The Beauty of Nature !!!

Tobago was once joined to the South American mainland, and has inherited a continental legacy of plants, birds, insects, mammals and topography. Tobago is the smaller, relatively northeasterly island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, with a surface area of about 316 km2. The Main Ridge is literally the backbone of the island, gutting lengthways across two thirds of Tobago's surface. It encompasses 3958 hectares (9780 acres) of tropical rainforest.

This area receives the greatest amount of rainfall, the greatest exposure to wind and the lowest temperatures, making it an evergreen forest. The lowland rainforest is characterized by copious growth and is said to be the most prolific of all forest types, occurring here to a maximum of 366 metres. Its small size, 21 miles long and seven miles wide, offers easy access to tropical rain forests, idyllic white sand beaches, waterfalls and lagoons. For centuries, Tobago’s unique worth has been appreciated and protected, on both land and sea. Tobago’s central mountain range, the Main Ridge (rising to 876m/1,890ft), encompasses the oldest protected rainforest in the western hemisphere, which became a reserve in 1764.

The Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve is on record as the oldest legally protected forest reserve geared specifically towards a conservation purpose. It was established on April 13th, 1776 by an ordinance which states in part, that the reserve is "for the purpose of attracting frequent showers of rain upon which the fertility of lands in these climates doth entirely depend." The passage of the ordinance is attributed to Soame Jenyns, a member of the British parliament whose main responsibilities were trade and plantation. He was influenced by the ideas of the English scientist Stephen Hales who was able to show the correlation between trees and rainfall. It took Jenyns eleven years to convince the parliament that this was indeed a valid endeavour. Scientific American has commented "...that the protection of Tobago's forest was the first act in the modern environmental movement". This can be considered a landmark in the history of conservation and preservation of the environment. The living testimony is the survival of the Forest Reserve itself.

The Main Ridge Forest Reserve is home to a number of flora and fauna; it is estimated that the rainforest provides habitats for 12-16 species of mammals out of the nearly 90 mammal species in the Caribbean region, 24 non-poisonous snakes, 16 lizards and 210 species of birds, the most outstanding being the bird species Campylopterus ensipennis - the White-tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird - that is both rare and endemic to Tobago. After the 1963 hurricane Flora, many of the flora and fauna populations dwindled or disappeared. The Sabrewing Hummingbird is one of the species that has been recovering since the incident. The bird was declared an Environmentally Sensitive Species by Trinidad and Tobago's Environment Management Authority in 2005. The ridge is also home to the ocellated gecko, an animal that is not found anywhere else in the world.

Another unique feature of about the fauna of Tobago is that although Tobago is an island, the fauna are continental in origin, since Tobago was once joined to the South American continent some one million years ago. Considerable endemism has resulted; for example, 31% of the birds that nest on Tobago are endemics. Support of this unique biodiversity and exceptionally diverse ecosystem is of great value to humanity. In addition, it protects against soil erosion, it encourages rainfall and provides significant carbon sinks.

Also, the Main Ridge Forest Reserve was also voted the "World's Leading Eco-Tourism destination" by the World Travel Awards in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, thereby illustrating that it has intrinsic ecological value that tourists from all over the world seek and that it has enough of a management system in place to foster sustainable development in the global eco-tourism sector.

For the Love of Chocolate !!!

In the earlier half of this century, Tobago made significant contributions to Trinidad and Tobago's production of world-famous fine flavor cocoa, a worldwide-accepted benchmark in the global cocoa industry. Cocoa was one of the major crops grown throughout Tobago and many of the larger plantations, such as the Roxborough, Richmond and Goldsborough Estates - all over 100 acres and more in size.

On these larger estates in Tobago - many of them now acquired by the Tobago House of Assembly - there is still tangible evidence of past involvement in cocoa production. Estates at King's Bay, Louis D`or, Richmond, and Roxborough, to name a few, still have old cocoa houses, and in some cases, these houses - with little renovation - are still in use. In the fields, there are still hundreds of trees, even though they are showing signs of decades of neglect. There are about 45 cocoa farmers with farms ranging from two- (0,2) hectares; and there is only one functioning privately owned cocoa estate of approximately 80 hectares.

A cocoa farmer then was considered a person of status in his community. The village elders of today can recall the lifestyle and operations of the cocoa farmer in the prime years of their life. The cocoa farmer then was a dedicated full-time farmer who spent long hours on his holding. As a result of such interest, the cocoa farms were well established. They were relatively free of pest and the yields and financial returns were very much in keeping with the efforts put into operation. Cocoa provided the farmer and his family with a comfortable standard of living.

