Wild Tobago

There’s plenty to see just below the shoreline of most Tobago beaches. Anjani Ganase offers over and under water views from the Easter weekend at Charlotteville on the northeast of the island. Charlotteville is a favourite one stop shop for a weekend away. Slip into an easy village vibe. Then get to the beaches - so many little sandy coves - within the Man-o-War Bay. Go for a snorkel just offshore, or dive deeper. These sheltered beauties feel untouched and are not crowded. Man-o-War Bay is the largest deep water harbour for the island; and spans about five squared-kilometres. Rural and laid-back Charlotteville presents the iconic Caribbean island vibe, a contrast to the built up coastlines of southwest Tobago.   Rest House Reef, above and below the water, at Man-o-War Bay. Photo by Anjani Ganase Charlotteville Beach The main beach on Man-o-War Bay extends about one kilometre in length and is the focal point of a mainly fishing community. A walk along the beach is the typi...

Dr Anjani Ganase checks the health of beaches around Tobago. We are fortunate, she believes, that significant areas of the edge between land and sea remain undisturbed. But we also need to be mindful of how buildings and other structures can alter beach habitats. (All photos courtesy Anjani Ganase) Beaches are areas of dynamic interaction between the ocean and the land. Ocean current, wind and waves erode rock and coral skeletons to produce sand that washes ashore. Not all beaches are sandy. Sometimes, beaches are pebbly or composed of coral rubble. We can tell a lot about our beaches and their surroundings from the sand. The colour of the particles and the sizes tell us about the marine habitats as well as the type of rock our islands are made from. Black sand beaches are formed from the erosion of volcanic rock, while white sand beaches come from the breakdown of corals, but there are green and pink sand beaches as well. Beaches are important unique ecosystems with a lot...