GENERAL INFO (Jump to Diary) Saint Kitts and Nevis, also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis is located in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western In 1623, the island was settled by the English, soon followed by the French; both agreeing to partition the island. A Spanish expedition sent to enforce Spanish claims, destroyed the English and French colonies and deported the settlers back to their respective countries in 1629. During the late-seventeenth century, France and England fought for control over St Kitts, then the French ceded the territory to the UK in 1713. Saint Kitts and Nevis along with Anguilla, became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. St. Kitts and Nevis achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1983. The highest peak, at 1.156 metres, is Mount Liamuiga on St. Kitts. The ![]() St. Kitts has a tropical savannah climate and Nevis has a tropical monsoon climate. There are 176 species of birds, while the mammals are only represented by a few bats - and quite some invasive animals. Here are a few reptilians like the red-bellied racer; Alsophis rufiventris, Red-Footed Tortoise; Geochelone carbonaria, Saba Least Gecko; Sphaerodactylus sabanus, Island Least Gecko; Sphaerodactylus sputator, Panther Anole; Anolis bimaculatus, Schwartz's Anole; Anolis schwartzi, St. Christopher Ameiva; Ameiva erythrocephala and Montserrat Worm Snake; Typhlops monastus. A single amphibian; Lesser Antillean Whistling Frog; Eleutherodactylus johnstonei. And a lot of marine life... Island Resources Foundation describes an impressive 36 vegetation types in A Vegetation Classification of St. Kitts and Nevis inhabitant by at least 926 species of plants.
DIARY
20.
Many of the houses along the promenade are old wooden
houses, and it seem like the older ones are no more than 10-15 square
meters. I loop back pass my central hotel, and walk towards the airport. I
pass the huge cruise ship-shopping area, and to judge from the amount of
mini-busses, something is going to happen. It actually feel like this
"artificial"
I have booked the car through Expedia (which always mean lacking information at best, bad info at most), and the only address I have is SKB; the airport. No phone number nor address. The link to "Map and directions" link to Google map; Saint Kitts. I walk all the way out to the airport, this time through an old domestically neighbourhood. Some houses are nice, some real rotten wrecks. Here are free ranging hens everywhere.
When
I get to the right office, and they would have picked me
up in the airport, if I had called. But I had no number, thanks to Expedia.
I get a sufficient used Honda City, a temporarily driving license and head
out in
It is pretty clear the foothills have been farmed for
cane until 50 years ago. Now, it is significantly fewer fields that are
cultivated, and mainly for grass. I see a single dragon-fruit-field, but
here
are not many fruit plantations.
I try to stop at the beach, but the south coast is
dominated by high cliffs.
My
first planned sight is Romney Manor, an old manor which should be
quite intact, and offer quite some activities. I'm mainly here for the view
and rainforest, not the batik and zip-line stuff. I find a little road, leading through a truly amassing rainforest with huge trees, bromeliads, lianas and all that can be expected. The river have cut itself deep down into the clay, and if it wasn't for the lack of light, it would make some awesome motives.
I end up at a pretty garden, next to the batik factory's
shop. A huge tree shadows the most of the garden, and it is overgrown with
epiphytes. I try to avoid the noisy crowds, and find another way out into
the wild. But
The road that lead up to here from the coast continues, and so do I. Pretty soon, it turn into a real rough gravel road - but it head further up the Windfield mountain - and so do I. Here are some great views up to the peak and down to the sea, across the fields. I can see a fortress on a peak, and recon it must be Brimstone Hill Fortress
Further up, I find a local farmer with some small fields
with sweet potatoes
I turn into Brimstone Hill Fortress and National
Park, and it is a steep tour up the hills. Again, my path crosses the cruise
guests, but at least,
I head further west along the coast, and stop at some of
the villages and beaches. At one of them, and old mill seems quite well
preserved in the walls, but lack the rest. I find the coast, consisting of
clay cliffs and
At
the most northern point; Dieppe Bay Town, I find another great beach,
offering some astounding views up to the peaks. It look truly awesome due to
the light, when I'm there, but the photos lack the magic.
At four, I fight the temptation to do the last bit
around, and head back the same way I came. I do a few stops, but reach Basseterre
at five. I head down to the cruise-town, figuring here
It is pass midnight before I'm done deleting pictures.
Tagging them is done in badges. Not my best work, but iI need to sleep...
I set the GPS for Black Rocks, further out west along the
northern coast, and it have a shortcut through the mountains. It is on a
gravel road, winding its way through a deep gorge,
I end out in the old cane fields on the northern side,
where a few cattle grasses. The northern road is smooth but narrow, and the
villages partly deserted and badly maintained. Only the churches seem to be
maintained.
Then the minibuses arrival, and I walk down to the cliffs
and have a look at the Black Rocks. Some volcanic rocks, formed by the sea.
It might be the lack of sun, but I'm not overwhelmed. I pass several old windmill stumps, and fight my way to one of them, through the abandon cane. A fig tree have found foothold on it, and so have another tree. Here are a few free ranging sheep, and at the end of a gravel road, I find a black pig tied up.
I
pass Dieppe Bay Town, and a good way on the other side, I turn around.
I
find a little local joint, offering a veggie-wrap. Well; frozen cauliflower,
carrots and peas are vegetables, but.... As I head on, it start to
drizzle, and when I'm home, the clouds opens wide. I start working on the
porch of the hotel, facing the
I stocked some food earlier, and don't have to walk out
in the rain, which continues during the evening. Tomorrow should be dry, and
further more; I am heading for the desert! It is time to start on Diary 2 and the south-western peninsular. |