Friday, February 22, 2008

Tobago Cays

This place has been on my travel hit list for years so it was naturally my most anticipated stop. Now officially called the Tobago Cays Marine Park ($10 EC per person, per day fee towards maintaining and protecting the park) these five tiny uninhabited islands are surrounded by the appropriately named Horseshoe Reef. These coconut palm studded and white sand rimmed islands are surrounded by water and reef in breathtaking shades of blue and green. Whether looking at or from the islands, the views are spectacular.

I could not get my snorkeling gear on fast enough…Mask defogged, flippers on and camera in hand, I spent most of our stay in the water. Unfortunately hurricanes Ivan and Emily caused considerable damage to Horseshoe Reef so although it is in recovery, I was disappointed by the reef’s condition and underwater plant life. It was also very windy during our visit so we experienced reduced visibility and turbulence while snorkeling.

We had intended to stay longer but due to the strong winds, crowds of boats, disappointing snorkeling and with more Grenadines to explore, we decided to make our way to Union Island, only about 5nm away.

Additional Caribbean photos can be viewed at Flickr.com.

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