these magnificent creatures set off on their epic journey every year as winter closes in. The driving force behind these movements appears to be the “Catch 22” the whales face between foraging in productive high latitudes or seeking waters suitable for newborn calves who need to build up body weight before they, too, must migrate to productive feeding grounds in colder waters.
For our whale, a mature female, this means she faces a 3,000 mile swim to the beautiful, warm and calmer waters of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Humpback whales, just like many marine organisms, congregate within a small area to breed as if pre-arranged on a calendar. For scientists studying the subject this appears to provide one obvious, giant reward—bringing individuals together from distant locations within regions that offer newborn calves the optimum conditions for survival.
Through epic courtship battles of the giant bull males, the females will select and mate with only the fittest and strongest as a result of an annual migration pattern that has continued for millennia. The same seasonal movements are mirrored in each hemisphere; their opposing seasons, however, mean the two populations in one ocean rarely, if ever, cross paths.
The journey will obviously be long and tiring but other dangers lurk along the route, usually as a result of man. Our whale will cross busy shipping lanes, risk entanglement in fishing gear, be surrounded by large pleasure boats with eager whale watchers aboard and suffer the ear splitting noise of oil drilling platforms and surveys penetrating the sea floor with concentrated sound waves in the search for valuable fuel.
Only 30 years ago, she would have been hunted, chased and possibly harpooned with a six foot spear for the value of the oil rendered from her blubber, which kept city lamps burning.

Worldwide whaling and the TCI
For much of the last century, whaling decimated humpback populations around the world by up to 90%. Only a halt to commercial harvests brought about by the member nations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986 provided a small opportunity for whale stocks to recover. It would be a long haul though, as by 1986 a minimum of 200,000 humpback whales had been slaughtered worldwide and North Atlantic populations fell to critical levels with under 1,000 individuals.
For a short period in the 19th century, Turks & Caicos played an active part in whaling and the evidence remains in many place names. The highly valued perfume base ambergris lends its name to Ambergris Cay, originally a reliable lookout for the whaling station at Taylor’s Hill, Salt Cay and the aptly named Whale House Bay and Whale Island.
Today, since large scale whaling operations have ceased, there appears to be some hope. Currently one of the world’s largest breeding grounds remains in the Silver Bank between TCI and the Dominican Republic, while reports from fishers and yachtsmen reveal the possibility of further pockets of breeding activity within the network of shallow banks adjacent to deep water that stretch between these countries.
Worldwide populations of humpbacks are estimated to have risen to 70,000 with 11,000 in the North Atlantic alone. Pre-whaling populations can only be assumed from centuries-old stories and whaling logs, but where we see the occasional migrating whale there must have been a steady stream of hundreds of thousands of leaping, cavorting giants. The breeding and nursery grounds currently found in small areas of the Caribbean possibly covered entire systems of protected banks and islands such as the extensive Navidad, Silver, Mouchair and Caicos Banks between the Turks & Caicos Islands and Dominican Republic.

Current debates
Now that many whale populations are beginning to recover, there is even greater pressure from the whaling countries of Japan, Norway and Iceland to resume the commercial hunting of whaltes. These countries, which continue to conduct large-scale hunting either under the guise of science (Japan and Iceland) or simply because they do not belong to the IWC (Norway), claim whales are significantly reducing stocks of commercial fish.
This stance has been met with fierce environmental activism and media battles. An important counter argument is that despite increasing whale numbers in recent years, most populations are still only a fraction of their pre-whaling stock size. We still know very little about the general life history and ability of whale populations to recover from over-harvesting.
Knowledge is so poor that many specific calving grounds and even migration routes are currently unknown. In addition to understanding distribution, it is essential that genetic diversity is monitored to understand the link between breeding and feeding areas and species’ abilities to resist disease.
Present studies show genetic diversity is high in humpbacks, offering hope for the future, but genetic analysis is only in its early stages and this high diversity may simply be lagging from the huge pre-whaling populations. Without comprehensive monitoring of diversity during population recovery, the reintroduction of harvesting may cause detrimental effects before the full consequences of these actions are realized.
The fate of whale populations (and even individuals such as the female humpback we encountered at the start of this article) doesn’t necessarily lie in the hands of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), as the commission is essentially an umbrella organization within which the member states can vote. It is therefore the states that currently hold votes within the IWC that can dictate the future of whaling.
Japan in particular has called for the IWC to reintroduce harvesting beyond the current scientific quota and include species of particular conservation concern including humpbacks and rare giants such as brydes, fin and sei whales.
The Caribbean vote
The well publicized arguments of Norway and Japan have often overshadowed the participation of the Caribbean states that represent the region at IWC meetings. Holding a powerful hand as voters, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines—the sole voices for the Caribbean in the IWC—have historically all voted in favor of Japan’s lead that harvesting needs to be expanded to protect fisheries and, therefore, local resources.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines have previously been granted an indigenous subsistence fisheries quota of 20 humpback whales between 2002 and 2007, a significant event that is often overshadowed by the greater quota allowances and debates of Japan and Norway.
Currently, the whale watching industry brings over $10 million to the Caribbean annually while research on whether feeding activity actually occurs when whales are resident in breeding grounds is in its infancy, raising the question of whether the common vote for the expansion of whaling from Caribbean nations is in the best interest of the region.
Essentially this appears as a contentious situation for a region that as a whole prides itself in displaying the unique beauty of abundant natural resources. What, then, for the TCI that quietly observes this debate, recognizing her beautiful-by-nature reputation with a fleet of experienced boatmen that know every inch of the surrounding waters, visitors who return to enjoy life on the Islands and an as-yet relatively unmolested population of visiting humpback whales?

The importance of the TCI
Protecting migration routes and breeding grounds such as TCI waters allows populations to recover and provides researchers with the opportunity to fully understand the importance of the region to whale populations. Current questions include: Which feeding groups contribute to the numbers seen in TCI waters? What would the impacts of a potentially growing whaling industry be on these populations?
A study by Dr. Peter Stevick and associates in 2003 recorded whales from different feeding areas in the North Atlantic arriving and departing specific Caribbean breeding grounds at different times, suggesting little mixing of populations. This latest study is an example of how much there is yet to discover. Prior to Stevick’s 2003 study, scientists believed distinct northern feeding stocks of humpbacks would mix in the Caribbean breeding grounds. The jury is therefore still out on these behaviors and the accessible banks of the central Caribbean are important research sites that may answer these questions.
The Turks & Caicos offer vital insight into this struggle for survival and the Islands have already begun to lead the way in responsible care and environmental education for this resource. Local representatives led the TCI Marine Mammals Conference in 2000, aptly named “Flukes happen—Seen any lately?,” an international meeting attended by a panel of global experts aimed at addressing the potential of research and ecotourism related to whales in the Caribbean.
The conference recognized the great opportunities that exist in TCI waters to view whales and the possibility that whales traveling to the TCI actually breed and nurse newborn calves in the region.
The humpback whales that visit these shores currently support a growing whale watching industry that provides the opportunity to hunt not for meat and oil, but for pictures and the unique experience of seeing these giants at close range.
Grand Turk started the trend with dive operations incorporating the opportunity to get up-close and personal with visiting whales. The first operations began on an occasional basis in the 1990s and have developed since into a regular occurrence. Tour operators in Providenciales and Salt Cay have also made use of this resource and advertise the opportunity each winter to spend a day with the region’s whales.

