Providenciales

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Providenciales is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The island has an area of 98 km2 (38 sq mi) and a population of 30,542, making it the largest island in population and the third largest in area. It is served by the Providenciales International Airport. It is home to the only conch farm in the world.

As recently as 1964, Providenciales (usually called Provo) did not have a single wheeled vehicle. Following in the footsteps of Club Med, the island's first large hotel and casino complex opened in 1990 and touched off a development boom. Provo is now the most tourist-oriented and developed of the Turks and Caicos Islands, boasting many resort hotels and an 18-hole golf course. The island has recently become popular with retirees from around the world, kindling a boom of residential development. Given its recent evolution, the atmosphere is more reminiscent of the Florida Keys than Nassau, with little of the character of other Caribbean isles.

The resorts on Providenciales are centered on five mile-long (8 km) Grace Bay, with its brilliant white sand and shimmering turquoise waters. Apart from the beaches, Provo's charm lies in its rugged hills and ridges, which are carpeted with prickly pear cactus and scrub. The trump card, however, remains the diving: miles and miles of coral reefs are temptingly close to shore. Provo is also surrounded by uninhabited cays that are easily reached by chartered boat or excursion.

The only town, sprawling, namesake Providenciales, sits in the middle of the island. Most of the island's services are here, including upscale shopping malls. There are also pockets of makeshift shacks interspersed among the more upscale residences. Opportunities for sightseeing are slim, though history buffs might check out the ruins of Cheshire Hall, a 1790s plantation house constructed by British loyalists.

The western half of Provo is mostly barren wilderness, home to the island's best natural attraction, Chalk Sound National Park. The park is a three-mile-long (5 km) bay a few miles southwest of Downtown Providenciales. The color of the water is a uniform turquoise and studded with countless mushroom-like tiny islets. Also on the western part of the island is Northwest Point Marine National Park, which extends to nearby reefs and several saline lakes that attract breeding and migrant waterfowl.

Charts

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Weather

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Passages

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Islands

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Navigation

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Entrance

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Communication

• Also see World Cruiser's Nets
• South Side Marina, Providenciales, reads local weather forecast for the day at 07:30 and maintains a 'Cruisers Net' with local boats within radio range. Initial contact is broadcast on VHF 16, and then moves to channel 18.
• South Side Marina is one of the very few local establishments that monitor VHF on a regular basis. The other two, as of late 2009, are Turtle Cove Marina and the Caicos Marina and Boatyard. Some of the local dive boat operators will provide limited information and advice on an irregular basis.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Berthing

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

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Anchorages

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Things to do ashore

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Marine stores

As of 2009 there are two regular sources of marine hardware and supplies on Providenciales.

• Caicos Marina and Boatyard located on the south side of the island. This is the only place on the island where sailboat repairs can be expected to be available on a regular and professional basis.
• The other local business that stocks such spares as bilge pumps, hardware, and parts is S.S. Walkin and Sons. This is an inland marine, fishing, and power boat store that concentrates almost exclusively on the power boat market. It is not accessible by boat, but is a taxi ride from any of the marinas. They are the dealer for Evinrude, Mercury, and Honda outboards and stock spares for those.
• There is a Yamaha dealer/repair facility located at the southern end of the Five Cays settlement on Providenciales that can repair most Yamaha outboards.

Cruiser's Friends

• Wife and I have lived on Providenciales since 2005, and are accumulating knowledge of the country as residents. If we can be of help in planning or locating services in the TCI, you can email us at our blog, http://2gringos.blogspot.com/

Forum Discussions

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External Links

• Providenciales at the Wikipedia

References & Publications

See Turks - Caicos.

Comments

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Names: Lighthouse