Resort Report

The quest for fresh water in TCI. By Ben Stubenberg   At the break of dawn back in the day, before the sun’s first rays peeked over the dark horizon. Before the vexing croaks of Cuban tree frogs ceased. And before the veil of dew finished settling over the grassy fields and dense brush, each house stirred with ...

The SpaceX 7 explosion and its environmental fallout in the Turks & Caicos. By Alizee Zimmermann, Turks & Caicos Reef Fund “Eric! Come quick, look up!” I shouted across our parking lot on a slightly muggy Thursday evening. I had the hose out and was rinsing off dive gear from the day’s field work. “I think something ...

Eels of the Turks & Caicos Islands Story & Photos By C.E. O’Brien, Associate Professor of Tropical Marine Ecology, The School for Field Studies, Center for Marine Resource Studies Eels are members of the order Anguilliformes, a group of mostly marine fishes characterized by their elongated bodies without scales. They also lack the pelvic and (usually) the pectoral ...

Gauging sustainable spiny lobster fisheries. Story & Photos By Marta Calosso & John Claydon, Founders & Directors, FisherFolkFirst The majority of commercial fishers in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) are free-divers, and their fishing techniques have remained largely unchanged for almost 50 years. This fact should be celebrated as a testament to the quality of the ...

Part 2:  Menagerie a trois Story & Photos By Eric S. Cole, Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota The life cycle of a jellyfish, and in particular the upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea) involves something called alternation of generations, going between a swimming form, (the “medusa” that most of us recognize as a jellyfish), and a tiny anchored ...

Getting to know the Gulf Fritillary butterfly. By Bill Rhodes ~ Photos By Marta Morton The biodiversity of islands is unlike most other spots on earth. For example, who can forget learning about Darwin’s scientifically groundbreaking trip to the Galapagos Islands? It was there that he discovered multiple endemic (native and found only there) species, and by ...

Reflections on this special day in the Islands. Story & Photos By Davidson E. Louis Sundays felt like a gift—a reward for making it through the week. The air carried a different energy, softer and more relaxed, almost as if the entire island paused to exhale. Growing up in Turks & Caicos, Sundays were a sacred day. ...

Reflections on this special day in the Islands. Story & Photos By Davidson E. Louis Sundays felt like a gift—a reward for making it through the week. The air carried a different energy, softer and more relaxed, almost as if the entire island paused to exhale. Growing up in Turks & Caicos, Sundays were a sacred day. ...

Retelling the story of The Voyage of the Priscilla. By Jeff Dodge This is a story about a story—a story written and published in 1907 by “The Mate”—John Copeland Crisson—of Grand Turk and Bermuda. It is the tale of a voyage from Bermuda to Grand Turk aboard the American schooner Priscilla. Background and the New York to Bermuda race In ...

A journey of hope and healing. Story & Photos By Oshin Whyte Wild, lush, exotic, breathtaking—what do all these words have in common? They each capture the natural beauty and allure of East Caicos. You may recall reading my previous article, where Captain Timothy Hamilton, Amadyne Agenor, and I navigated the uncharted landscapes of East Caicos in ...

A look into TCI’s music and musicians, past, present, and future. By Abigail and Alejandra Parnell Many things remind us of our “Beautiful by Nature” Turks & Caicos Islands—our unique and varied cuisine, the vast landscapes and exquisite beaches that encompass our Islands, our small and tight-knit community. But nothing reminds us more of home than the ...

Keeping Turks & Caicos “Beautiful By Nature” through storytelling and art. By Teresa Tomassoni, Amy Avenant and Katharine Hart Art and storytelling are powerful tools our ancestors have used from the beginning of time to preserve cultural heritage, pass on generations of wisdom about nature and advocate for her protection. They are tools that help us humans ...

Developing ocean stewardship and sustainable livelihoods for fisherfolk. Story & Photos By Marta Calosso & John Claydon, Founders & Directors, FisherFolkFirst The Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) is the most important fishery in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI). It also has the potential to be one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Almost all ...

Part 1:  The Medusa Worm (Synaptula hydriformis) Story & Photos By Eric S. Cole, Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota Trigger warning: this creature’s habits are so foreign, they may offend the senses. One of the most marvelous life-forms I’ve encountered in both The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos islands is a tiny sea cucumber named Synaptula ...

Getting to know the damselfish. Story & Photos By Kelly Currington Peering out the window on approach to the Turks & Caicos Islands you are greeted by the most brilliant turquoise water anywhere. This sight is mesmerizing on its own, but what lies beneath the initial beauty is even more alluring, an alien world of beautiful, exciting, ...