1570, 1586-1587, 1781-1782, 2758 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - The map and the flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands

1570, 1586 The map of the Turks and Caicos Islands (1)

Posted on 10.05.2015, 17.05.2015, 03.06.2015, 26.07.2015, 17.09.2016
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago, part of the larger Antilles island grouping, which lie southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas island chain and north of the island of Hispaniola. The resident population is about 31,500, of whom 23,769 live on Providenciales. Cockburn Town, the capital since 1766, is situated on Grand Turk Island. TCI are named after the Turk's-cap cactus (Melocactus communis), and the Lucayan term caya hico, meaning string of islands.

2758 The map of the Turks and Caicos Islands (2)

The first inhabitants of the islands were Arawakan-speaking Taíno people, who crossed over from Hispaniola sometime from AD 500 to 800. Soon after the conquistador Juan Ponce de León arrived in 1512, the Spanish began capturing the locals as slaves, so that the islands were completely depopulated a year later, and remained so until the 17th century. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the islands passed from Spanish, to French, and to British control, but none of the three powers ever established any settlements. For several decades around the turn of the 18th century, the islands became popular pirate hideouts.

1781 The map of the Middle Caicos

After the American War of Independence, many Loyalists fled to British Caribbean colonies; in 1783 they were the first settlers on the Caicos Islands. They developed cotton as an important cash crop, but it was superseded by the development of the salt industry, which was a highly important export product until the 19th century. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the islands were either a separate colony, or part of the  Bahamas, or of  Jamaica. In 1973 the Turks and Caicos received their own governor. In 2013 and 2014, interest in annexing the islands to Canada, an idea which previously circulated, was renewed.

1782 The map of the Salt Cay

The eight main islands and more than 299 smaller islands consist primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive marshes and mangrove swamps. The weather is usually sunny and relatively dry, but suffers frequent hurricanes. The islands have limited natural fresh water resources; private cisterns collect rainwater for drinking. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The primary natural resources are spiny lobster, conch and other shellfish. The United States was the leading source of tourists in 1996, accounting for more than half of the 87,000 visitors.

1587 The flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands

The official language of the islands is English and the population also speaks Turks and Caicos Islands Creole, which is similar to Bahamian Creole. Due to its close proximity to Cuba and Hispaniola, large Haitian Creole and Spanish-speaking communities have developed in the territory due to immigration. The Turks and Caicos Islands are a biodiversity hotspot. The islands have many endemic species and others of international importance. Due to this significance, the islands are on the United Kingdom's tentative list for future UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

2431-2435 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - The former life in Turks Islands

2431 Grand Turk - Barrelling salt for export

The Turks Islands were not fully colonised until 1681, when salt collectors from Bermuda built the first permanent settlement on Grand Turk Island. They were drawn by the shallow waters around the islands that made salt mining a much easier process than in Bermuda. Since then, the salt industry sustained the Turks and Caicos Islands until in the 1960s. During the 250 years, the infrastructure and methods were gradually improved.

2432 Turks Islands - Sponges and Crowl

At the height of production in the early 1900s, about 92 hectares of salina was being utilized on Grand Turk. The average annual export of salt during the period from 1888 to 1907 was 1,630,314 bushels, of which 77,6% went to the United States, and 16,1% to Canada. In 1916 the export of salt was valued at about 100,000 USD, forming nearly three quarters of the total exports. In those times were also exported, in much smaller quantities, sponges, that grew in the shallow waters

2433 Turks Islands - Cocoanuts and Guinea Corn

In the 18th century, huge numbers of trees were felled by the Bermudians to discourage rainfall that would adversely affect the salt mining operation. This deforestation has yet to be repaired. In essence, the modern landscape is the product of human activities going back thousands of years. Among the plants introduced on the islands is Guinea grass, introduced from Africa as cattle fodder. Anyway, on early20th century, Grand Turk was one of the bleakest and barrenest islands imaginable.

2434 Grand Turk - Front Street in Cockburn Town in 1900s

Before the WWI, TCI had 5,615 inhabitants. Almost 1,700 of them lived in Grand Turk, of whom not less than 1,400 were of African descendents. The only settlement on Grand Turk was Cockburn Town, situated on the western coast and containing practically the entire population. There was no harbor, and visiting vessels were obliged to anchor in an open roadstead. As any low-lying tropical coastal settlement, the Cockburn Town was often devastated by hurricanes.

