Bequia

Bequia

Geography
Location	Caribbean
Coordinates	13°0′N 61°14′W
Administration
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Demographics
Population	about 4,300

Bequia (pronounced /ˈbek.wi/ or /ˈbek.weɪ/) is the largest island in the Grenadines. It is part of the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and is approximately 15 km from the nation's capital, Kingstown.

Geography

Admiralty Bay Bequia in 1966

The island capital is Port Elizabeth 13°00′N 61°16′W. Other villages on the island are Paget Farm, Lower Bay, La Pompe, Hamilton, Mount Pleasant and Belmont.

The total population is about 4,300, the native population being primarily a mixture of people of African, Scottish and Carib Indian descent. A substantial number of white Barbadians were also sent as settlers to Bequia in the 1860s. A number of them built homes in the Mount Pleasant area where many of their descendants still live today. The island is very small, measuring some 7 square miles (18 km²). The main population areas are Port Elizabeth and Paget Farm which host the Ferry Terminal and Airport respectively.

Other prominent areas of Bequia include Spring, site of a former coconut plantation and home to agricultural animals, Industry Bay , Lower Bay and Park Bay,The Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary is located here.

Princess Margaret, who had a home on nearby Mustique, visited Bequia and had a beach named in her honour. Princess Margaret Beach is next to Port Elizabeth and is situated inside Admiralty Bay.

Bequia means "island of the clouds" in the ancient Arawak. The island's name was also 'Becouya' as part of the Granadilles.

The islands' unofficial anthem is considered to be 'Only in Bequia,' by island native Raphael "Socony" Holder.

The island's hills are much lower than the peaks of St. Vincent, 10 miles (16 km) to the north, so they do not receive as many rain showers.

The main port Admiralty Bay, a large natural harbour, and the "town" Port Elizabeth are situated on the west coast.

Port Elizabeth Bequia in 2005

Tourism

Bequia is popular among cruising yachts, expats and vacationers. One of the busiest times of the year being the annual Easter Regatta.

Two Scuba diving stores run dive trips to twenty-eight identified dive sites around Bequia. There are several wrecks and shallow caves accessible to advanced divers. It is not unusual to see Hawksbill turtles, lobsters, moray eels and many kinds of fish when diving Bequia.

History

Map of Bequia circa 1769

As a result of the Treaty of Utrecht which bought an end to the War of Spanish Succession and established peace between the Spanish and British empires, Great Britain obtained the lucrative monopoly over the Aciento slave trade. Runaway and shipwrecked slaves inhabited the island of St. Vincent in the 17th century and according to an early account of the French Antilles, to which Bequia was considered as being part of Grenada, Bequia was too inaccessible to colonize and Caribs or Arawaks used the island for fishing and some cultivation. A few Portuguese and Dutch slave ships on route to Saint Eustatius from West Africa reportedly shipwrecked on the Grenadines reefs.

Bequia was under French control in the 18th century and during the Seven Years War with England the island was used by the fleets of their allies, the Spanish and Dutch, to take on supplies, while those of British were banned. The Treaty of Paris (1763) produced a significant re-alignment in the map of the Caribbean. St. Vincent and the Grenadine islands, including Grenada, were ceded to the Britain in exchange for Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Lucia. Petit Martinique's name derives from this era, and so does Petit Saint Vincent. In 1779 the French seized the island, despite the Treaty of Paris, but were forced to relinquish control to Britain the soon after. The early 18th century saw the development of a sugar industry and related products including molasses and rum. Other major products included coffee, indigo and arrowroot. At one point in time, the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines were the single largest producer of arrowroot starch in the world. Presently Hairoun and Vincy strong rum are major export products primarily to the European Union.

James Hamilton, father of Alexander Hamilton moved to Bequia from St. Croix, where he had raised Alexander as his son, in 1774 under a program instituted by the Britain to give land to indigent settlers. The land granted to Hamilton lies along the shore of Southeast Bay. The elder Hamilton lived in Bequia until 1790 but was never visited by his son nor did he visit Alexander in America, despite the latter's frequent gifts of money and entreaties to immigrate or at least visit him.