Guidelines and discoveries
If respectful of the animals, whale watching tours offer a perfect opportunity to show off the resources of Turks & Caicos. The Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) has provided guidelines for both the growing whale watching industry and all other boat traffic to allow encounters that will not disturb natural behavior:
• Single vessels should carry no more than 20 passengers.
• Boats should keep to a speed that produces no wake, with engines put in neutral when in the presence of whales and no loud noises such as whistles or horns.
• Boats should not approach within 100 meters of whales and swimmers or divers should not enter water.
• Approach parallel or from the rear to cause the least stress and do not come between a mother and calf.
• If ahead of whales, stop at least 300 meters from approaching whales and disengage engine. Never approach whales head on, allow the whales to choose to approach you.
• Avoid making sudden changes in speed or direction if this is necessary; it usually means the whales are stressed and want to avoid you.
• When leaving whales after an encounter, move off away from their direction of travel at a slow speed that produces no wake, do not pick up speed until over 300 meters from the nearest whale.
• No more than three vessels should attempt to watch a whale or group of whales at one time. If several vessels in an area wish to watch the whales, limit your time with the whales so that others may see them.
If followed, these guidelines give visitors and residents alike a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view these charismatic creatures, while providing income for the locals who know the waters well—without disturbing the natural behavior of the whales that visit TCI waters. The opportunity that Turks & Caicos provides to view whales without the congestion of an irresponsible whale watching industry offers benefits to tourists and researchers alike.
For Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) scientists Sue Rocca and Vale Vivaldelli, Oasis Divers’ and Salt Cay Divers’ daily whale watching trips have provided a platform to conduct valuable research on Grand Turk and Salt Cay’s visiting whales. For Sue, these whales have special interest and could represent an undiscovered breeding population.
Sue explains, “It has always been thought that humpbacks are traveling by on their way to their Dominican Republic breeding grounds. Yet we know of many populations of migrating whales in which a subset of the population will not make the entire migration, so the area around Salt Cay could be an important breeding and calving ground. In fact, one of the older fishermen in Salt Cay has been reported to witness a birthing—which has never been documented in the wild.”
Each humpback whale has a unique black and white pattern on the underside of its tail fluke, a pattern as unique as a fingerprint. By photographing this pattern, you can track humpbacks through entire ocean basins. WDCS has used this method of photo-identification to reveal some interesting results.
Sue reports that WDCS’s fieldwork around Salt Cay and Grand Turk has produced two exciting results. First, three humpbacks documented in Grand Turk and Salt Cay waters during the winter are also seen regularly feeding in the Gulf of Maine in the summer. Secondly, one female named Pinball was documented around Salt Cay for two years in a row; in the second year (2008) Pinball had a new calf with her and was re-sighted over a 12 day period.
These results provide vital information on the link between feeding and breeding grounds and validate the local knowledge that the area may be an important calving ground. For many years, researchers in the northern feeding grounds have wondered where the whales go to breed and if they continue to feed during migrations—questions which the Turks & Caicos are starting to answer.

The next step
This birthing whale witnessed near Salt Cay could well be the same whale that started our tale and the cruise ship developments on Grand Turk and the possible increase in tourist boats offer as many obstacles as they do benefits to her and the North Atlantic whale population’s survival. Properly managed, though, tour activities can create a living resource that will delight visitors for decades to come. On the other hand, irresponsible interaction and little protection from ship traffic has the potential to irrevocably damage this population.
The Turks & Caicos Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) Scientific Officer Kathy Lockhart hopes for a bright future for TCI’s visiting whale populations and is keen that tour operators work with the DECR to establish a leading sustainable attraction and set the benchmark for Caribbean ecotourism. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society will be continuing their research, working with tour operations in Grand Turk and Salt Cay over upcoming winters, and aim to extend their work throughout the Turks & Caicos.
With international experience of responsible interaction with whales, one major aim for future work in the Turks & Caicos will be to provide information and training for local tour operations from all the islands who wish to include whale watching activities. With training from an internationally respected conservation organization, tour operators can incorporate best practices from around the world and customers will benefit from the expertise of local boatmen who understand the global importance of TCI’s whales and their behavior—all the while being assured a responsible and enjoyable encounter.
Ultimately, local boatmen and water users will have the opportunity to gather sightings data and record whale behavior independently, taking a leading role in the research process and the management of whale watching activities.
Recent tourists and visiting researchers are not the first to share stories of memorable encounters with inquisitive and curious whales. Mr. James Bassett, a familiar face on South Caicos, remembers that whales have been an attraction on the island for many years and their curiosity and interaction with residents has always been a source of interest even amidst the island’s lively salt trade. He explains, “I remember the whales coming right up to the boats loading salt, even rubbing themselves alongside. They were often near the harbour and seemed curious about what was there.” Many of South’s well known fishers tell more recent stories of even closer encounters, regularly being passed by migrating whales when free-diving during lobster season.
For the largest creatures that have ever lived on the planet and a group that was nearly rendered extinct by the lucrative whaling industry, incredibly little is known about the great whales. Scientists still argue over the level of intelligence whales possess without successful explanations for the haunting humpback songs regularly heard by divers that suggest complicated vocabulary and communication.
The huge breeding groups on the Silver Banks and Semana Bay in the Dominican Republic appear to have distracted attention from the whales of Turks & Caicos, but whether it is to provide worldwide firsts for researchers such as Sue and Vale or the opportunity for residents such as Mr. Bassett to continue enjoying the annual tradition, responsible interaction appears to be the key for ensuring the future of these whales.
The vision of the DECR to establish internationally leading conservation practices is central in allowing the annual migration to continue unhindered. This will allow time for secrets to be unlocked by research teams while long-standing income can be generated year by year and lifelong memories can be created for those witnessing these incredible creatures in their natural environment.

Useful related information
DECR whale watching regulations and guidelines:
www.environment.tc/regulations/lawregs/index.htm

www.environment.tc/regulations/lawregs/ordinances/TCIWHALEWATCHING.pdf

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society’s Grand Turk research field diary:
http://uk.wdcs.org/fieldblog/

Matt Ashley is a marine biologist who has been working at the School for Field Studies (SFS) on South Caicos. As a keen traveler with a background in journalism, Matt has worked internationally in marine conservation projects, especially on humpback whale research. He and SFS’s Center for Marine Resource Studies former director Dr. Steve Newman wrote this article with input from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and the DECR.

Even if the word “worm” gives you the heebie jeebies as you conjure grade-school boys dangling them in front of your face on the playground, you’re going to love the elegant underwater creature known as the feather duster. Marine worms (or polychaete for Graecophiles) are technically members of the same family as their bait-worthy cousins. But for all practical purposes, they have nothing in common—starting with the fact that they are beautiful, decorative, and, to Barbara’s photographic eye, the equivalent of flowers in an underwater garden.

Barbara and I, who don’t dive together nearly enough, share an appreciation for delicate marine tube worms, which come in more shapes and sizes than fleeces in an Eddie Bauer catalog. These tiny treasures create tubes from sand and mucus, then burrow their bodies inside the tubes, which they anchor to the reef. This is why they resemble flowers or feathers more than worms.
In the last issue, at the opening bell of the holiday season, we took a close look at Christmas tree worms. This time we turn our focus to relations of theirs called feather duster worms. Like their festive cousins, they conceal their vital bits inside their tubes. But where Christmas tree worms have two sets of radioles (the feather-like antennae that protrude from the coral), feather dusters sport a single flowery crown. On top of that, their distinctive tubes can often be seen, the underwater version of “visible panty line.”
Perhaps this is the key to their vulnerability. The merest disturbance of molecules within their space is all it takes to get them to shrink deep inside their protective tubes. As Barbara puts it, “Calling them camera-shy is an understatement! And yet it’s fascinating to attempt to photograph them. The name of the game is to approach very slowly and gently. You may only get one chance because the flash can also make them retract.”
Once a worm insinuates itself into a tube, it is wont to leave, and many never vacate the premises for the duration of their life. While they can shimmy up and down in their tube effectively—and sometimes quickly—that’s pretty much as far as they’ll get. Should conditions hit a code red, however, some worms have been known to abandon ship. But since they’re lacking in locomotion skills, and with tubes only open at one end, this truly is the last resort.

