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Barbados Beaches: Tidepools Carved by Man and Nature
Barbados Tidepools: Carved by Man and Nature
Inshore reefs and tidal pools, like the one in the photo on the right at Hastings, are important fishing grounds for the men who cast nets, set fish traps and spear fish to feed their families.
The pool in this picture was a natural formation of coral around a shallow opening. It was cleared by hand over many years by local residents who wanted to create a better swimming spot. Whole families of adults and children spent happy hours moving rocks to clear the pathway and the pool. Today the government protects the natural shoreline and clearing of pools such as this now requires approval from the Coastal Zone Unit.
The pool and its surrounding coral support hundreds of fish and plant species. Mostly they are small grunts, squirrel and angel fish. Occasionally the larger deep water species like the kingfish will come in to feed and eat an angel or two. Nature's interventions such as this keep the angels on their toes.
The soft brown shaded area on the side of the picture are beds of sea grass growing under the water. The sea grass growing here is three to six inches long, and about a quarter of an inch wide. The individual strands look just like savanna grass but they do not cluster as closely. Sea grass is an important part of the ecological chain providing food and shelter to many species and protecting the ocean floor from erosion, with a mess of fine fibrous roots that hold the sand in place against the shifting tides.
With the creation of the south coast boardwalk, several more tide pools have emerged.
To discover more about Barbados' natural phenomena, take an island tour.