I only spent a few days on the main island of Provo. One of the islands in the Turks and Caicos chain. We were stuck there sitting out a blow which was forecast to last for 3 days. I was helping friends dave and Cal sail their moody 44 up to the island of Exuma in the Bahamas.
The north side of Provo is where all the tourists are and i for one was more than happy to be on the south side of the isl;and in South side marina. The south side of the island is a place of broken dreams.
There are parcels of land for sale everywhere. One potential development consisted of 8 lovely plots of land on a headland. With great views over the crystal clear shallow waters that surround the Turks and Caicos. The plots started 1 million dollars now however they were already down to 400 thousand and with only 3 sold i imagine the price was only going lower for the remaining plots of land.
Then just to the west of South side marina there were canals cut in to the coral. That were shaped so that people would be able to buold their house and have their own birth for their boat right at the bottom of the garden. Unfortunately these canals had been dug over 25 years ago and that was as far as the development had got. In these canals laid a mish mash of boats i presume tying up for free. On the hard next to a part of one of the canals lay a high 30 foot mono hull now laying on its side and a trimaran now lying upside down. Also 2 30 foot yachts were tied up near bye.
After speaking to a local man i found out that the 2 boats that were wrecked on the hard. Had been lifted out by a local man who was in the process of working on them. When a storm came through and pushed them off their supports and turned them over. Which made them both in to unviable projects. So had been abandoned where they lay. He also informed me that the 2 boats that were afloat near bye. Had been given to a local man by a guy who had just had enough and just handed the keys over and walked away. Then add in the large Ferretti power boat that sits in South Side marina you start to get the idea.
Unfortunatly the whole south side of the island of Provo is covered in such broken dreams. The north side is flourishing and pulling in the tourists by the 1000. In total contrast the south side which i must add i loved is in a state of disrepair. You would never think you were on the same island. So if you have some money to invest in a slice of paradise. There is a multitude to choose from on the south side of Provo in the Turks and Caicos.
A must visit….