What’s for supper?
Because foraging is out of the question, these worms have evolved into excellent passive hunters. It’s not for nothing that they tend to take up residence in shallow marine environments, which are packed with vast resources of the small, particulate, edible organic material that worms thrive on. And with tentacles on their heads that extend into the water column, capturing food is not a problem. (What is a problem is when a passing butterflyfish nips the worm’s tentacles off. Ouch!) It’s the arrangement of these branching tentacles, which resemble a bird’s feathers or that low-tech domestic cleaning apparatus, that gives this fellow his colorful name.
Since she’s been diving and snapping—for the past decade or so—Barbara has captured many images of these lovely, lilting creatures. While there is much overlap in their appearance and biology, it’s the differences that keep us on the lookout for them.
One of the most impressive of the species is the Giant Feather Duster Worm, whose appetite is so voracious (relatively speaking) that it must exist in areas with moving currents that bring in new plankton. In fact, when the water motion slows down too much for its liking, it creates its own water current by waving its “feathers” in an activity called active suspension feeding. For the record, the Giant Feather Duster isn’t really a giant at all, typically measuring just 10 inches long by half an inch wide.
Can you guess how the Magnificent Feather Duster Worm got its name? Its three- to six-inch crown earns it the distinction of being largest of all Caribbean feather dusters. Brandishing a double circle of radioles in a wide range of colors and patterns, it very closely resembles bird feathers.
The Magnificent Feather Duster may be the biggest tube worm in town, but he’s not the most popular. The poetically named Social Feather Dusters cluster in large groups. Here in Turks & Caicos, Social Feather Dusters, whose tubes measure a mere quarter-inch in diameter, are usually found in shades of white and violet, but if you venture further afield in the Caribbean, you’re more likely to spot them in shades of brown.
Another variety, the Split-Crown Feather Duster Worm, takes its name from that fact that the circle of radioles on the top of its head appears to be split into two halves. The long, graceful radioles can stretch two inches beyond its tube.
One of the few examples of marine worms that does resemble its earth-crawling cousin is the Bearded Fireworm. The repetitive segments that divide its body are plain to see, and it’s easy to envision it creeping over the reef. But don’t accidentally try to bait your fish hook with one of these babies: they’re covered with stinging white bristles!
Beautiful, delicate, and a vital part of the underwater ecosystem, feather duster worms are another poignant example of why we must be careful when we swim, snorkel, dive or boat around coral reefs. The worms in their tubes and their radioles are very fragile and will likely be damaged or destroyed if we so much as bump into them with our bodies, fins or anchors. Feather duster worms may be easy to take for granted, but it would be nothing short of a tragedy if they were to disappear from the planet.

New York-based Suzanne Gerber writes about scuba, travel and health for a variety of publications. Book your next dive trip by contacting Suzanne at suzanne@worldofdiving.com.

Avid underwater photographer Barbara Shively discovered Grand Turk diving in 1997 and has returned every year. It is her passion to share the coral reefs’ beauty through her photographs, many of which can be viewed and purchased at http://shivelygallery.com/. A variety of her prints are on sale at Art Provo, located in The Regent Village, Providenciales.

Much of the history of the Turks & Caicos Islands is unrecorded. It is mix of oral history and hearsay. The mission of the National Museum has been to put facts behind stories and record what is really known. TCI Director of Culture, David Bowen, said recently that people don’t believe stories until they are written down.
In a way, this is history. The process of recording and writing stories and information preserves some of what is being lost. The articles in the Astrolabe become the published account of much of this effort, but this work happens in many other forms as well. In the last few weeks, the long awaited children’s book Where is Simon, Sandy? was released. This published account of an old Grand Turk folk tale is another way that the museum records history. The publication of this book has made me stop and wonder — I still see donkeys everywhere on Grand Turk, but where have all the donkey carts gone?

Why donkeys? Of all the animals that roam around the cities and towns that most people live in, why are there donkeys running all over Grand Turk? This is a question often asked by visitors.
When I first came to the Turks & Caicos, I heard that the donkeys were brought to Grand Turk by the Bermudians in the 15th century. Possibly, they have been residents of Grand Turk longer than people. I have also heard that the earliest structures on Grand Turk — North Wells and South Wells — were built on the island so that animals left here during the off season would have fresh water.
It was a common practice in the 1500s and 1600s for sailors to leave animals on islands throughout the Caribbean. This provided a source of fresh meat during long voyages and became a source for draft animals when various islands were settled. It is assumed that the donkeys on Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos were used by Bermudians when they came to rake salt seasonally. The animals would have been used to haul salt from the salinas to small boats that would take the salt to waiting ships. Then, they would have been left to forage on their own until needed during the next salt raking season.
This early history is not really known. H.E. Sadler, in his work on the history of the Turks & Caicos Islands, records the first ordinance concerning roaming cattle in 1860. The first ordinance concerning roaming donkeys, however, was in the 1780s.

New source of facts
During the summer of 2008, the museum received a new archival collection from Mary Wood, which included a memorandum of personal accounts. This booklet was transcribed by Mary-Win O’Brien, who volunteered to complete the work while on Grand Turk during a week-long dive vacation. This small account book, possibly written by William R. Tatem, included a “Memo of Mules, Horses, and Asses Received,” and a “Memo of Cart Axles bought from 1867 when I first began to Work and Buy Pond.” These are important sources of information. They are part of the written history of donkeys and carts in the Turks Islands. And they provide a lot of new information. Some of this information is hard to interpret, some is difficult to read, but seeing the real history is very interesting.

1864 Memo of Mules, Horses & Asses Received

I bought my first mule & cart of one G. L. Taylor about 10 year old for 160.00
It died after 1866. Gail was cauled Ellin

1868 I bought the 2nd mule Dunham & Outham. She was cauled Ellin (2nd) for 120.00
it was about 6 year and She grew to be the finest mule on the cay. A Jamaican and
on the writing of this 17 January 1893 She is still alive and good.

1865 I bought a 3rd mule of Hinson. Jamaican cauled Mary Jeni an got Sick
and died 2 years after. Cost 120.00

1869 I bought 4th mule of R. W. Darrell cauled Billie for 190.00
He on the 17 January /93 is still good & Steales of J. Watkin & other peoples
corn and good grass of which I have to pay for

1894 Poor Billie Died in Jones Yard & was tossed in the Sea at a cost of 37 cents 590.00

1869 Memo of Mules [continued from above on next page] 590.00
I bought a Mt. Bede (South Am) mule of H. G. Arthur cauled the “W Roughly”
that mule after the Schooner 110.00
he did not do well died in about 1.7 years

1871 I bot another Mt. Bede cauled Hattie No. 6 of Hinson fair mule but got
hurt & died 1881 110.00

1884 I bot a P.P. Mule of Baldwin & cauled her the Kathy No. 7 about 5 years for 95.00
She is this 17 January /93 in good health

1886 I bot a P. Plota mule of J. D. Manuel No. 8 about 7 years for 137.00
She is today one of the best on the cay. Cauled “Julia” who is doing well 8 February 1893

1881 I bot a old St. Domingo mule “Blackie” and old cart of J. H. Frith. Pilot 175.00
She did good work & died in 1890

1891 I bought a 5 year St. Domingo mule of Spenser. the No 10 one who is Small
but do good work the 2nd Blackie for 80.00
1297.00

“Donkey” cart or “mule” cart?
What is interesting here is that this source primarily discusses “mules” and not donkeys. Tradition in the Turks Islands is that most goods and services were transported in “donkey carts.” But in this source, the “mule ‘Blackie’ and old cart” are paired up. In fact, the earliest account the author records is the purchase of his “first mule & cart” in 1867. Possibly, it would be more appropriate to call the traditional “donkey cart” a “mule cart.”
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. It is a hybrid animal bred for its characteristics which make it a good draft animal. Mules are sterile, meaning they can not reproduce. Typically, they have short thick heads and long ears, small legs, and small hooves. This makes them look like donkeys. Their height, the shape of their neck, and their coat appear similar to a horse.
The mule has the working benefits of both the donkey and the horse. They are steady and surefooted like a donkey, but they have the strength of a horse. The mule has the added benefit of having a tough skin that protects it from sun and rain better than horses. They also have a natural resistance to insects and disease. They show more intelligence and endurance than either parent species, owing to a trait sometimes called “hybrid vigor.”
It is possible that the donkeys and horses on the Turks Islands were used to breed mules. The account above records that the author “gave J. W. Baker a Horse for the use of his Stud, Juliocer.” But it should be noted that most of the mules are recorded as being from Santo Domingo or from Jamaica.
Donkeys were definitely on Grand Turk. Andrew Symmer came to Grand Turk as King’s Agent in 1766. When he wrote the first legal document, “Regulating His Majesty’s Salt Ponds at Turks Islands,” he included the following:
“Owners of wild asses to be allowed to 15th June next for removing them off the islands, in case they are not removed before that time, to be sold for public use.”
Whether mules or donkeys, draft animals were used to pull carts. These carts were used to facilitate most of the heavy labor that allowed industrial production. By the 19th century, carts transported water, salt, and goods. H.E. Sadler suggests that by 1850 as many as 800 donkeys were working in the Turks Islands in the salt and sisal industries. These carts could still be seen on the roads during most of the 20th century.
Attached to a cart, draft animals became the mainstay of transporting everything around the Islands during the 19th century. This continued into the 20th century and, as late as the 1960s, donkey carts still carried groceries, lumber and the freight that made business and life possible on a small island.
Building donkey carts required both the skill of a carpenter and the acquirement of materials, though most of the donkey cart could be made from scantlings (pieces of lumber not dressed to specific sizes). However, wheels were not an easy thing to build on a small island. Carpenters had a skill of working with wood and could build carts, houses, or even boats. The wheel, however, required special talents and was its own trade, the wheelwright.
Historically, axles, and possibly wheels, were sourced from the colonies in the Americas. The new memorandum book provides the first record of where Turks Islanders sourced these required parts for their carts.

