| |
|
|
I love secrets.
Unfortunately, on a small island, there aren't many to be found.
That's why I was pleasantly
surprised when the Harbour Club Villas & Marina were brought to
my attention. Nestled on the south- central shore of Providenciales
(below what locals call Jim Hill) on Venetian Road, Harbour Club just
happened to be off my beaten path. Discovering this tranquil enclave
is a secret that I simply can't keep to myself.
 Obviously not part of the Grace Bay Beach scene, a stay at Harbour
Club brings to light a different version of utopic Caribbean living.
Its six individual villas are built on land that straddles the peaceful
expanse of Flamingo Lake and the Atlantic Ocean at Discovery Bay. This
unique positioning invites outstanding views, refreshing breezes and
a variety of recreational options. Staying in a private villa allows
guests the freedom to enjoy themselves as they please -- and what is pleasing to many are bonefishing, scuba
diving, kayaking and exploring.
The on-site owners are Barry and Marta Morton, a personable Canadian
couple who obviously enjoy their life in the Islands as much as their
guests do. After spending 25 years running tourist gift shops in the
chilly mountains of Banff, Alberta, they were more than ready for a
change in climate. Marta spent much of her childhood in the Caribbean
and had fond memories of sunny days and a slower pace of life. Barry
made the initial foray to Providenciales in 1995 and, following several
weeks of scouting, was especially impressed with a plot of land recommended
by local realtor Bob Pratt, which was soon to become the couple's
new home and livelihood. Bob sold them the adjacent property to his
home where he was developing South Side Marina which made for a natural
dock extension incorporating their canal frontage.
Barry recalls, "One of the most fortunate things
to happen early-on was meeting Oliver Stubbs. Through his business,
Oliver & Oliver Drafting, he was able to prepare, submit and have
our plans approved. Then he brought in his brother Keith, cousin Mike
and other friends and family members to get the construction done in
record time. Danny Delancy handled all the plumbing and electrical projects
which got us up and running." This enabled Barry
and Marta to work on some of the finishing touches and decorating, and
they are proud to say that no two villas look exactly alike!
They also laud Nicky Turner and Dudley Forbes at Island Landscaping,
who turned what was literally a mound of bare limestone rock into the
lush oasis of greenery that Harbour Club is today. Marta explains, "We
couldn't believe it could be done, but they
filled holes in the rock with topsoil, planted young bushes and trees
and instructed us to do lots of watering." The
results were inspiring and these days, gardening has become one of the
couple's passions.
Harbour Club opened for the 1999/2000 Winter season and, ironically,
it was one of the first guests who shared a secret of his own. Barry
explains, "Chris Coile, president of the Maryland
Bonefishing Association, told us that the waters around our property
-- Flamingo Lake, Turtle Lake and the ocean
flats -- offered some of the best bonefishing
in the world. Prior to that, I didn't even know
what a bonefish was!" And just like that, Harbour
Club had found a niche in the market.
 Today, bonefishing enthusiasts rave about
their experiences here and, when fishermen get together they passionately
exchange tips on locations, fly-tying and casting techniques. Barry
says, "Many of our fishing guests will spend
one or two days with a guide (who are all well-known among aficionados,
who do their research ahead of time) and other days exploring the flats
on their own. We're compiling comments from
our guest books and websites to create our Bonefish Bible, which is
a best seller here!" Marta adds, "It's especially alluring when, on calm days, guests can
see bonefish tailing in Flamingo Lake from their villa windows. Recently,
21 bonefish were caught and released in a two hour period as we watched
from our deck. It was amazing and our guests talked about it for days!"
Another group of visitors who have found a haven at Harbour Club are
scuba divers. The property's south boundary is a dock along the Discovery Bay canal
and four local dive operators -- Provo Turtle
Divers, Flamingo Divers, Caicos Adventures and Beaches Resort -- keep dive boats at the marina for trips to West Caicos
and French Cay. These destinations offer some of the most outstanding
and pristine wall diving in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Harbour
Club's unique location offers avid divers quick
and convenient access to the dive boats which is especially appreciated
for their traditional early morning departures!
Other popular pastimes include kayaking in the peaceful waters of Flamingo
and Turtle Lakes, through the canals or in the ocean itself, a trip
that can combine fishing and snorkeling off nearby Bay Cay. There's also plenty of room for relaxing around the club's private pool and sunning patio, complete with covered
gazebo and a barbecue grill for guests' use.
 Each
spacious villa -- at 650 sq. ft. much larger
than a hotel room -- feels comfortably like
home and reflects a relaxed Caribbean lifestyle. The open-plan living
area includes a rattan sofa and queen sofa bed, with a separate window-lined
dining alcove overlooking the lake. The kitchen is fully equipped and
includes a versatile countertop bar. Although numerous ceiling fans,
louvered screen windows and steady breezes keep the villas quite cool,
the bedroom does include air conditioning to ensure a good night's
sleep. Tropical decor includes terra cotta tiles,
colorful fabric and artwork of typical plants, birds and Old World maps.
Hand-cut native stone patios, walls and walkways connect the cottages,
with lush landscaping ensuring privacy.
The Mortons say that guests typically "come
and go" during the day, often eating breakfast
and lunch at "home" and enjoying dinners at
local restaurants. While some choose to rent cars, it's not a necessity. '"We're happy to do what we can to accommodate our guests.
We'll run them up to the supermarket, drop them
off at Turtle Cove for snorkeling and the north side beach and even
take them to Ports of Call for shopping. Often, they'll
spend the day 'doing their thing' and take a taxi back."
This attitude reflects Marta and Barry's similarity to old-fashioned innkeepers, who treat guests
as family. In fact, Harbour Club welcomes many return visitors, the
Mortons say. "Many came the first time for a
special occasion -- honeymoon, anniversary,
birthday or reunion -- and just keep coming
back. This is one of the few places we know of where guests hug us when
they say good-bye and keep in touch all year round."
Harbour Club is not a secret to all local residents. Its atmosphere
of peaceful beauty has inspired it to serve as the site for several
retreats, including Oliver Ferguson's annual vacation bible school and Tri-Island Yoga's weekend get-away.
The Mortons say that future plans could include adding outdoor patios
to the front of each cottage, converting the villas into single-owner
condominiums and in the future, building additional units and a restaurant.
But, they add, all of that just might hinder the personal feeling of
tranquility that they enjoy every day. And that is one secret to happiness
they are more than willing to share.
For more information about Harbour Club Villas
& Marina, phone or fax (649) 941-5748, e-mail harbourclub@tciway.tc or visit http://www.harbourclubvillas.com/
or http://www.bonefishing.tc/.
|
|
