But I've loved writing the blog - something I suggest you all do when you next have a holiday alone. What? You don't holiday alone? Must be just me then. Barracuda | Blue Parrot fish | Butterfly fish | Blue Tang (Mum, I saw Dorie from 'Finding Nemo'!) |
Dark Parrot fish | Green Parrot fish | Grouper (Oh and I ate some of one of these too!) | Mullet |
Sergant major fish | Surgeon fish  |
Common Ground Dove | Great Egret | Kiskadee | Mourning Dove (Pink Pigeon)  |
Osprey (Fish Hawk)  | Rock Pigeon (Don't we have these in Trafalgar Square?)  |
Caribbean Buckeye Butterfly (I think this is what it was. It was darker than the ones on Wiki though and had 2 ocelli and not 3...) | Curly tailed lizards (These were dead cute - I even found one in my trousers - No, before I wore them)  |  |  |
 |  | Saguaro Cactus |  |
 |  |
Today Ken and I explore some of the Island - in his Jeep (Oh yeah).
1) North West Point
We vow to hang out here next time and go to the Conch Shack which looks like an old shed but has a worldwide reputation for being 'the' place to eat conch (here's the menu) in a perfect setting.
We're very glad we have the Jeep as the majority of the way is a stone road or dirt/sand track. There trees and low-bush all the way, which means lots of butterflies and birds. We see a "Mourning dove", which is apparently very rare and lots of "Kiskadee" which may not be the right spelling (sorry Ken!)
When we get nearly to the tip of North West Point we stop and walk out onto the beach.
It is completely empty with amazing dark blue and turquiose water. We drive slightly further to the actual point and at the tip are two navigational posts.
On one of them two Fish Hawks (Osprey) have made a nest. They are both just sitting there 20 feet above us. They are huge and it is amazing to see such big birds up close. One of them swoops over my head so I know it's boss.
Then we walk over the tip of the point to the west side. This is much more dramatic with dried coral reef up to the side of the beach where the sea has receded. It is very hot so we risk a swim and have to walk over the coral to get out to sea.
It is then that Kens' sandle gets stuck between two pieces of coral and he falls cutting his hands, leg and foot. It's very sharp stuff and also bits of coral get stuck in his hands. It is not the weather or location to be injured.
Luckly, after a beer and a sit down in the air-conditioning of the car, he feels ok to go somewhere where we can have a swim without killing ourselves. We head off to Malcolms Beach next.
2) Malcolms Beach (at Amanyara Resort)
The Amanyara resort is an exclusive low-level hotel for uber-rich camera shy types as it is near nothing and is completely secluded and gorgeous. There are sandy beaches and coral reef all around it. It has some of the best diving in Turks & Caicos (TCI) and we saw several dive boats moored up just on the edge of the reef.
After finding the place we stop for packed lunch and then head into the water to cool down. As it's low season in TCI there is no-one on the resort beach so we swim just to the side of it for ages. I am loathed to leave after a few hours but we decide to hunt down one more location before the day is done.
3) South Dock Bay
The area called Five Cays which is to the right of where we drive south has many more local residents and schools. The area after Five Cays, a thin strip of land with bays on both sides, is an expensive area with private detached houses.
The water on either side of this strip, South Dock Road, is the most turquoise water I have ever seen. There are no obvious beaches, or public routes down to the water, but from the road it is beyond pituresque.
There are small islands dotted throughout the water which add to the view. It reminds me a bit of the view from Croagh Patrick (St Patricks Mountain) on the West coast of Ireland with the islands dotted about the bay below.
After such a fresh-air-filled day of beautiful sights, amazing wildlife and injuries we are both pretty tired. We have dinner and discuss South American politics and the state of the British Government before calling it a night.
I say goodbye to Ken and take a final look over the beach and sea before heading back to the hotel to pack.
I am off home tomorrow and although I am loathed to leave my holiday I am also very excited to be going home.
There are two staff: Donny and Jacky (both Canadian) and 6 other snorkelers. An Italian couple who ask lots of good questions which means I learn loads about the area, the fish, etc. and a family from upstate New York (I think).