Memo of Cart Axles
bought from 1867 when I first began to work & buy pond

1867 To 1 new Axle imported this year from N.Y. a good one and
this year 1893 turned over to the Donkey Wheels cost 20.00

1880 1 new Axle full patent bot at Misicks auction in 187 and now
running nice for Julia cart Cart No. 6 15.00

1884 1 new Axles full patent imported from N.Y. By Marvel
cost to make cert (unknown word) over by Thurber Whylan as it
where two Short on Billys No. 2 22.00

1884 2 new axles full patent import from N.Y. Of Thurber Whylan one
on Hallies cart and No. 5 20.00
the other one on Blackies cart on No. 9 20.00

Donkey carts in the 21th century
During the 1980s and into the 1990s, donkey carts could still be seen roaming around Grand Turk. Carts were on other islands as well, but many of these carts were makeshift with added parts as new carts were not being made anywhere. By the late 1990s, however, there was just one donkey cart left in operation on Grand Turk. This cart was owned by Samuel Misick. Sam had been using spare parts taken from other carts to keep his in operation. Eventually, however, there were no more cart wheels left on Grand Turk and Sam’s cart became unusable.
Brian Riggs, when the manager of the National Museum, put together a project to rebuild four donkey carts in 2000 (“The Turks Island Donkey Cart,” Astrolabe, Summer 2000). The problem of constructing a donkey cart on Grand Turk was the same in 2000 as it had been in the 1860s. Where do you get axles and wheels?
Brian found the parts available from a wagon manufacturer in Pennsylvania. After providing detailed drawings of the original wheels used on Grand Turk, he had four sets of custom wheels made and shipped from the United States. These wheels were shipped to Grand Turk to complete the carts.
Some of these carts are still around. In 2007, the museum received one of the carts as a gift from Martin and Donna Seim. This was the cart originally given to Samuel Misick by Brian Riggs. A second cart is still on Grand Turk and is occasionally used by Phillip Smith. Brian’s efforts at rebuilding traditional donkey carts preserved this part of Turks Islands history. His carts are now the only ones left.
Donkey carts were once an iconic symbol of the past in the salt islands of the Turks & Caicos, but like the windmills that dotted the salinas, they have disappeared. Historic sources can still tell us a lot about how they were used and a little about how they were constructed. But the romance of seeing a working donkey cart is now gone. The donkeys themselves have come under increasing pressure for removal from the Turks Islands and the carts are only on view in the museum or remembered in old folk tales.

“It was built with hand. You could ride it with bicycle and then we find ourselves riding cars on it.” James Dean, Wheeland

Poised at a crossroads for busy Leeward Highway, waiting ever-longer for the increasing stream of traffic to pass before joining, it is almost impossible to believe that not too long ago there were no cars on Providenciales. No cars, no trucks, no taxis, no jitneys. And no paved roads.
We take it for granted that travelling from Downtown to Grace Bay and from Blue Hills to Silly Creek, through the Bight to Long Bay and around Discovery Bay to Five Cays is as easy as it is. Every month, new black tar appears on old roads, relegating yet another bumpy journey to the past, and new roads open to new land, new homes, new resorts, new areas of the island to discover.
Yet less than two generations back, the only mode of transport (on land) in Providenciales was bicycle, and you were lucky to be riding one of those. There were five on the island — three in Blue Hills and two in Five Cays. You had sand roads and bush roads and your feet and that was that.
It was in 1956 that the government representative for the island, Gustavus Lightbourne, decided to try something. Blue Hills, then the commercial centre of Providenciales, was chosen as the location. The idea was to transform that sandy road stretching along the beachfront, unkind to shoes and far from amenable to bicycles, into the first paved road in Providenciales. But it would be hard. There was no heavy machinery on the island to build the road. No bulldozers to flatten the land, no diggers to dig the ground, no cranes to lift the rocks, no trucks to carry the cement. There wasn’t even any electricity for a drill. This road — the first road in Providenciales — would have to be built by hand, by the hands of the people.
So for a decade, the inhabitants of Blue Hills laboured to pave sandy Front Road. The work was a central part of the entire community’s lives, and for some the small wages received served as bread and butter during those years of economic hardship. Many who were closely involved with the road’s creation are no longer with us, but here are the words of some of those who still are — a snapshot of a community which began Providenciales’ first road to development with their bare hands.

James Dean
James Dean is a deacon in his church and a renowned boatbuilder, as were his Bermudian grandfather, his father and his older brother before him. He lives happily with his wife Marjorie in Wheeland. His memory is crisp and his story told with a smile.

“It was right by the jetty, where the centre for aids people is now. There was a water well there, brackish water. We used to have to drink that in school days, somedays couldn’t get no better. And right there where that well is was the first piece of road made.
“Our teacher, Mrs. Oseta Jolly, Mrs. Howell’s mother, she showed me and my good friend, my cousin’s next-door neighbour, how to lay them rocks to build that first road. She showed how to hold that maul and control that pick-axe. Bless her, she was a schoolteacher. I was about 18, or close to that.
“We didn’t have no bulldozer, we didn’t have no truck to tote the stuff. So what they actually did, they divide the gang. The people from High Rock and the people from Wheeland. So they start from there and come down and we people from Wheeland, we start and come up.
“And that time, when the two roads met there we had a big brown sugar party! You mix brown sugar and water and drink. We had no ice, you know. No refrigeration was ’round here then, no electric or power, nothing. Only power that was ’round here was an outboard motor, but no refrigeration or nothing. Everything was hand work, real hard, real hard.
“Then Donna, Hurricane Donna came in 1960, 160 miles an hour. The sea came in and devastated the island. The Jamaican commissioner came here and said he just saw a mass of brown where the island was and he sent some aid.
“So the folks just depend on a little papa money, that’s what they calls it, a little aid from government. And a little road work. And they entirely depended on a little fishinin’ and farmin’. That was the island culture. I spent my time fishinin’. Going and catching crawfish. My wife was doing a bit of farmin’ all the way down Sandy Bay. Sweet potatoes, Indian corn, cassava, peas, lettuce, bean, pigeon peas, sugar cane. Those were tough times, tough times.
“So sometimes when the young folks talk now, ‘This road is so this, or this road so that,’ I say listen this was sand and when we wanna come from Wheeland to go to High Rock and put on our good shoes, the sand gone eat the heel off, because the sand get in the shoes and it rub and rub and rub and rub. Then sometimes we take the shoes off and walk with it in our hand and when we get the place we going put the shoes on. We had to do that ’cos things were tough. You couldn’t wear the shoes all the way up to High Rock ’cos it look like snow it so white. You wouldn’t know the color of the shoe. So we find a different plan. Sometime when the tide low we take the beach there. And when the tide high, we take the bush road, the sand road.
“So then we built a road. It was built with hand. You could ride it with bicycle and then we find ourselves riding cars on it. And when that road finish it was good, everyone was happy. Riding on bicycle in Blue Hills? Whoahhh!! That was amazing!”

Tom Lightbourne
Tom Lightbourne is Gustarvus Lightbourne’s son. Gustarvus Lightbourne OBE played an integral role in the political and economic development of the island during his long life and was also a renowned boat builder and avid sailor. He passed away in 2005. Tom is a local businessman, a respected member of the community and an active Rotarian.

