For ages now my neighbour has been inviting me to visit her beach house, but it always seemed as if it was a busy time for me and it was never possible....until.....last Sunday.
Though it was a cloudy day, it was perfect for me, and so we headed out with our neighbourhood friend Amelia, who was visiting for a few weeks. Amelia was once our in-between neighbour when she lived here on the island, and we always enjoy sharing her company whenever she is visiting.
With my neighbour driving, we gals set off to the east coast to the quaint little fishing village of Bathsheba located in the parish of St. Joseph.
Bathsheba's coastline is made up of dramatic rock formations against which the Atlantic rollers break in cascades of foam.
The iconic mushroom-shaped Bathsheba Rock
One would think that these scattered rock formations along the shore are huge boulders washed up to shore but they were actually formed when they broke away from an
ancient coral reef thousands of years ago.
Scattered along the shore like that they looked like a giant game of Bocce.
Bathsheba is approximately fourteen (14) miles from our capital city Bridgetown and is a renowned landmark on our east coast.
The east coast is rugged and breathtakingly beautiful with waves crashing to shore in heavy heaves.
According to legend, Bathsheba, the wife of King David bathed in milk to keep her skin soft and beautiful. The surf covered white waters are said to resemble Bathsheba's bath in appearance and therefore this small village was named Bathsheba.
This is where many Barbadians spend their weekends and vacations, with many owning holiday homes or what we call bay houses. This is where they come to escape the stress of life, to recuperate, to rest, to breathe fresh wholesome air, clean and cleansing from its voyage over thousands of miles of open sea, wild, raw and invigorating, just what the doctor ordered for good health.
The Soup Bowl
World Class surfing
For the surfers, Bathsheba is known as the "Soup Bowl" and several local and international competitions like the International Pro Surfing Classic take place here.
Barbados sits apart in the Atlantic Ocean from the rest of the Caribbean islands, and thus is the first landfall for the ferocious wind blown waves that cross nearly three thousand miles in the open Atlantic with nothing in the way to stop them, before they break here at Bathsheba...one of Barbados's, or dare I say one of the Caribbean's best surfing locations.
The surfers love the Soup Bowl with its natural exhilarating big and powerful breakers that smash on to the shore. The powerful surf conditions at the Soup Bowl is a right point surf break with a reef break and a coral bottom featuring approx. 100m length rides and waves sometimes over 30ft.
Several times a year, this quaint little fishing village becomes a hive of activity when the surf contests are held.
Check out the events calendar for Surfing activities in Barbados.
For Soup Bowl LIVE HD Camera & Surf Report click here!
Experienced surfers hoping to visit the Soup Bowl in Barbados to
experience the powerful waves can get up-to-date surf reports at http://www.yosurfer.com/.
Okay enough about the Soup bowl and surfing, let's get back to why we are here in the first place.
As we drove into the driveway there was a street character with a tame monkey sitting on his lap....I figured I would have time later to take his photo but he disappeared for the rest of the day....I know, I know, I should have grabbed the opportunity there and then, and now I'm cussing myself.
It was a luncheon treat for Amelia, and she enjoyed the many tasty delights that we had prepared for her.
We sat on the breezy patio and enjoyed a lovely lunch....above is the delicious salmon salad entree.
My full plate of rice and peas, macaroni pie, scalloped potatoes, baked chicken with stuffing and a fresh tossed salad....yum yum.
After lunch I took a walk around the village to catch a few photos.
On the inland side are cute little chattel houses.....
....nestled on the hillside
There are also several Guest houses and beach houses where locals and tourists frequent.
St. Aidan's Church
I didn't see any crabs that day, but I saw lots of crab holes along the grassy areas by the shore.
Literally everywhere on the beach was strewn with the dreaded sargassum seaweed.
The coconut tree branches are swept by the fierce winds and most are permanently facing inland.
Due to the ferocious Atlantic waves, swimming at Bathsheba is not advisable since there are rip tides and undertows that make it dangerous along this part of the coast.
Instead one can relax and soak in one of the inshore pools surrounded by boulders. These pools are Barbados' answer to a hot tub....slip in and unwind for a while, breathe the clean Atlantic air, sip a drink or two or three.
These pools I've been told host the most awesome rum punch parties....what an unique experience.
'There's naught, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion' - Lord Byron
This scene with the decayed house on the boulder was actually used in one of the episodes of The Bold and The Beautiful when the show visited the island several years ago.
Bathsheba is a favourite stop for bus excursions.
Our local transport buses were running like clockwork every hour.
Tourists were also sightseeing through the town.
In the background is Dina's Bar & Restaurant.
There is also a hiking trail that follows the old train line which ran through the village from 1881- 1937.
All too soon it was time to leave, and as we packed up the car to head for home, I had a last look around....vowing to myself that I would be back soon.
Read More About Bathsheba lifestyles.
