Turks and Caicos

Cockburn Harbour, South Caicos Island

December, 2005

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The Turks & Caicos is a much smaller country than the Bahamas, but like the Bahamas it is a group of islands.  There are the Turks islands to the east and the Caicos islands including a large shallow bank called the Caicos Bank to the west.  The Turks & Caicos were a British possession in the past, like the Bahamas, and for a short time was linked administratively to the Bahamas.  Like the Bahamas, English is the national language and they use U.S. currency.

The average cruiser follows a route between the southeastern Bahamian islands that brings them to Providenciales, called "Provo", as the first stopping point in the Turks & Caicos.  Naturally we went an alternate route and so we never stopped in Provo.  We had a gorgeous weather window that allowed us to sail for three days straight from Georgetown in the Bahamas around the top of the Caicos islands, and bringing us in to the eastern side of the Caicos.

Cockburn Harbour is a beautiful natural harbor.  The town there is quite small but the people are very nice and friendly.  When we arrived we were the only cruising boat anchored in the harbor.  You can see our little dinghy looks a bit different than the local fishing boats on the dock.  The picture below right shows one of the town streets.  The little green house on the right is where Anita bakes wonderful home made bread everyday, just place your order the day before and pick it up hot out of the oven the next morning.  She does this everyday in a kitchen not too much larger than the galley on my little boat!

Horses, donkeys, dogs, and chickens roam free along the town streets.  These horses on the left are grazing across from the bank.

There are several churches in town.  This one on the right is St. George the Martyr Anglican church, built in 1795.  There is a monument to those lost in World War II in the church yard. 

Most of the businesses in town are the front of homes.  The photo on the left shows Muriel's restaurant, where she has turned her living area in the front of the house into a charming restaurant.  She was cooking wonderful chicken curry the day we were there and told us lots about the Caicos.  She said they have not had a hurricane there since 1945.