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Published: March 16th 2013
Tobago sports the oldest protected rainforest in the western hemisphere dating way back to the mid-1700s when the forest was protected as the watershed for plantations. Almost all Tobago’s fresh water comes from this rainforest. Newton George was the lead in protecting the rainforest for decades. Now he is known, not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but internationally as the islands’ pre-eminent nature guide.
He picked us up early this morning and drove us to the rainforest where he led us on hikes for hours.
He caught and showed us a beautiful black and red coral snake. I always thought all coral snakes were venomous, but not this species. "The colours were cool and it was cool that it wasn't a bird after seeing so many birds", said Marika.
Imagine carrying something as long as a telephone pole – well everywhere we went in the rainforest were “highways” of leafcutter ants, some carrying leaves and flower petals ten times longer than the ant. We also saw a trapdoor spider nest. They build a trap door that looks just like the earth around it, but when prey comes near the door pops open, the spider lunges out and dinner
is served. Creepy and cool at the same time.
We were very lucky to see male Blue-backed Manakin birds ‘dance’. They are small dark birds with a bright red crown on their heads and lovely blue backs. To compete for a female they hop up and down and over each other. So amazing!! "I liked the way the male competed by jumping up and down making abnormal sounds", said Will.
We also saw so many birds like Venezuela Flycatcher and White-tailed Sabrewing hummingbirds.
Chillin' in hammocks, hanging out here and there iin the small fishing village, running from waves on the beach ("They are really big waves and I like that if you go in too far that you'll lose the game because if you get touched by the water you lose but you want to get as close as you can", says Marika), sipping wine and watching the sun set over the ocean to the sound of gulls and crashing waves. A real timelessness has set in... About the villlage... "It has a very relaxed pace which I like", said Will. Today we bought fresh, and I mean really fresh papayas and pineapple from Bingi the
Fruit King. "Bingi's is a fun tiny store that I wish Canada had more of", says Marika.
We saw local fishers come in carrying almost and a half meter long mahi-mahi (dolphin fish) and Wahu Kingfish. Maybe we’ll taste them at one of the village small restaurants this eve.
On the way to dinner we saw a toad as big as Little Tobago Island. Then the host used his flashlight to show us all of the Blue-Gray Tanagers roosting in the dark in one tree looking like blue Christmas ornaments.
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Kathie Steinhoff
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Gorgeous sunset. Arguably better than Hawaii.