2435 Grand Turk - Saint Thomas's Anglican Church

The majority of the population of the Turks and Caicos Islands were and are Christian of different confessions. The Grand Turk's oldest church is Saint Thomas's Anglican Church, located on the edge of Town Salina in Cockburn Town, and dedicated in 1823. Built by Bermudan settlers, it was considered too far to walk to the centre of the island and Saint Mary's Anglican Church was built in 1899 on Front Street, known also as Duke Street.

2363 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - National Museum in Cockburn Town

Established in the 1980s and opened in 1991, the Turks and Caicos National Museum is housed in one of the oldest stone structures in Grand Turk Island, Guinep House, located on Front Street to the north of Cockburn Town, the capital of the archipelago.  The house, built prior to 1885 in local limestone by a former shipwright, was named after the large guinep tree in the front yard. Its structural material came from local shipwrecks, including a ship's mast, which is one of the building's main supports.

2315 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - The Queen Conch

Conch is a common name to a different medium to large-sized sea snails or their shells. The term generally applies to large snails whose shell has a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal. The group of conchs that are sometimes referred to as "true conchs" are the ones from the family Strombidae, specifically in the genus Strombus, popular throughout the Caribbean and especially in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). It is an important symbol of the TCI, being one of three symbols on the flag.

1874 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - Salt Raking at Salt Cay

Salt Cay is a tiny, flat, triangular island, with an area of only 6.7 sq km and a population of less than 100. Around 1673, British Colonials from Bermuda saw the potential of the shallow and landlocked ponds on many of the islands in the Turks and Caicos, including Salt Cay. At the time, salt was a valuable essential used for food preservation and commanded a high price. Although the early visitors simply raked the naturally-occurring salt, it became obvious that production could be increased and the complex system of divided ponds, gates, channels and pumps was born.

1827 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - Dean and Jojo the Dolphin

JoJo is a male Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin. Dean and JoJo first met in 1981 during Dean's first visit to the Turks and Caicos Islands. There are only eight dolphins in the world that are known to seek out the company of humans and JoJo is the most famous of them. Dean and JoJo's relationship is the longest lived human-dolphin relationship in recorded history. Dolphins like JoJo grow to 2.5m long, weigh about 110kg, and are thought to live to 40 to 50 years or so. JoJo has a female mate that Dean named Chenoa and together they have a year old calf that Dean named JoJo Jr. but he is more affectionately known as MoJo.

1699, 1765-1770 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - The white-sand beaches

1699 - A pristine white-sand beach (1)

Posted on 29.06.2015, 24.07.2015
The eight main islands and more than 299 smaller islands which constitute Turks and Caicos Islands have a total land area of 616.3 square kilometres, consisting primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive marshes and mangrove swamps and 332 square kilometres of beach front. They feature a relatively dry and sunny marine tropical climate with relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year. Summertime temperatures rarely exceed 33 °C and winter nighttime temperatures rarely fall below 18 °C. Hurricanes are not at all rare.

1765 -  A pristine white-sand beach (2)

Around the early 1980's, Turks and Caicos started to become a tourist destination, quickly becoming one the world's most premier beach destinations, due to their perfect white-sand beaches and calm turquoise waters. If in 1996 only about 87,000 tourists visited these islands, in 2010 a total of 245 cruise ships arrived at the Grand Turk Cruise Terminal, carrying a total of 617,863 visitors.The government is pursuing a two-pronged strategy to increase tourism. Upscale resorts are aimed at the wealthy, while a large new cruise ship port and recreation centre has been built for the masses visiting Grand Turk.

1766 - A pristine white-sand beach (3)

 

The defining characteristic of a beach is its sand. The Turks and Caicos beaches almost without exception have shell and coral origin sand. This type of sand is formed from the naturally broken down particles of sea shells and hard corals, and the result is breathtaking bright white sand with touches of pink and peach hues. Another factor is the lack of hard rock origin or dark colored sand and gravel. The Turks and Caicos Islands foundation is primarily soft and white limestone. Once this rock begins to break up into smaller pieces, it decomposes into sand and dust and remains a bright white throughout the process.