This single estate chocolate has been the dream of Duane Dove since he acquired an old and redundant cocoa plantation on Tobago in 2004. After five years of careful planning and preparation, the first bar of chocolate went on sale at the end of 2009. It has been made with the collaboration of French chocolatier François Pralus, who specializes in small-batch artisan fine chocolate. Although manufactured abroad, it is the first single-estate chocolate made entirely from Tobago cocoa beans by a Tobagonian. Launched in the Caribbean in January 2010. 

So take the time out and come visit our thriving cocoa plantation in Tobago, viewing its pods and dried beans from which one of the world’s finest dark chocolate is made. Have your life sweetened with Tobago’s own dark and lovely chocolate and then have a swim in the majestic Argyle Falls. Drive through the village and admire the ruins of some of the small cocoa processing factories and feast your mind with the richness of what Tobago has to offer.

Blast from the past !!

Fort Granby was the first British fortification on the island of Tobago and is the island’s second oldest fort. It was built around 1765 to protect the first capital, Georgetown (which was short-lived). It was named after a British hero of the Seven Year War, and the British held a sizable Post of Arms there. The gravestone of a British soldier, James Clark, who died in 1772 lies on the grounds. A French map of the fort dating from 1784 (Nardin, 1969, plate v) identifies three buildings and show that the fort had three canons at the time, however they have reportedly been moved to another location.

 On Sunday 13th April, 1766, a church service was performed for the first time at Fort Granby; officiated by a subaltern officer, it involved the reading of a sermon of Tolloston. The French took over the fort from 1781 to 1787, during their occupation of Tobago, after which it was abandoned. The fort lies on a headland with covered gazebos that look over either side into the Barbados and Pinfold Bays. 

The grounds have become a labyrinth of interwoven trees creating a natural canopy and is furnished with modern facilities including a play park. A walk through the grounds is punctuated by an eerie silence, broken only by the whistling of a bird. On your trip up the South-East Coast of Tobago along the Windward Road, stop at the picturesque Fort Granby for a picnic or photo-op! The well-kept grounds and winding trees make for a fun adventure. 

Adventure Time!!!

Hey guys!!! Fun fact: Did you know the film Swiss Robinson Family- It was filmed in Tobago back in the early 60’s. The short film showcased various parts of the beautiful island of Tobago.

“Every kid has had dreams of living in a tree house,” said Walt Disney, “and the Swiss Family Robinson Tree house probably tops those dreams”

Swiss Family Robinson is an American Adventure film, a tale of a shipwrecked family building an island home, loosely based on the 1812 novel Der Schweizerische Robinson (translated as, The Swiss Robinson) by Johann David Wyss. The film was directed by Ken Annakin and shot in Tobago and Pinewood Studios outside London.

The wonderful tree house built by the shipwrecked Robinsons in the 1960 movie. Richmond Bay was featured prominently as the Robinsons beach (Richmond Island can often be seen in the background), while Mount Irvine Bay was used for the scene where the boys rescue Bertie from the pirates. The vine-swinging/waterfall scenes were filmed at the Craig Hall Waterfalls.  

The tree house was constructed in a 200-foot tall Saman tree in the Goldsborough Bay area. After filming, the local Tobagonians convinced Disney, who had intended to remove all evidence of filmmaking, to let the tree house remain. The tree house was listed for sale for $9,000, a fraction of its original cost, and later became a popular attraction among locals and tourists, however after hurricane Flora in September 1963, the structure was slightly damaged. However, the tree still remains.

So often, we let life and our history pass us by, with technology taking control of the minds of the younger generations,  gone are the days where kids loved to be outdoors and climb the fruit trees and pretend it was a fortress. I say “Bring Back the Old Time Days”. Come and lets rediscover the past and all the rich stories that a hidden there. 

Hidden Gems !!

Tobago's fascinating history is reflected in the island's rich and diverse heritage and culture. It changed hands more times than any other Caribbean island, with the English, French, Dutch and even Courlanders (Latvians) fighting for control.Now it's time for you to discover Tobago for yourselves.

On the leeward coast of Tobago, if you look carefully, you will find Batteaux Bay – a picturesque secluded beach which despite its lack of popularity among beach-goers is arguably Tobago’s most beautiful beach destination. Counted among the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean by many travel magazines and websites, this beach is indeed a diamond. The destination is ideal for swimming, snorkeling and camping. Chairs, umbrellas and snorkeling equipment can be rented. Accessible through a lovely drive through the paved streets of the Blue Waters Inn Hotel. 46 acres of lush tropical grounds backing charming Batteaux Bay, the Blue Waters Inn boasts one of the most beautiful locations on Tobago. Get the best of both worlds with the perfect hideaway, the hotel offers Tobago's finest hiking and bird-watching. Be awakened by a symphony of birds celebrating the birth of a new day.