It is held by some historians that the famous Captain Edward Teach had his base in Bequia. The opening shot of the movie Blackbeard, Pirate of the Caribbean, made by the BBC actually displays a replica of his first ship off the coast of Bequia in the St. Vincent passage. According to local legend, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was not only Capt. Edward Teach's base, but also Sir Francis Drake's from where he planned his attacks on the Spanish admiralty in Don Blas de Lezo's Cartagena. John Hawkins It is also thought that Henry Morgan may also have anchored in Admiralty Bay as it was also at that time the safest natural harbour in the Eastern Caribbean in which to seek refuge from hurricanes. Also of interest is the fact that Bequia was used as a repair facility for ships. Besides Nelson's Dockyard on Antigua and the carlyle in Bridgetown, Barbados, there were no docks or shipyards in the area. Wooden shipbuilding and shiprepair on Bequia was possible due to the presence of Cedar trees on the island and emphasizes the natural bond with the sea and international trade as a whole.

Whaling

Bequia is one of the few places in the world where limited whaling is still allowed by the International Whaling Commission. Natives of Bequia are allowed to catch up to 4 Humpback Whales per year using only traditional hunting methods of hand thrown harpoons in small open sailing boats. Though they rarely catch their limit and some years do not catch any.

A feature of the Port Elizabeth waterfront is the Whale Boner Bar & Restaurant. This bar has an entrance onto the beach consisting of an arch of two whale ribs as well as whale vertebrae mounted on the bar seats and a whale rib running the length of the bar.

Bequia has a long tradition of whaling as well as the building of whaling boats. There is a small whaling museum on the island which chronicles this history.

Transportation

Air

Erected in 1992, the James F. Mitchell international airport for small planes is located near Paget Farm. With a runway length capacity of 0.70 mi or 3696 feet, Bequia can be reached by plane with daily connections from Kingstown, Bridgetown and other surrounding islands.

Sea

By regular time scheduled ferries from the main island of Saint Vincent. There are three ferries operational between the capital Kingstown and Port Elizabeth.

The other islands in the Grenadines can be reached by the last operational schooner in the Caribbean, the antique original Bequia build 'SS Friendship Rose', with its base at Port Elizabeth. The 'Friendship Rose' is often used by the local Bequia football (soccer) teams to sail to the other islands for their competitions. Picnics on board are renowned locally and day/overnight charters are still conducted with her.

More ideal for hitchhikers, backpackers and travelers is the Grenadines mail boat that enters Port Elizabeth on an irregular basis. Boarding is sometimes a bit of a hassle as the vessel remains in deeper waters whilst the passengers must jump on/off board using a small craft to land on the beach. Nevertheless it is a must see and do experience for those looking for real adventure.

An international inter-island ferry service (operated by the Windward Lines) passes Bequia also on a regular basis. This ferry carries besides local freight also local passengers from Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, via Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia and other islands in the Eastern Caribbean to Port Elizabeth. Very friendly service and excellent local restaurant is on board.

A convenient and enjoyable way to travel to Bequia is by local ferry departing daily from the main port in Kingstown, St. Vincent to Port Elizabeth in Bequia. The ferry pier is located 15 minutes away from E.T Joshua Airport and is served by two companies, Bequia Express and Admiralty Transport. Bequia Express is a family owned ferry that is 148 feet (45 m) long with a cargo space measuring 148 x 30 feet (9.1 m) of which 100 x 30 feet (9.1 m) is sheltered with a 14-foot (4.3 m) ceiling. The approximate capacity of the ship is 28 cars or 10 - 20’ containers and is licensed for 400 passengers. The Admiral II is a similarly sized vessel with a capacity for 250 passengers. Travelers on the Admiral II have a choice between air-conditioned indoor seating or covered outdoor seating. The passage between Kingstown and Port Elizabeth is an enjoyable nine mile (14 km) trip that takes about one hour.

Communications

There are various communication systems on the island. Regular telephone and fax lines, a mobile network and internet access are available. The old telex system is still operational. Furthermore Bequia has its own heavy duty long range shortwave (SW) radio antenna. Many inhabitants use the Marine VHF radio communications system locally.

Publications

For a tiny island, Bequia has a big publications industry. Various publishers, editors and writers are operational on the island. Local painters and graphic designers can also be found here.

External links

• Bequia Information
• Bequia Tourism Association