“My father was the first local elected representative for Providenciales and one of the things that kept coming up was that there are no roads. So he said, ‘We can try to do something.’ So with whatever grant that was given to the colonies back then he started to experiment with building that road in Blue Hills. That was 1956.
“And I think it was about ten years of doing this thing by hand and we probably got about a mile and a half. So it would go from approximately where the Adventist church is down to where the basketball court is in Wheeland. We clear out the soft sand, get to a semi-hard base, and then we put rock on it. Then all around this island there’s a form of clay that cling together pretty good when you mix it and pound it, so the rocks was covered with that. And that was the beginnings of the road in Blue Hills.
“It was a real community effort. Hauling stones by hand all day long was no easy task.
“I know most of it from my father. I was 16 years old, between 16 and 18. On a couple of occasions he had to leave and left me to keep an eye on what was going on. I cracked a few stones but other than that I wasn’t too involved.
“At 15 I went out on a sloop to work. A regular old native sloop. Fifty feet. Six crew. I grew up fast on that boat. I was handed responsibilities and I was young. We did Bahamas mostly. Dominican Republic a few times but mostly Bahamas. We had a lot of Turks & Caicos Islanders move to the Bahamas and we were the connection from there to home. So we brought everything. People that wanted to send food back to their relatives and people here that wanted to send marine products back. We took them both. So we did this until Provident came and everything changed.
“So I only did the road work when I happened to be here, but I do remember it.
“There wasn’t an economy back then, so that’s the only work there was. I guess the only economy was salt based, and all that was spent in Grand Turk to pay civil servants. Not much money came to the other islands. The population in Blue Hills went down to below 600 at one time.
“All the men were fishermen unless they were too old and there weren’t many of them. So it was mostly women who did the road work. The women would carry the stones. A few men would put it in place. Intermittently over a period of ten years there was never more than three days a week that was put into this. There were times when he’d have as much as ten persons or a little as four or five working.
“The road was an experiment in Blue Hills. Nobody knew for sure if it would hold up with automotive traffic. But the base of that road was never changed. It’s still there. They added silt to it, graded it a few times, but the original base is still there. There haven’t been any major potholes, or any landslides. So I guess the experiment worked!”

Cecilia Walkin Pierre
Cecilia Walkin Pierre was born in Haiti. In her early teens, she was playing on the street one day in her hometown of Cap Haitien when she was approached by Fuller Walkin, a prominent member of the Blue Hills community. He was on a trade trip there, having sailed over with dried conch to exchange for flour, meat, fruit and other foodstuffs. Her family agreed that she would have a better future in the Turks & Caicos Islands, so she was dressed up as a boy to leave the country safely under the infamous Papa Doc regime. Taken in by Fuller Walkin and his wife, Clementina, as one of their own, she has lived in Providenciales ever since.

“When I come into Provo, there was no jobs. I used to work field with Ma Clem, every day go in the field, that’s what I used to do. By Pigeon Pond. When I come there was no gas cars. Only the bush and the house. I used to walk to Five Cays and back.
“After Government gave jobs cut rocks for the road to help people to walk. When the road open the first day, I work on the road. I work for government and I used to get Jamaican money. I used to get five dollars pay. When we need to change the money, we have to go in South Caicos. After you go South Caicos to change money, it’s small money!
“No plenty Haitian people in Provo before I came you know. I didn’t know nothing about Turks Islands. I never hear English before.
“After he bring me here, Pa Fuller he die. He die before me and before Ma Clem. I wasn’t seen no-one die. After he finished die I cry, I cry, I cry and I see nobody no more who bring me here and I know nobody. After he buried I shove my hand in the hole in the grave and shout, ‘Pa Fuller come come, Pa Fuller come. You see my hand, come up. I miss you.’ Then a man come and take me home and tell me Pa Fuller dead and he’s not coming back no more.
“My mummy died. My daddy died. But I still have lots of family in Cap Haitien. I send money to them. I always send money back home. I was happy I working. I get up in the morning and do something for Ma Clem before I leave. I cook for her. I used to come back 3 o’clock from the government work.
“I think I be 14 when I helped build the road. That was hard work! I start 8 o’clock. I had to dig the rocks. And I throw the rocks in the sand. Only me the one Haitian. There was one girl smaller than me she work too. She English (means Belonger). After that I work with government all the time, I used to clean the schools Northside.
“God bless me I live so long. God bless Pa Fuller.”

Gloria Kathleen Parker and
Eric Wellington “Biggy” Parker
Gloria and Eric “Biggy” Parker were a young couple with young children when the road work started. Eric brags how he proposed to Gloria in the moonlight on a sloop traveling from Grand Turk to Providenciales on Christmas 1947, after a frisky Eric tried to rest his head on her arm and “she nearly broke my head.” She was 17, he was 22. They married three years later. Eric spent almost 30 years at sea and survived four shipwrecks working to feed his family. When he was home he would work the road with his wife. Now in their 80s, they are surrounded by great-grandchildren and still live in Wheeland.

Eric: “Things were hard. But the Caicos Islands, they were always in a better shape than the headquarters, than Grand Turk. Because we used to work our field, work our farm, get our potatoes, corn, peas, bananas, cassava and even yam. Beside that we make our voyage. Get our conchs and go to Haiti, bring back boatloads of corn and (he laughs) liquor . . . but Grand Turk had to depend on the freight boat to come.
“But when you see bad weather that’s when Blue Hills people suffer. If we get three, four weeks where no boat goes out it’s pretty tough.”

Gloria: “Sometimes he’d be gone six weeks. After I started children they were my company. I would have been the mother of thirteen but only my three daughters survived.
“That’s the most time I had to do the road — when he was away. Because when he go off and the little money finish, I got to go and get some because I had the children to take care of.”

Eric: “We get the rocks through the bushes. You take a machete and cut. And take a pick axe and crow bar and break the rock up to the size and bring it out. And after that we get the small rock and we beat it on that same rock, over that same rock. When we done that we get to the place where you get the mud, the red mud. You get close by one of them pond and you get your pick axe and your shovel and your bucket and you tote the mud and mud the road. And we build the road just like that. From High Rock straight down here to this road here. And that’s how we get the road.
“Gus Lightbourne was the foreman. Good man and good job!”

Gloria: “Oh, it was hard work! We used to have to go and tote rock through the bushes on your head. In the hot sun direct on the head. Bring it out, put it in the road. Then you’d have to beat it. You take the hammer. Ain’t no man to spread it, you spread it out yourself. Then when time to do the mud, you’d sprinkle with a little water. Put the mud on it.
“Sometimes people come across, they look at us, sitting outside in the blinding sun hot and beating the rocks and sometimes they play games: ‘Look at them, they beating rocks.’ But that’s all we gotta do, to get somethin’ for our children.
“But the sun used to be hot sometime. You sitting out in that broilin’ sun hot. God bless Mr. Lightbourne, sometime he’d mix a little lemonade and bring on the road and give us something just for us to drink. But that sun used to be well hot.”

Both: “They were hard-working days.”

Gloria: “We just make our jokes and go along with our work. We sang. It was like church out on that road sometimes! But everyone cry, ‘The sun hot, the sun hot.’”

Eric: “Sometimes when the crowd was big, you couldn’t work every week. Say a dozen worked this week, then the next week some had to drop, so everyone get a chance.”

Gloria: “Eric, how much we used to get being on the road?”

Eric: “Two shillings a day. Woman would get one.”

Gloria: “I didn’t worry about that because I was glad to get that one. Even my children. They used to go on the road too. After they grow, I get them on the road to help me after school. Things was very hard you know.
“Yes, when I look to see how we struggle on that road. Toting rock, beating rock, toting mud and water, sprinklin’ and spreadin’ out. And they never even mention our name to say where the road start. No credit we get. When they start the road this time, I look for them to mention our name. But they never did.”

Eric: “It’s the grace of God that’s brought us through.”