Curious Manta Rays, richly overgrown coral reefs, hordes of friendly fish and highly impressive drift dives - Aquamarine Dive Limited, the on-site dive operation, offers easy access to Tobago's most unique dive adventures, with our finest sites only minutes from your doorstep.

Before you get to the beautiful Batteaux Bay, take in the rich scenic ruins of the one of the old sugar mill. The water wheel used to power the mill was erected in the late 18th or 19th century. The water wheels and related machinery were used to grind sugar and were fabricated in Scotland. With the collapse of the sugar industry in 1887, this and other mills became obsolete. It now stands as a reminder of the rich historical culture of Tobago's past.

Speyside is also the home to TripAdvisor's well known Jemma's Tree House. Stop by on the way and enjoy the local cuisine with a twist. Enjoy your meal in a carefully built restaurant in the trees over looking the beach, also giving you a clear view of the quaint island of Little Tobago. 

A Glimpse of the Horizon

"A sunset is the sun’s fiery kiss to the night" 

Sunsets are so beautiful that they almost seem as if we were looking through the gates of Heaven.  

Mystery lies in the grains of sand

As they are washed upon the shore,

Life’s hourglass has turned the page

And the sun goes down once more.

I count the waves with Father Time

As we swap stories in the night,

We talk about the things to come

While looking for the morning light.

My mind went drifting off into space

When the moon told me his sorrow,

He sees the pain around the world

And prays we see tomorrow.

I saw a glimpse of Mother Nature

As a sea turtle surfed the tide,

Her soul was there to remind me

That life is a wonderful ride.

The eastern sky is about to break

And the horizon looks like gold,

So much power in the sunrise

Pure beauty waiting to unfold.

Whether your hopeless romantic like me, that lives for those special moments filled with beach blankets, a picnic basket filled with goodies and bottle of wine, or a artist looking for the best masterpiece to paint. This spot is the ideal place to take in the view of the horizon. A man made wall created to break the power of the waves, creates a gently filling pool deep enough to submerge yourself yet shallow enough for a toddler. This salt water pool is located in the quaint village of Black Rock.

Directions:

1. First Traffic light after the Lowlands Mall. Turn right unto Shirvan road.

2. Continue until you approach the Buccoo traffic lights

3. After passing the light continue on the main road, until you pass the scenic view of Old Grange Beach, followed by the Mt Irvine beach, continue until you pass the little village of Pleasant Prospect.

4. Once you are in the Black-rock village, drive past the Black Rock Community Center and Hard Court on the right of the first street on the left (New Road)

5. Turn left into New Road and continue until you come to the end of the street.

The "ART" of Things !!!

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see”- Edgar Degas

I found myself in a valley in Tobago, looking around to see if anyone from England, U.S.A. or Germany could see me, rested on a tall cedar tree against a cluster of breadfruit trees and began to carve 'Banana Lady' and that was when I first got inspired. The diminutive and eccentric German-born sculptress Luise Kimme fell in love with the form of Tobagonians and devoted her life to capturing them in her sculptures. 

Her pieces can exceed 12 feet in height and are often wonderfully whimsical. Much of her work is done in wood (none of it local), but there are many bronze pieces as well. Ms. Kimme passed away in 2013, but her work remains on permanent display at her former home. The museum itself is a turreted structure with a commanding view of the countryside. Most locals refer to it as "the Castle", overlooking Mt Irvine Golf Course. 

Her work was inspirational to many artists around the world. Tobago is a jewel of among the Caribbean Sea, not only does the island have the charm of its pristine beaches, there are many other hidden wonders on the island.

Directions to the museum:

1.      Turn off Shirvan Road toward the Mt. Irvine Hotel.

2.      Go pass the Hotel and proceed to drive up the hill, and turn into the 2nd corner on the right.

3.      Kimme Drive lies directly above and runs parallel to it.

4.      To reach Kimme Drive you keep going past Pine Hurst Drive, up the hill, keep strictly to the right, even when a little diversion appears on top of the hill, stick to the right and immediately there will appear a sharp turn to the right, facing down to the ocean, it is called Aurora Ave.

5.      By now you will see Kimme Drive, turn left. At the end of the short road is the Kimme Museum. See you there.

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