Coral Reefs, X-MEN of the SEA
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) recently partnered with bp Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) and other government, private sector and community-based organizations to build its capacity in marine ecosystem rehabilitation, particularly coral reefs and seagrass beds, in a rapidly changing climate. This partnership is a significant step towards promoting wildlife conservation, especially in the Caribbean region, which has suffered greatly from the impacts of climate change and human activities. With coral reefs facing unprecedented levels of degradation, the partnership intends to deliver long-term biodiversity conservation and restoration of these ecosystems including avoided loss using a multi-pronged approach: (1) Ocean stewardship; (2) Restoration of Tobago’s...
Salybia Bay
Salybia Bay is on the extreme northeastern tip of Trinidad. To reach this bay, turn right (east) on to the Galera Road at the Toco junction where the Toco Main Road turns into the Paria Main Road. The beach is approximately 2 km east of the secondary school. This bay is not to be confused with Saline bay, on the east coast, which is close to the fishing village of Salibea. This beach is approximately 700 m long with coarse-grained, whitish-grey sand composed primarily of quartz and carbonate particles and slopes moderately to the sea. Waves approach from the northwest as plunging breakers with an...
Grande Riviere Bay
Grande Riviere Bay is off the Paria Main Road. Approximately 1 km west of the bridge over the Grande Riviere River, turn right onto Hosang Street which leads directly to the beach. The beach, composed of coarse-grained, quartzrich sand, is approximately 1.2 km long and has a moderate to steep slope. Shrubs, vines, almond trees and coconut palms grow on the flat upper beach. The Grande Riviere River enters the sea at the eastern end of the bay. High energy waves averaging 82 cm in height in the dry season and 60 cm in the wet season, approach from the north as plunging breakers. Strong longshore...
Matelot Bay
The fishing village of Matelot is where the Paria Main Road ends. To reach Matelot from the east, turn left at the Valencia Police Post junction and follow the Valencia Road onto the Toco Main Road. Turn left and continue along the Toco Main Road for approximately 32 km to the Toco junction. Here, the road becomes the Paria Main Road. Turn left again at this junction and follow the winding road in a westerly direction along the scenic north coast to Matelot. Matelot Bay Matelot Bay, with its fishing depot, is located at the end of the Paria Main Road. The beach is small and...
Paria, Grand Tacarib and Madamas Beaches
The secluded beaches of Paria, Grand Tacarib and Madamas can be reached by hiking trail from Blanchisseuse or Matelot, or by boat. The boat trip from Blanchisseuse takes about half an hour to Paria and forty-five minutes to Madamas. The journey provides breath-taking views of arches, stacks, caves and other rock formations along this coastline. Besides this scenery and the picture-perfect beaches, there are additional places of natural beauty. A stack formation is located within an arch on the western end of Paria and the refreshing Paria waterfall is just a fifteen minute walk inland from the beach. Paria Beach Massive sandstone outcrops are exposed in layers...
Blanchisseuse Bay
Blanchisseuse Bay is off the North Coast Road approximately 11 km east of Las Cuevas Bay. It is located on the eastern side of Blanchisseuse upper village. The beach is not easily visible from the road. To get to it look for the sign ‘Wilson’s Trace’ just east of the recreation ground. A footpath to the west of the houses opposite Wilson’s Trace leads down to the beach. Blanchisseuse Beach is approximately 1.4 km long and is bounded on its eastern and western ends by steep-cliffed headlands. It is composed of light brown, medium-grained, quartz-rich sand and has a moderate to steep slope. Almost the entire...
Las Cuevas Bay
The beach at Las Cuevas is also very popular, and is reached via the North Coast Road, 7 km east of Maracas Bay. It varies in width, and is 2.2 km long. It is bounded on its eastern and western ends by prominent headlands, Las Cuevas Point to the west and Abercromby Point to the east. ‘Las Cuevas’ is the Spanish word for ‘caves’. This bay gets its name from the small caves at both ends of the bay and from notches in the low, but steep, cliffs at the eastern end of the beach. This gently sloping beach is composed of a grayish-brown fine...
Maracas Bay
There are two beaches within Maracas Bay. Although visitors mistakenly refer to the eastern end of Maracas Bay as Tyrico Bay, the actual Tyrico Bay is located further east. The western part of the bay is Maracas Beach, the most well-known beach in Trinidad. To approach Maracas Beach from the western suburbs of Port of Spain, follow the Saddle Road through Maraval and turn left at the pillars onto the North Coast Road. If approaching from the eastern suburbs of the capital, go through San Juan and take the eastern end of the Saddle Road through the Santa Cruz Valley and turn right at...
Leave Only Your Footprints on the Sand
Prepared by Ms. Nikia Gooding, Junior Research Fellow We are all too familiar with the garbage found on our shores and waterways. It is a shared experience to come across litter on beaches across Trinidad and Tobago, in fact, you could even tell the popular beaches by the presence of more litter. Some of these experiences that you may be able to relate to include: Settling on a spot of sand trying to avoid discarded pieces of packages, wrappers, styrofoam, bottles, and plastics;Building sandcastles and finding pieces of old glass bottles;Bathing in the sea and being touched by an old snack pack or seeing a plastic...
