Adventure
Turks & Caicos
My boss called me and said, and I quote, “Would you like to go to the best beach in the world?” Erm, let me think about that.
A week later, I was on the plane to Turks & Caicos. Nestled southeast of the Bahamas, Turks, as it is affectionally known locally, is made up of over 40 islands and cays (a sandy island on the surface of a coral reef), and only eight are inhabited. I’ll stay on Providenciales or Provo, as the locals say. After two flights from London and some 10 hours later, we arrived via Antigua.
I recommend visiting Turks & Caicos from July to September.
Month High / Low(°C) – Rain
January 17° / 12° – 12 days
February 16° / 12° – 10 days
March1 7° / 12° – 12 days
April 17° / 12° – 9 days
May 19° / 14° – 7 days
June 21° / 16° – 4 days
July 24° / 18° – 3 days
August 25° / 19° – 4 days
September 24° / 18° – 8 days
October 22° / 16° – 9 days
November 19° / 14° – 11 days
December 18° / 13° – 13 days
Turks & Caicos Sandals Resorts
We were guests of Sandals Resorts, and as luck would have it, “The best beach in the world” was slap bang out front of the resort. Not only that, but I was here to soak up the sun, eat, and cook some outstanding local cuisine. In the end, we made three short films in 3-days. It could have been a lot more. As always, we had some fabulous content that didn’t make the edit. Sandals were brilliant, and executive chef Colin Watson was an absolute gem and a great help.
The hotel is on Grace Bay, a 12-mile stretch of pure white sand, which has been voted the best beach in the world many times. Turks is also well known for its many fish and shellfish species, some of which I will cook in the next few days.
First, we film a few pieces to camera, arriving, room, welcome, that sort of thing. Quick coffee later, we kit up and set sail to find one of Turks fabulous morsels and national symbols, the Conch, pronounced Conk. It’s so important that it even features on the national flag. This crustacean is in the same family as abalone, mussels and scallops and is a real delicacy.
We dive 2 or 3 times and eventually get our quarry. They are in giant, colourful shells and are quite a sight. Our fisherman quickly dispatches the mollusc and mixes it with chopped peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, salt, pepper, orange, and lime juice into a ceviche. Eating this dish so fresh and clean from the sea was perfect. With the first day cook in the bag, we set sail back to the resort for a well-earned beer.
Iguana Island
We woke up early the next day and set sail again to Little Water Cay, known locally as Iguana Island. This small island or Cay is home to the few remaining rock Iguanas that used to cover most of the islands in the Turks & Caicos. We meet with a local guide, who tells me the history of these fantastic, spiky creatures. We see lots of these relatively friendly little critters, and they scamper about all over the place.
Back to the boat, and we film me on a paddle board, or at least me trying to paddle board. Like all these things, it looks so much easier than it is. Add a slight breeze; a novice like me could be in Cuba in a few hours. In the end, I can’t turn the damn thing around, so I end up jumping in, at the same time dislodging the mini camera on the front of the board, gone forever! Cameraman Lee is not well pleased.
We slowly return to the resort in the mid-afternoon sun to get a few nice shots for the film. It’s peaceful and calm.
My boss called me and said, and I quote, "Would you like to go to the best beach in the world?"
Crackin On
Two more cooks today, and after filming bits and pieces around the resort and on the best beach, Colin again (he’s a trooper) set up a perfect backdrop for my Coconut Prawns with Jerk mayo, mango salsa set on watermelon with feta cheese and Spiced Mahi Mahi with griddled corn and okra. Both dishes sound complex, but trust me, they are easy to prepare and cook.
Jo Jo
A few minutes later, our captain shouted, “Quick, quick, Jo Jo!” We made our way to the side of the boat and saw Jo Jo, the dolphin, skimming and diving right next to us. I could almost touch him. He’s a local who always follows the boats when they are out, has become a local celebrity, and is very friendly. Lee got some great footage of him; we are lucky to film him.
Back at the resort, we stop for lunch and feast on Jerk Chicken & Snapper (chef’s name), then film with it; it’s so simple, succulent, and somewhat spicy. We joked to the local lads that we had lost our camera and pointed well into the distance. The captain said that that was not a problem and they would find it! There’s no chance; it’s gone forever, and we were sailing away for twenty minutes. Blimey! That afternoon, they only returned with it! We were stunned, and we bought rums all around! Top fellas.
Colin is hard at work setting up the first of three cooks and debating the best place on the beach. Ultimately, we are under a tamarisk tree, looking at the picture-perfect sand and sea.
The dish was whole grilled red snapper. I like to cook whole fish; the depth of flavour and the way the moisture stays in the flesh are perfect. Couple that with grilling on open charcoal, and you’re on to a winner. The dish also looks great; it’s a must-on-camera.
With the first cook done, we retire for a shower and dinner. It’s been a long, hot day.
A Well Earned Dip
Filming took the best part of the day by the time we had bagged the end piece to camera. To celebrate, we have a beer and jump in the sea; what else would you expect in such a beautiful location? Our three-day trip was over in the blink of an eye.
I could have spent the whole month here, possibly 6, but having these few days to film and enjoy makes me realise how lucky I have been to travel the world with my job.
I recall my mother once saying to me in the early 70s when I told her that I wanted to be a chef. “You want to be a cook? Really? Good luck with that one,” she said with a shocked look. Well, Mum, this is one very happy cook!
Thank you, Sandals; I’ll be back Jo Jo.
Find out more about Sandals
- Telelphoe: 08000 22 3030
- Website: https://www.sandals.co.uk/
Inspired Recipes
Some recipes inspired by my all-too-brief trip to Turks & Caicos
Grilled Whole Red Snapper
Grilled Whole Red Snapper is a tasty and healthy seafood dish. Marinated with herbs and spices, the fish is grilled to perfection, resulting in a juicy and tender meal.
View RecipeCoconut Prawns with Watermelon & Feta
Coconut Prawns with Watermelon & Feta is a delicious recipe that combines crispy coconut prawns with a refreshing watermelon and feta salad. Perfect for seafood lovers looking to try something new!
View RecipeSpiced Mahi-Mahi with Sweetcorn & Okra
Spiced Mahi-Mahi with Sweetcorn & Okra is a delicious dish that features a juicy Mahi-Mahi fish fillet seasoned with a blend of spices and herbs.
View Recipe