1767 - The Malcolm's Beach on Provo

 

Secluded Malcolm Beach is an oasis of calm and relaxation, but to get there is need of sense of adventure. The traditional way to get to Malcolm Beach (sometimes referred to as Malcolm Roads Beach) is by traversing the twisting, bumpy Malcolm roads in a rented 4x4. Unlike the other popular beaches on Providenciales, this beach has a few sections of low rocky cliffs, and large ocean-worn rocks have been piled up by waves in other areas.

1768 - Snorkeling

Malcolm Roads Beach,  part of the Northwest Point Marine National Park, along with Smith’s Reef offer the best snorkeling and diving from shore on the island, but due to ocean conditions and difficulty of access, it’s best to visit with someone familiar with the area. Although a bit too far off to access without a boat, many of the best Providenciales dive sites are also found off the coast here. On calm days, many dive boats can be seen off the coast.

1769 - Club Med on Grace Bay

 

Grace Bay Beach, part of the Princess Alexandra National Park, is one of Turks and Caicos' most well-known and beloved beaches. The stretch of fine sand starts in the island town of Leeward and runs 12 miles to Thompson Cove. Many hotels and resorts have cropped up here including the luxurious Grace Bay Club and the all-suite Alexandra Resort and Spa. The French vacation village company of Club Mediterannee (Club Med) has here an all-inclusive adult resort called Turkoise.

1770 - Hobie cats on Grace Bay Beach

Hobie Cats are small easy to sail unsinkable catamaran sailboats. Many resorts on Grace Bay offer complimentary Hobie Cat use for guests, and rentals are also available at a few different locations. The name Hobie Cat comes from the combination of catamaran (two hulled boat) and the name of the inventor of this small craft: Hobart Alter. Hobie Cats have two plastic sealed hulls with a trampoline style deck stretched between them. The usual mast height is about 20 feet, and the craft have a boomless main sail, which makes for safer sailing for novices.

1705, 1754 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - Turks and Caicos Islands (UNESCO WHS - Tentative List)

1754 Turks and Caicos Islands - Chalk Sound

 

Posted on 01.07.2015, 18.07.2015
The Turks and Caicos Islands have a high number of endemic species and others of international importance, partially dependent on the conditions created by the oldest established salt-pan development in the Caribbean. The islands are also important as a breeding area for seabirds and is a wetland site of international importance containing a variety of marine and coastal habitat types. There are also shallow inland ponds linked to the sea in times of storm and/or via subterranean channels.

1705 - Turks and Caicos rock iguana

Chalk Sound is a scenic natural lagoon on the southwest of Providenciales. Although the sound is nearly landlocked, the water here is clean and algae free. It has the unique feature of having hundreds of small rocky islands in shallow brilliant turquoise water. Many of the tiny islets are populated with rock iguanas, who exist by foraging for fruit, plants, prickly pear cactuses and the occasional insect. In the tranquil waters can be found also barracudas, bonefish, stingrays, lemon sharks and sea turtles. There is an old-fashioned, twin-engine airplane wreck that partially sticks out of the water. The wreckage is covered in algae, and it always delights visitors.

1713 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - Market woman

This photo belongs to Michael Friedel. Born in 1935, is known as one of Germany’s best photo-journalists. A freelance photographer and author of over 20 illustrated books, he lives near Munich and since 1961 has published countless photo features in German magazines including Stern and GEO, and in many international publications. Friedel’s particular interest in the ‘dream islands of eternal summer’ has made him an expert on the subject and he has documented the many facets of island life in unique pictures taken above and under water, on land and from the air.

1649 UNITED KINGDOM (Turks and Caicos Islands) - Wild donkeys in Salt Cay

The Salt Cay, the second largest and southernmost inhabited island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, is, according to the official website, "home to 101 friendly souls rich in heritage and Caribbean culture, plus privately-owned cattle, numerous chickens, a small herd of wild donkeys, and 2 iguanas." It seems that donkeys were brought to Grand Turk by the Bermudians in the 15th century, so it is possible that they have been residents of Grand Turk longer than people. It was a common practice in the 1500s and 1600s for sailors to leave animals on islands throughout the Caribbean. This provided a source of fresh meat during long voyages and became a source for draft animals when various islands were settled.