In 1966, developers Provident arrived on Providenciales. Their bulldozer completed Front Road in Blue Hills that same year. And the cars came. “We put the first motor vehicle on the island here on November 22, 1966,” remembers Bengt Soderqvist, one of the Provident pioneers. “We had built a little dock up at Heaving Down Rock and I had an 8mm camera with me. And when we backed our jeep ashore, I had someone stand there holding a sign with the date on it, so we had that on record.”
Provident’s arrival signalled a new era for the island. One of the first things they did was build roads. “Before you can build on a piece of land you must be able to have access to it. So roads are a very essential part of development,” states TCI Director of Road Safety Richard Garland. In fact, these last few years of development have seen more roads built in the Turks & Caicos Islands than in any of its neighbours in the Caribbean, with over 200 hundred miles paved and over half of these in Providenciales alone. In 2003, the four-lane asphalted Leeward Highway was born, the first of its kind in the country and its completion heralding a new phase of modernity in the Islands.
Today, Gregory Lightbourne, raised by his grandfather Gus, is the government representative for Blue Hills. Following his election in 2007, Front Road was re-paved, re-graded and asphalted for the first time. It is now smooth tarmac and runs along the breadth of Blue Hills, from High Rock to Wheeland, parallel to the turquoise sea. It is lined by a multitude of restaurants and bars, its upgrade encouraging further development in the area.
“I mean through it all, we came from far,” smiles James Dean, with pride. “A lot of guys believed that Turks & Caicos would never have no black road. This the first time it ever rose to this pitch.”
In the rush and excitement of development, it is sometimes easy to forget those that helped make the Turks & Caicos Islands what it is today; those that stayed to keep these Islands functioning when the economy was low and times were hard — not that many years ago. Those men who spent weeks away from their families at sea, and those women who spent hours under that broilin’ hot sun, cracking rocks and spreading mud, were in truth laying the foundation blocks of the Provo we know today. The base of that road now speeded down by thousands of cars is the very same one that Gustavus Lightbourne drove down with the first truck in Blue Hills in 1967; that very same base was built by the bare hands of the people over those ten long years before. Their efforts marked a turning point in development in these Islands and fed the generation that helped build the next base for this country. They need to be remembered.

Author’s Notes: High Rock is the area where you first come into Blue Hills as soon as you see the sea. A large rock, since sunken by hurricanes, used to protrude from the water there. A Buttonwood tree now stands where it was.
Cecilia’s move from Haiti to Providenciales is not a unique one. Over the years, many Blue Hills families adopted Haitian youngsters to help in times of economic hardship.
According to Tom Lightbourne, for a while all three currencies were used interchangeably in Providenciales — English old pounds, Jamaican dollars and US dollars.

Folks in the Turks & Caicos Islands love their phones. Whether walking down the street, shopping, working out, getting a haircut or (gulp!) even driving, there’s often a cell phone pressed to ear. Ring tones blare from pockets and purses in any group setting.
I think it has something to do with the old “Coconut Telegraph” which, before the days of telephone service, was the word-of-mouth system in which news (and gossip) travelled across the country in hours! Cell phones simply make the process faster and easier. In fact, it’s been reported that phone penetration in the TCI is about 150% (counting infants, children and the elderly), which comes out to about two phones per adult!
Since deregulation of the telecommunications industry in 2006, several companies have entered the marketplace to offer competitive cellular or Internet service. What follows is the David and Goliath story of one of those companies, home-grown Islandcom.

For over 100 years, British behemoth Cable & Wireless Ltd. (now LIME) was the sole telecommunications provider in the Turks & Caicos Islands. The pan-Caribbean company had built and maintained the TCI’s communications system from the ground up, taking it from land lines and specialized business services to state-of-the-art mobile and Internet technologies so that the Islands were always on the cutting edge of communications.
In the spirit of liberalization, in 2003 the TCI Government created a Telecommunications Commission which worked over a period of several years to deregulate the industry. It was during this time (2004) that Caesar Campbell and his mother-in-law and Salt Cay native Sandra Garland began to dream. Sandra recalls, “Caesar planted the idea in my head of starting up a ‘homegrown’ telephone company. We would focus exclusively on serving the TCI market, management would be based in the country, and we would be very flexible and capable of meeting the specific needs of the local community. The more I thought about it, the more enthusiastic I became.”
TCI resident James Golob shared their enthusiasm. With decades of international experience in the industry, Mr. Golob believed that with the right investors and resource people, such a company could be competitive in the local marketplace. He became the first director and Islandcom Telecommunications was born. Managing Director Sandra Garland, a well-known local businesswoman, applied for their telecommunications license.
After long months of discussions by government to put the proper legal structures in place, in 2006 Islandcom was finally awarded a license to offer mobile phone service in the Turks & Caicos Islands. However, there was a lot of work to do before the first customers could start to use the assigned 431-, 432-, 441- and 442- numbers to start to talk! Chris Taylor, a telecommunications professional with 10 years of experience in the Americas and an associate of the investors, joined Islandcom as CEO to pilot the infant company into the market. Chris explains, “The first thing we did was install the local network infrastructure — everything from switching to information systems and base stations. Because we did not want to mar the beautiful landscape with unnecessary duplicate towers, we leased some towers from other providers.”
The early days were a time of ironing out the “bumps in the road” of any technically complex process. A total of 16 cell sites, 8 in Providenciales alone, were set up to provide coverage across Providenciales, North, Middle and South Caicos, and Grand Turk. Retail outlets and business offices were opened in Graceway House on Providenciales and Windmills Plaza on Grand Turk. Always in mind was Islandcom’s goal of “providing world-class cellular service with the touch of a local company” and their motto of “People Connecting.” As Chris explains, “Because our customer service reps and technicians are all based in the Turks & Caicos, when a customer calls and says, ‘I dropped a call by the cemetery in the Bight’ (for instance), our on-island staff know just where the location is. This makes it much easier and quicker for Islandcom to effectively respond to our customers.”
This adaptability was put to the test after Hurricane Ike struck the Turks & Caicos Islands this September. Mr. Taylor proudly reports that service was uninterrupted in Provo throughout and after the storm, and was restored in Grand Turk after two weeks. In fact, Islandcom was able to quickly replace four generators and network equipment damaged in the storm to keep things running at their Grand Turk and other sites, and also gave away 100 phones to Grand Turk residents to help them stay in touch while land lines were down in the storm’s aftermath.
Sandra says that their initial marketing has largely been by (appropriately) word of mouth. Besides the local focus, Islandcom offers significant savings on rates to North America and Europe, and a variety of service plans to make it inexpensive to keep in touch within the Islands. Both post-pay and pre-pay plans are on offer, with access to a variety of Islandcom value added services. For instance, they’ve recently launched “Unlimited inNet Calling,” where for only $15/month, iPostpay customers can call anyone within the Islandcom network and talk as long as they want, all day, every day. Also available are AnywhereMinutes, which allow subscribers to use their plan’s minutes to make local landline calls, Islandcom on-net mobile to mobile calls and international calls to the U.S., Canada and U.K. — without paying additional fees. With 250 minutes available for $35, this is quite a deal!
Mobile data services provide customers with access to mobile web and existing email accounts. Islandcom also allows subscribers to send text messages to any mobile phone around the world at the most competitive rates, with incoming messages always free. Voicemail boxes, call waiting, three-way calling and caller ID are also free.
Islandcom’s iPrepay services offer no connection fees, no credit check and no monthly bills! ITopUp Airtime Cards are readily available from dealers across the Islands.
A tour through Islandcom’s retail outlets in Graceway Plaza and Ports of Call reveals displays of the latest cell phones from Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson and Sierra. Islandcom is the exclusively launched dealer for HTC’s brand new “Google Phone,” and its latest arrival (at press time) were the Walkman Phone, Nokia E71 and HTC Touch smartphones. Special discounts on selected phones are always available and some service packages include free phones.
In October 2008, Islandcom welcomed Bermuda Digital Communications Ltd. (BDC) as their lead strategic shareholder. Chris Taylor explains this savvy move, “BDC is one of the leading telecommunications companies in Bermuda (they operate under the CellularOne brand there) and we feel they are perfect partners. BDC will greatly expand our financial resources, technical capacity and purchasing power to develop Islandcom into its full potential.” BDC CEO Kurt Eve is similarly enthusiastic, “We are glad to have this opportunity to invest in Islandcom. The company has a good network and excellent staff in place, and we plan to take this young, energetic business and help build on its success.”
As a result, Islandcom’s plans for the future include adding additional cell sites to expand wireless coverage to West Caicos, Salt Cay and Ambergris Cay as well as introducing international roaming agreements in 2009 that will allow customers to roam when they are travelling outside the country. With this in place, marketing efforts will intensify and Islandcom will be set to increase their market share, while also supporting TCI’s overall growth and development.
Currently, Islandcom operates with 17 employees, of which 80% are Belongers. Chris Taylor and Sandra Garland both agree that their goal is to eventually hand over the CEO’s reins to a Turks & Caicos Islander . . . they’re just looking for the right person.
As trailblazers in the TCI telecommunications market — taking on the “Goliaths” of the industry with a commitment to stay locally focused — Islandcom, as “David,” is not shying away from competition, but aiming high and strong.

