Breezing in Barbados

 

  Swimming with sea turtles is a must do when visiting  Barbados.                Photo by Mirko Freund

“What is that?” I shout through my snorkel and freeze to observe two giant fish swimming aggressively below me.

They look like sharks getting ready to feast on the smorgasborg of snorkellers floating near our boat. A wave of panic ripples through my body.

“It’s a tarpon,” replies my guide. “Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you.”

I try to relax and enjoy the unique experience of snorkeling in the calm, clear water of Carlisle Bay near Bridgetown –  the capital of Barbados. Like many places along the tiny Caribbean island’s spectacular coast lined with silky white sand and turquoise water, the bay has an abundance of marine life living amongst reefs and a few shipwrecks.

But I’m not here to see angry looking tarpons or other creepy looking sea creatures that make me want to leap back into the boat. I’m here to snorkel with the gentle giants of the sea – turtles.

Averaging 32 to 48 inches long and weighing up to 500 pounds, green turtles are regular visitors to many locations around Barbados, along with hawksbill and leatherback turtles at certain times of the year. All marine turtles are listed as endangered species and strict conservation measures are being used to save them from extinction. This makes seeing them even more special.

It doesn’t take long before we spot our first green turtle munching on a plant on the sandy ocean floor. It’s about 20 feet below me and glides through the water like a feather. Soon, another turtle swims into sight and comes to the surface for air. Being in the water with them is magical. So is being in Barbados during the icy grip of a Canadian winter.

With temperatures around 30C, it’s easy to never leave the all-inclusive resorts, feasting on buffets, then lying around on beach chairs, drinking rum cocktails until sunset. This is part of the experience when visiting Barbados and the locals have a term for it – breezing. But after a few days of breezing, I was eager to explore what else was on the island that’s only 34 km long and 23 km wide, and home to 288,000 people.

Located on the eastern edge of the Caribbean, the lush Barbados countryside consists of rolling hills dotted with lanky palm tress, sugarcane fields, sleepy villages with chattel houses, and gullies that are home to a growing population of green monkeys.

Barbados has very little surface water, but underground is a labyrinth of freshwater streams housed in limestone caves. Formed half a million years ago, Harrison’s Cave is at least 2.3 kilometres long. A small, electrically operated tram takes people down 160 feet into the cave to view clear streams, pools, stalactites, and stalagmites that are growing by less than the thickness of a piece of paper each year.

“Does this not amaze you?” says my guide as she shines a light on a wall that looks covered in ice. “This is millions of rain drops that have come under the Earth. It excites me every time I see it.”

Above ground, a warm breeze that feels like summer wraps around me like a blanket whenever I stop to enjoy other scenic places around the island. On the wild and less populated east coast, I watch big waves rolling in from the Atlantic slam into unique rock formations scattered along Bathsheba Beach. At the higher altitude PEG Farm and Nature Reserve, I soak in sweeping views of the island before a sudden downpour sends me running to a nearby chicken coop to take cover with a group of school children visiting the farm.    

I also feel the warm breeze wafting through Hunte’s Garden, where opera music screeches through the air every morning. It took the 80-year-old creator and owner, Anthony Hunte two years to make the 2.5-acre garden that’s packed with exotic flora and fauna, which overwhelms my senses.

Located on a former sugar plantation that operated until the 1940s, Hunte has now lost count of how many plants are in the garden, but most have been imported from other tropical destinations.

“It’s all about sitting down, relaxing and chilling,” says Hunte, who was inspired to create the garden by his friends. “I started gardening with my grandma when I was four so I was passionately interested in plants. I am always happy to be in my garden.”

Before leaving Barbados, I head to the village of Oistins, which transforms into a festive atmosphere on Friday nights for the famous fish fry. It’s a sea of food stalls with chefs cooking flying fish, marlin, mahi-mahi, lobster and other exotic seafood on an open grill. Dancers entertain the large crowds feasting on huge plates of seafood and drinking rum at communal tables near the beach. It’s all part of breezing in Barbados.

Published by the Edmonton Sun, January 2023 https://edmontonsun.com/travel/international/breezing-on-the-beach-and-swimming-with-sea-turtles-in-barbados

WATCH VIDEO: Barbados: Beyond the beaches 

If you go:

The south and west coast of Barbados is where you’ll find most of the restaurants, nightlife, accommodation, and calm water for snorkeling. Located near the lively neighbourhood of St. Lawrence Gap, The Sands has spacious rooms and a nice beach for swimming. On the west coast, Mango Bay Hotel is close to shopping, restaurants and nightlife in Holetown, with great snorkeling right off the beach. For unique dining experiences, try Cocktail Kitchen or Calma Beach Club.

The picturesque village of Bathsheba on the wild east coast of Barbados.