Anyway, I digress. After moseying out of the harbour gently Jacky calls out: "Everyone ready?" For what? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! That'll be a boat suddenly moving very fast and I'll be the only one sitting right at the front then? It's great, I have a grin from ear to ear (It's hard not to at this speed, my face is stuck this way for 10 minutes). Speed baby - oh yeah.
Now they are all queuing to go down the stairs: stairs or off the side? Off the side you idiot! Superheroes don't use stairs. I sit on the edge. Deep breath, ok Clare you're a swimming Bruce Lee got it? 'HaYarr!!!' I leap off the side doing a little kung-fu fin-kick for good measure. If there were any sharks at that moment I'm sure I scared them off as I don't get eaten in the first 5 minutes.
The first one is silver and I see it on the second stop. Fight or flight Donny tells me later: I apparently chose flight. I am swimming about thinking "wow, I hope I see a Barracuda", turn around and literally 3 feet from me is a silver one, about 2 feet long. He just looks at me, he's not swimming away, he's looking. I move slowing to my left, he moves slowly to his right. It is at this point apparently that a great splashing was seen heading towards the boat - which would be me panicking. Great, that's attractive and not very Bruce Lee.
As I look there is a huge black Barracuda right by the boat, around 4 foot I think and just hanging out. I look at him for ages before he moves off and I also head into the boat. I am extremely frightened which is silly as they never attack people but I stay in, and I'm pleased with myself for not missing it.
After a hectic day of swimming I meet Ken back at the boat house with tails of Moby Dick. We have dinner and then drink most of a bottle of Rum. It turns out that if you drink a lot of Rum and juice you get decidedly drunk. Who knew?
The launderette is brill, very nice people and very lovely and clean clothes. An hour later I walk back before deciding I will buy supplies for the rest of the week.
Harvey "Is a man you can trust". I know this because it says so on his business card. I also know this because he takes me and my shopping home, charges me very little and cheers me up with his driving banter and all-round good chat. He's also rescued me from the "Big Man": so I love him.
First of all there's hardly anyone here, the water is cool, and there's a breeze which means the sea moves and is fun to swim in. It's not like swimming in a bath. I find a sun-lounger and relax. This is more like it. Homesickness is well and truly gone and I couldn't give a fig about work or any of those worries as I feel great. Peace and quiet and solitude on my own personal beach....
"Alright girl, you ok?"
I make it to Turks & Caicos no problem but I am not in the best of moods today. I feel rather homesick if I'm honest and mope about. Is there a condition for having too much sun? Anyway, I do pop down to the beach when I get here, find the Internet cafe, the shops etc. but I'm in no mood for the blog or any fun. I do have some fantastic meatballs* for dinner before getting some sleep.
At every rain break I dip out and take some pictures I've missed out on during my stay. Having Marshall* means I can motor about very quickly. On the last break I go record shopping at 'FYE' (For Your Entertainment I think). I get PvD 'Cream Ibiza', Gabriel & Dresden 'Toolroom Knights', a present for one of you lucky people, a Y4K by General Midi I haven't got (yeah!) and Razorlight. The last 3 are used as it's 2 for 3 on used CDs. The whole lot comes to £27 - OMG!
4.30pm - time to take Marshall* back. I feel sad and it's hard to imagine that I won't be with him for the rest of my holiday. Jacks not even there and I quickly snap a photo of M as the door to the shop closes. I walk from 5th to 11th with my head very low. Sniff...
I have a lovely Salad Nicoise and read the paper cover to cover. Time is a funny thing I muse. At home I seem to have none of it. I can't remember the last time I read the whole paper. And yet here I have too much. I actually have to fill it here else I'd be bored.
On that note at 7, I decide to go to the cinema for my final Miami event. I'm under orders from Edd not to see Wall.E so I go and see Hancock. It's actually OK, though the plot is a tad thin and predictable. It gets an all American applause at the end but I don't join in - maybe my US inspired over-excitement is fading?