Every time I go to North Caicos, I wonder why I have let so much time lapse between visits. As soon as I step onto the TCI’s “Garden Island,” two things make an impression: a pleasantly rich smell of fertile vegetation and the peaceful sound of silence — Provo’s incessant rumble is noticeably lacking.
These days, it’s easier than ever to spend time on North: the TCI Ferry Service operates daily with Swiss-like precision between Walkin’s Marina at Heaving-Down-Rock in Leeward and the new docking facilities at Sandy Point, North Caicos. And, I recently discovered a whole new reason to make the trip: the food and hospitality at Silver Palm Restaurant in Whitby.

Karen Preikschat, the Silver Palm’s proprietor, has been resident on North Caicos for most of her life. Her father, the late Peter Preikschat, designed and built the Ocean Beach Condominiums on Whitby Beach in the early 1980s. Karen served as resort manager there, while at the same time cooking for the guests from a small kitchen on the second floor of her condominium. Along with college training in hotel and restaurant management, Karen honed her skills in planning meals, procuring ingredients and catering to the tastes of an international clientele in the unusual and sometimes difficult environment of a small, isolated Caribbean island.
The experience served her well. Four years ago, she opened Silver Palm Restaurant in a charming, gingerbread-style building designed by her father, and located just south of the Ocean Beach property. With her own kitchen, bar and huge dining room (including tables on the breezy wrap-around veranda), Karen is clearly in her element.
The Silver Palm specializes in native and international cuisine, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. (Karen lives on the second floor, so is never far from the kitchen!) The menu is replete with traditional North Caicos fare — including boiled and steamed fish and conch dishes, conch chowder, lobster salad, ribs, and the ever-present peas ‘n’ rice — yet also has some unexpected selections, including a deep-fried “blooming onion” and chicken curry, along with more plebian fare such as pizza, chicken wings and nachos. Coffee-lovers will appreciate Provo coffee-roaster Victoria Turner’s special “Silver Palm” blend, created just for the restaurant.
Because much of her trade depends on the resident North Caicos population, Karen has gone out of her way to offer lots of variety and daily dinner specials, which include a three course meal and wine. These include Italian, Chinese and Caribbean nights and BBQ and prime rib specials. Her beautifully decorated dining room, complete with hand-painted “silver palms” on the walls, cozy pub-style wicker lights, local straw work, linen tablecloths and napkins, and proper place settings and silverware make Silver Palm an ideal place to celebrate special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and even weddings — whether local or visiting tourists. Karen also gives folks a good reason not to stay home for the holidays — from Valentine’s Day to Christmas, she offers special menus and makes sure the restaurant is “dressed” for the occasion. (Plans for New Year’s Eve 2008 included an appearance by local music legend Lovey Forbes and his band, with the clock rolled back an hour so everyone can attend the traditional New Year’s Watch Night church services at midnight.)
With a steady stream of customers, Karen relies on the talents of North Caicos native Henry Butterfield to help out in the kitchen. Previously employed for many years at The Meridian Club on Pine Cay and the upscale restaurant at Parrot Cay, Henry wanted to “come home” and Karen welcomed him with open arms. During our luncheon visit, I watched in awe as Henry fried up a batch of tasty conch fritters for the crowd, boiled a lobster tail for my ever-so-fresh lobster sandwich and prepared a bowl of delicious conch chowder . . . all without blinking an eye!
Anyone familiar with North Caicos knows that while the soil is fertile and most anything will grow, it’s not always easy to get a steady supply of produce or seafood products. Karen knows all the tricks, though, and says she uses local fruits, vegetables and seafood as much as possible, patronizing the small grocery stores for staples and making the trip to Provo for “extras” only once or twice a month. I’ve always had a hankering for North Caicos bread and Karen assures us that Henry bakes their own when he has time or she purchases it from Agnes Swann or Miss Jones’s venerable bakery.
Karen’s genuine hospitality and obvious concern for each and every diner infuses Silver Palm with a warmth well beyond the temperate climate. During our visit, Karen took pains to prepare a very late lunch for two hungry Middle Caicos visitors (including hand-cut fries with their sandwiches). She had asked Henry to bake me a homemade carrot cake, recalling from a visit nearly a decade ago how much I loved this treat. She’s the type of hostess who makes sure every detail is just right, no matter what it takes, and the restaurant, kitchen and restrooms are always spotlessly clean.
While Silver Palm’s bar has become a popular watering hole for expatriate homeowners and Islanders alike (I understand the rum punch is a killer), Karen wants to expand the locale’s appeal with monthly appearances by Lovey Forbes and his rip-saw band. We got to hear the toe-tapping, hip-wagging sounds of his lively combina music, complete with Karen’s partner Hymenaus “Poach” Misick on the rip saw and local homeowner Ron Shepard shaking the maracas. No doubt it will enliven quiet North Caicos evenings!
I agree with Karen that Provo residents and tourists are missing out on a good thing. With this in mind, she is busy putting together “A Day in North Caicos” land or sea-based excursion packages, which can include a ground tour of the lush island (including Wade’s Green plantation, the Flamingo Pond, and, of course, lunch at Silver Palm) or fishing/snorkeling/scuba/beach excursions on Captain Poach’s 26 foot Twin V Cat. I believe that Provo residents searching for peace, quiet and a change of scene would be revitalized by a weekend on North Caicos . . . along with a meal or two at Silver Palm. a

Silver Palms is open Tuesday to Thursday, 7:30 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday 7:30 AM to 9 PM and on Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM. Catering and banquet facilities are available; VISA and Mastercard accepted. For more information, call (649) 946 7113.

Karen has dedicated the restaurant to her parents, Peter and Lois Preikschat, for making her dream a reality.

By B. Naqqi Manco, Senior Conservation Officer, Turks & Caicos National Trust
Photos Courtesy Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and TCI National Trust

Call me a Scrooge. I’ve never been big on Christmas. The consumerism, the materialism, the mad rush at supermarkets and stores . . . I’m thankful to live in Kew, North Caicos where the holiday rush means seeing a few banners hung up on telephone poles. I’m normally quite satisfied to not involve myself in the exchange of gifts, but I recently received a Christmas parcel of sorts that quite pleased me.
The parcel didn’t arrive on Christmas. It was not tied with red ribbons or wrapped in green paper or spangled with sticky bows or glittery snowflakes. It was a tall rectangular cardboard box and glued to its side was a large label in red block letters stating “PLANTS – PERISHABLE.”

