Trip to Europe (and back) begins
- Thread starter dLj
- Start date
It doesn't look like there will be any problem with provisioning, with two grocery stores right there at the harbor. The airport and main tourist island is Providenciales, at the other end of the island chain. If you need anything from the States, that's probably where you'll have to pick it up.
The Turks & Caicos are the largest supplier of conch in the world. Learn to make scorched conch. It's lemon cooked, like ceviche. You can collect conch off the beaches, watch a video of how to get the snail out with a slothead screwdriver and a mallet, or get a local to show you. Next, cut it up into 1/2" pieces with chopped onion, a pepper (I prefer pablanos, but yellows or reds are OK), cilantro, garlic, and celery,(anything that sounds good in a cool Summer salad), and a tiny amount of olive oil or coconut oil, then squeeze a lemon over it to cook.
If you don't heat conch, it doesn't get tough and you won't need to beat the heII out of it to tenderize it.
-Will
The Turks & Caicos are the largest supplier of conch in the world. Learn to make scorched conch. It's lemon cooked, like ceviche. You can collect conch off the beaches, watch a video of how to get the snail out with a slothead screwdriver and a mallet, or get a local to show you. Next, cut it up into 1/2" pieces with chopped onion, a pepper (I prefer pablanos, but yellows or reds are OK), cilantro, garlic, and celery,(anything that sounds good in a cool Summer salad), and a tiny amount of olive oil or coconut oil, then squeeze a lemon over it to cook.
If you don't heat conch, it doesn't get tough and you won't need to beat the heII out of it to tenderize it.
-Will
It's weird how sometimes I get no notifications if new messages in this thread...
Anyway, indeed we arrived yesterday about 10:30 local time. The charts said customs was located here where we anchored so off we went to check in. Get to shore and no customs in sight. As a local guy and he said it's far away, to go over to the little restaurant and have them call us a cab.
We are walking over and some random guy stops and asks us if we need help. We tell him we need to go to customs and immigration and he says hop in, I'll drive you over there. Well not only did he bring us there, he then waited for us, then brought us to an ATM, a local restaurant, hung out for a bit. Never asked for anything. Well, he did ask for a bottle of water, I'd invited him to lunch but he'd already eaten - true - he's been eating it in the car...
He saw us later and drove us around the island looking for rum, first place was closed. Just amazing! We got to see the old salt ponds, those are amazing! Found a cool little hole in the wall place where we are going later today.
Amazing island and people!
dj
Anyway, indeed we arrived yesterday about 10:30 local time. The charts said customs was located here where we anchored so off we went to check in. Get to shore and no customs in sight. As a local guy and he said it's far away, to go over to the little restaurant and have them call us a cab.
We are walking over and some random guy stops and asks us if we need help. We tell him we need to go to customs and immigration and he says hop in, I'll drive you over there. Well not only did he bring us there, he then waited for us, then brought us to an ATM, a local restaurant, hung out for a bit. Never asked for anything. Well, he did ask for a bottle of water, I'd invited him to lunch but he'd already eaten - true - he's been eating it in the car...
He saw us later and drove us around the island looking for rum, first place was closed. Just amazing! We got to see the old salt ponds, those are amazing! Found a cool little hole in the wall place where we are going later today.
Amazing island and people!
dj
I'm sorry to read that, JRacer. Just about everywhere I have traveled, the people have been amazing, including the USVIs. I would say, in the city of Tangier, especially in the bazaar, there were a lot of people with their hands out, even the kids, but that was really the only place they got obnoxious, and we had a great time and met some very generous people, as well. I've run into more of that here in the States: NYC, NOLA, San Francisco, than almost anywhere else.
-Will
I vacationed on Provo a couple of times, about 35 years ago.
Loved the island. We always rented a convertable 4x4 vehicle. We often would pick up a local and give them a ride to wherever they were going. At first we were puzzled why we were finding shiny quarters on the floor of the back seat Turns out the locals would leave a quarter to show their appreciation for the ride.
Loved the island. We always rented a convertable 4x4 vehicle. We often would pick up a local and give them a ride to wherever they were going. At first we were puzzled why we were finding shiny quarters on the floor of the back seat Turns out the locals would leave a quarter to show their appreciation for the ride.
A couple nights ago, we were rowing back out to the boat (I have a small Trinka rowing dinghy) and a local kid fishing off the docks started singing "Row, row, row your boat.." it was hilarious!
The folks here have been the most welcoming in so many ways. One young person took me all through one neighborhood introducing me to all their friends and family. Showing their houses, gardens, etc.
I was talking with someone who lives here and he was telling me about a "crime spree". Apparently there was one individual who would come into people's houses, take a shower, make themself food from the kitchen and then leave. Never stole anything, no money or the like. Just took a shower, cooked food, ate, washed the dishes, and left... Now there's a crime spree for sure!
Yesterday, there was a party for the whole town. Free food, drinks, music. They hired a band (really good band) and anyone and everyone from here was invited. It was a guys 70-something birthday and the party was thrown by his kids to celebrate. The guy has 20 kids, and I can't remember how many grandkids he said he had. It was a blast!
Very cool place!
dj
Just beautiful day here today. Got up this morning and the water was crystal clear! Hard to see in the photo, but my dinghies shadow is actually on the bottom!
Then, sun set tonight was lovely!
I'll be fueling up and filling up with water tomorrow. Looking like we will head out Wednesday morning.
dj
Then, sun set tonight was lovely!
I'll be fueling up and filling up with water tomorrow. Looking like we will head out Wednesday morning.
dj
Yet to be determined. Weather predictions are looking dicey near Hatteras by the time we'd get there if we run first choice but it's out there in time beyond reliable predictions. I'll be looking again tonight to see what they say.
First choice would be straight to the Chesapeake.
Second choice would be Bahamas and then island hop over to the mainland.
Third choice would be from here to some place lower on the East coast, like maybe Charleston.
Haven't decided yet.
dj
Weather models have pretty much converged today - looks like we will head to Charleston. We will run right by the Bahamas so we can bail out if weather mandates. But as of this morning - going with plan A is not happening. The run to Charleston however is looking quite good right now....
dj
dj
Currently at 22 47.028N 072 37.103 W
It's been smooth sailing so far, but it looks like we will have to duck into one of the islands of the Bahamas to wait out some bad winds..
dj
It's been smooth sailing so far, but it looks like we will have to duck into one of the islands of the Bahamas to wait out some bad winds..
dj