Water quality, the environment and sharks!
Unlike in the US, Europe or Australasia, sea water quality is not regularly tested for its cleanliness in Trinidad and Tobago. Sources of sewage pollution include farms, hotels, houses and other human development. Most of the islands have no sewage treatment and it is suspected that many cess pits and small package treatment plants do not work properly.
The effects of swimming or surfing in polluted water can include diarrhoea and vomiting, eye, nose, ear and eye infections and, more seriously, Hepatitis A and polio.
Environment Tobago, an independent pressure group, has done some water testing on the north coast of the island. They found high levels of sewage pollution at some spots - enough for beaches to be closed or to fail government tests elsewhere in the world.
Having said that, the water IS cleaner than you are likely to find in more built up parts of the world because there is less development.
For more information about sewage pollution and how it affects surfers look at the UK's brilliant Surfers Against Sewage website and the US Surfrider Foundation site.
Trindad and Tobago's coastline contains some of the country's most valuable and sensitive natural habitat, including coral reefs and nesting sites for protected turtles. Surfing may be restricted during the turtle nesting season (March to August). If you see a turtle in the water leave it alone and don't drop in on it.
For lots of information about the coastline and seas around Trinidad and Tobago, visit the Institute of Marine Affairs website, especially their state of the marine environment report. They have also produced a lovely tidal calendar which includes tide times and heights for the islands - well worth TT$35.
A number of surf breaks are threatened by developments in 2000. At Las Cuevas, a large resort (over 1000 guest rooms) is planned. The developers claim that access to the beach wil lbe maintained, but are planning to 'regulate' the flow of Las cuevas river which will affect the sandbar where the nearest surf to Port of Spain is located.
Meanwhile, there is a huge port development planned at Toco which will remove teh Fishing Depot break and probably affect others in the area.
Both of these projects are supported by the Government. If you want to object, write to John Humphreys, Hon Minister of Housing and Settlements, 44-46 South Quay, Port of Spain.
Surfing is an inherently environmentally unfriendly sport. The chemicals used to make boards are highly toxic and linked with cancer. Wax, leashes, nylon (your boardshorts and rash vest) and the fuel you use to drive to the beach or fly on an overseas trip are all oil-based products - the industry which disfigures parts of Trinidad and causes global warming which is leading to sea level rise and the loss of surf spots all over the world.
You can take some simple steps to reduce your impact on the environment:
- move nearer the beach!
- share a car to the beach
- stay at home on your vacation
- recycle your board - sell or give it to someone else
- buy a secondhand board
- insist on more environmentally friendly surfboard blanks
- don't piss in the sea
- take your litter (and someone elses) home
- surf naked!
If you do surf naked, watch out for your dangly bits - these are shark infested waters. You are more likely to encounter shark in the form of bake 'n' shark (a sort of sharkburger) and no one can remember any shark attacks, although there was one rubbing itself against surfers' legs at Beach Break in April! Most of the local sharks are nurse sharks which give a nasty suck rather than nibble (on second thoughts maybe surfing butt naked IS a good idea).
