To say that I did much on this vacation to Provo would be a lie. As soon as we landed and got a whiff of that warm sea air we knew we were in for a treat. I’ve been to quite a few islands and can say that each island has its own unique pace. Barbados is vibrant and hectic with one too many cars blasting loud hip hop and a friday night fish fry anyone who is anyone attends. Bermuda is upscale and refined with old world British charm. Long Island, Bahamas is possibly the most remote place I’ve ever been to with one road that is sparsely traveled. Dominican Republic is poor, but filled with boisterously happy people who leave their mark on your heart forever. Cuba, once my home, is a dilapidated place whose cultural beauty struggles to shine. Provo in Turks & Caicos is in one word: Slow. Now I happen to enjoy my slow, but there are degrees of slow. Undoubtedly places like Long Island Bahamas are more sparse, yet they offer adventurous opportunity for the bold. Provo, not so much. We had to wrack our brains to come up with things to do.
The main reason to go to Turks & Caicos is the water. It really is electric, it burns through your eyes and your soul, erasing whatever long moths you’ve slugged through work and stress. Our suite at the Seven Stars was spacious, luxurious and at half price, I couldn’t complain. The place was immaculate with a wrap around balcony facing the ocean. Wow! It didn’t take long before I found myself on one of the wicker chairs gazing out past the horizon. Bliss doesn’t even begin to describe it. Grace Bay is one of the most stunning beaches I’ve ever seen. Miles of white powdery sand stretch as far as the eye can see. Dip your head beneath the calm, warm waters and you will be greeted by starfish and darting, baby barracudas. For days I refused to touch my laptop, content to idle away my hours snorkeling and walking.
In Provo I had my first shark sighting. We were diving off the reef wall at Northwest Point in about 80′ of water with a 120′ of visibility when I veered off to see a lobster. This lobster was impressive, probably the biggest I have ever seen. When I looked down into the darkness of the wall, right at my feet was an eight foot shark just cruising along. My heart leaped into my throat. Sharks are the Ferraris of the deep, now I understand why. They are pure muscle–lithe and powerful. If sharks really enjoyed eating us none of us would have a chance. I kept my eyes on him as he swam among the other divers, then came back towards me for a second look. It was glorious!
