Thanksgiving week port observations

The Grand Turk port had re-opened about two to three weeks before we arrived. The dock, buildings and beach were in good shape. Most noticeable is the loss of the lovely tall palms that provided such abundant shade over the beachfront in front of Margaritaville. Many have been replanted, but it will take a long time for them to grow.

The cruise center complimentary umbrellas and chairs remain available, however local, somewhat aggressive vendors are now renting theirs on the first 3-4 rows closest to the water in the same beach area. It is easy to tell the difference, just be aware before you sit down or be prepared to pay them $20 !!

Thank you so much for sharing your report from your recent visit.

Keith

The Grand Turk port had re-opened about two to three weeks before we arrived. The dock, buildings and beach were in good shape. Most noticeable is the loss of the lovely tall palms that provided such abundant shade over the beachfront in front of Margaritaville. Many have been replanted, but it will take a long time for them to grow.

Sad to hear, but let's hope they have a lot of nice years weather-wise to grow up unscathed.

The cruise center complimentary umbrellas and chairs remain available, however local, somewhat aggressive vendors are now renting theirs on the first 3-4 rows closest to the water in the same beach area. It is easy to tell the difference, just be aware before you sit down or be prepared to pay them $20 !!

I wonder how that works in a legal sense. The GTCC and Margaritaville own the land, but only down to a certain point on the beach...maybe the high-tide mark? Then it sounds like it might be a public beach, legally a no-man's land.

Maybe right now those locals really need that $20 more than we do.

Perhaps, but other passengers that we observed appeared to be more than mildly annoyed and just got up and moved. So these guys did not seem to be generating much income.

We were there in March and this was not going on then.

The complimentary cruise center chairs and umbrellas are plentiful and much nicer anyway.