In January 2008, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in the United Kingdom sent their Overseas Territories Programme staff to work with the Turks & Caicos National Trust as part of a project to safeguard the native plants of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Paramount in this project was listing all of the plants growing in TCI—native and introduced—and outlining their ranges throughout the country. This data is to be compiled into the IUCN Red Data List for the plants of the Turks & Caicos Islands, which is a botanical conservation reference for the country. Three of Kew’s UK Overseas Territories Programme affiliates, Martin Hamilton, Marcella Corcoran and Stuart Robbins, came to TCI to carry out the work. Also on the agenda was the collection of seeds for Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, a conservation project of Noah’s Ark sorts, for which the goal is to store at least 10% of the world’s plant species as seed in deep-frozen underground vaults in England. The Seed Bank is a safeguard against extinction of plants in their home countries, and already over 20 of TCI’s plant species are banked as seed in the Seed Bank.
Not all seeds can be banked. One special focus of writing the IUCN Red Data List was to identify populations of rare plants in the TCI, and one of the rarest is a species for which the seeds cannot be banked—they do not respond well to long-term storage, and they do not tolerate freezing temperatures. This plant is one many have seen in landscaping but few have seen in the wild. Variously called the Buccaneer palm, the hog plum palm, the wild date palm, here we’ll call it by its most common Turks & Caicos name—the Christmas palm.
Known to science as Pseudophoenix sargentii (literally Sargent’s false date), the Christmas palm is a squat, tough palm with a thick, banded trunk, and foxtail- feathery leaves atop a tightly arranged green stalk. Our Christmas palms are specifically referred to as variety saonae, after those growing on Saona Island of Hispaniola, which they most closely resemble. Though the species can grow to over 20 feet high, it rarely exceeds 8 feet in height in TCI. Though it resembles a dwarf version of the Royal palm Roystonea regia well known in the swamps of Florida, the Christmas palm does not grow in rich, lush wet forests as its looks suggest. Instead, it prefers the most unlikely of habitats—the windswept, sun-baked tops of ridges in the Caicos Islands. Growing in areas of nearly no soil amongst cracks in the cap limestone rock of the ridges, these plants depend on their thick trunks to store water in the long periods between meagre times of moist soil. In this habitat where few other plants can grow very large, the stout little palms are able to find their niche as an emergent species in a forest with a four foot high canopy. The Christmas palm is also found throughout the Bahamas in similar habitats, as well as in the Greater Antilles. The palm meets its northernmost range in the Florida Keys, where the few remaining wild trees are strictly protected in conservation areas.
The Christmas palm was nearly extirpated from its range in the Florida Keys by indiscriminate collection for the ornamental plant trade. The same small root mass that allows it to live in the thin soils of ridge rock also makes it very easy to remove from its habitat and transplant elsewhere. While the palms do transplant well, they are quite slow-growing and the removal of a mature tree from its native ecosystem prevents it from sowing any further seed there. Ridge-top building has further endangered these trees throughout their Bahamian Archipelago range.
Many populations of this palm have become extinct in parts of its range due to unlimited and unmanaged collection for transplanting in landscaping. While the use of native plants in landscaping is admirable, removing such sensitive species from their habitat—wild harvesting—is not. But the Christmas palm does not have to be removed from its habitat to serve the nursery industry. Each year in late summer, many of the palms produce a structure that resembles a grey-green folded paper fan amongst the lower leaves. This structure opens to reveal hundreds of stiff, waxy, yellow-green flowers with three petals, dripping nectar and attracting bumblebees by day and moths and bats by night. As the flowers get pollinated, they form round, lime-green fruits the size of marbles. By the end of hurricane season in November, many of the palm fruits begin ripening. By Christmas time, most of the trees will be sporting attractive sprays of ruby-red to orange berries, “Christmas balls” decorating the Turks & Caicos Islands’ very own answer to the northern realms’ Christmas trees.
These fruits can be eaten by people (though their taste is not especially pleasing) but they are also eaten by some birds and bats. The palms produce hundreds of fruits on each spray, most single-seeded but some with double or even triple berries containing extra seeds. The majority of these fruits fall to the ground. The lucky few roll into a crack or fissure in the limestone or into a small soil pocket, where they may get covered with enough organic material for the seed to sprout eventually. Most of the seeds will end up rolling down the ridge into higher scrub, where the sunlight they need to grow is unavailable and where only a very few of these tough little trees will grow.
In January 2008, our team searched the tops of ridges in Middle Caicos to locate populations of these trees in an effort to map their range. When we arrived, the trees were still in their “winters’ dress,” festooned with heavy, drooping sprays of ripe red berries. Recognising that the opportunity to collect seeds was immediate, we carefully mapped each tree with GPS coordinates, collected data about other nearby species, tree height, and stage of reproduction (known botanically as phenology) and collected seeds from several palms. Seed collection ethics dictate that no more than 20% of available seed is collected from a population, so we were careful to be conservative in our collection. This practise is especially important in species such as the Christmas palm, which typically only produce fruit once in a year.
We had to be very careful with the equipment we used as well. Palms are susceptible to a number of viruses, most notably lethal yellowing—the virus that devastates coconut palms. We never use any of our pruners, machetes, or horticultural knives on the palms to collect specimens—instead we rip or break the leaves by hand. The fruit is hand-picked into new cotton bags. DNA samples were taken from several of the trees, along with their fruit, and these collections were kept separate from one another so the genetic scientists at Kew Gardens could check for variation and difference from other countries’ populations of Christmas palm. After a long day in the field, we returned to the Middle Caicos Conservation Centre with several kilograms of sticky, musky-smelling palm fruit stuffed into red-stained cotton bags.
The next step in the collection process was to remove the seeds from the fruit. Palms often have sticky, mealy fruits that cling tightly to the seed inside, and the Christmas palm must be one of the stickiest and mealiest of all palm fruits. It was National Trust Sites Steward Judnel “Flash” Blaise who discovered that allowing the fruit to dry in the sun for a few days made it rubbery and tough, and it could be scraped off the seed with a paring knife—still difficult and laborious, but far less messy than removing seeds from fresh fruit. Flash spent an hour a day for the next few weeks scraping partially-dried fruit away from seeds—staining his hands red-brown and creating massive piles of scraped dried fruit, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the local village pig. (One of the alternate names for this palm, the hog plum palm, comes from the habit of Bahamians using this fruit to fatten hogs for slaughter for Easter hams.) When the seed had all been cleaned and sorted, parts of the collections, amounting to several hundred seeds, were sent to England for Kew to grow and the remainder were stored in the Middle Caicos Conservation Centre.
In the glasshouses of Kew Gardens, Marcella Corcoran worked with palm specialist Steve Ketley to develop a horticultural protocol of how to best grow the seeds. They were soaked for 48 hours in water, then planted into a coir-sand potting mix about an inch deep (coir is an alternative material to peat moss; it comes from coconut husks and is regarded as more sustainable to use than non-renewable peat). The pots were placed on a heated bench and in six weeks, the first sprouts of the palms began showing through the soil. According to Marcella, after the first shoots appeared, each palm grew its first leaf quickly. Of the several hundred seeds that had been planted, nearly all of them grew.
Some of the palm seedlings were kept by Kew Gardens to incorporate into their collections (in several years, you may be able to visit them in the Palm House or Temperate House) and the rest were prepared for a long trip home. They were carefully removed from their soil, gently washed, and treated with UV light and pesticides to remove all possibly pathogens in a process called phytosanitary certification. The paperwork documenting this certification was sent to the National Trust to present to the Environmental Health Department to verify that no pests or diseases would enter the country with the seedlings. They were then packed in moist, sterile perlite sand and packed into their travel box.
They didn’t stay in the travel box for long. Exactly as the Kew team was to return to the TCI to continue work on the Pine Recovery Project (see “Pining Over Extinction,” Times of the Islands Summer 2007), unforgettable Hurricanes Hanna and Ike were moving toward TCI. The research visit was postponed; the palms were quarantined to keep their phytosanitary status and removed from their travel box to get light. They were watered carefully, as their roots could not get a firm hold in the loose perlite. Finally, the trip was rescheduled and they were inspected, re-packed, and went on their way.
The following day, they were out of their box again. A security breech at Heathrow Airport had caused the Kew team to miss their flight to the TCI, so they angrily returned to Kew where the palm seedlings made their second reappearance in the quarantine house. But the following week, Marcella Corcoran vowed that neither hurricanes nor Heathrow would keep them from getting to TCI, and the palms were unceremoniously carried through customs and back to their ancestral home on Middle Caicos.
This Christmas present was handed to me with a weary sigh and smile by Marcella, satisfied that the seedlings had finally completed their perilous journey despite all odds. The following days, we unpacked the seedlings, planted them in special “palm tubes” and other tall pots to allow their roots to grow deep and strong, and lined them up on our Conservation Centre’s screened porch as their nursery benches and shade lath were built.
As if the palm seedlings hadn’t been through enough, the following morning we found several of them pulled up and cut in half, their tender young trunks chewed up. We figured a rat or mouse must have been eating them, since no insect pest would have been able to uproot them. Our new pine nursery manager Bob McMeekin set a mouse trap, and the following morning, the true identity of the culprit was identified. The mousetrap had been sprung, but was empty—of both bait and mouse—but beside the trap was the neatly cracked-off thumb of the pincher of a Great Blue land crab! A brisk search by the Kew researchers revealed a crab with a missing thumb— irrefutable evidence—and he was exiled from the porch as a punishment for his taste for “hearts of palm!”
After the crab fiasco, we hastened the building of the nursery benches and shade cloth, and moved the 300-some seedlings into their new home. We also began soaking the remainder of the seeds we had stored (well over 400 of them) to grow them in accordance with the horticultural protocol Kew’s experts had written. These palms will take about ten years to mature, but they will be able to be planted out in gardens in as little as two years.
The National Trust will continue to collect seed following the strict protocols to protect the palms and their habitat, and we will hopefully grow many more seedlings in the future. The one and a half to two years it takes to grow the palms large enough to plant in landscaping (so they’re safe from heart-of-palm eating crabs!) makes the timing right for the Christmas palms to be the perfect Christmas present—a present that might get even me to grudgingly budge away from being a Scrooge.