Return to Trinidad – Bush Walks, Hummingbirds and Cycling Mishaps

We returned to the Caribbean from New Zealand in mid-January. After packing up the house in Auckland we were exhausted. Then we arrive in Trinidad to unpack our other house – the yacht. Starting tired meant it was several days trying to catch up on sleep. We decided that we needed to see more of Trinidad, before we departed the country.

West Palm Hotel

Funnily enough, this hotel had not changed. There were just more people staying there and hence and slower breakfast service, and worse internet. The staff have no idea how to run a hotel or provide customer service. In typical Trinny fashion there is lots of paperwork but no action. There had not been much rain so the pool level was down and no attempt was made to refil it. Since the hotel was just over the fence from the yard we coiuyld easily watch the yacht and workers. Starting at 8 am usually meant they started at about 10 and finished at about 4 pm.

Peakes Yard

Luckily he did not hit his head but had grazed both shoulders, hip, and elbow. The road got washed down, clothes went in the bin, and Hew got scrubbed off at the hotel and the bike went to the bike mender!! USD 300 to paint the road. Needless to say, after that he needed the weekend off – totally.

The work was going fairly well but Hew was exhausted and feeling ill for several days. Then on Friday he had to go and get more antifouling paint as therewas notenough to finish the job. He was cycling back and thought he had slowed enough for the speed bump in the yard – but not so. Over he went, put the brakes on a bit late, bounced, the handle of the paint tin came off, he jammed on the brakes and they locked, the paint tin hit the road and went everywhere and Hew went over the handlebars and landed in the paint.

While Hew was working in the yard I had made a couple of trips to the supermarkets to stock up the yacht. New Zealanders think NZ is expensive but the price of food here is very high e.g. TTs(Trinidad Dollars) -Apricots NZD3.10 each, 12 Cherries NZD1.06 each. Needless to say we didn’t buy any of these!

Bamboo Cathedral, A Satellite station and A Beach

The next Monday I went with another cruising couple on the Bamboo Cathedral Walk which is a very popular local track for exercise and is only about 15 minutes from the boatyard. The bamboo is huge and follows the track most of the way up to the top of the track. The track was a road so is paved all the way but it does need some serious maintenance both the 3m pothole below and near the top where it is being eaten out by water damage.

At the top is an old US satellite station suitable for a Bond movie that has fallen into disrepair along with the administration building that was below it. The graffiti – or local art – is always interesting in these old ruins but I enjoyed these.

When walking back down the track you can go back to the same entrance or down a side track to Macqueripe Beach. This beach has a retaining wall right around it which is sad but a good place to leave your gear while swimming.

Yerettê House – Humming Birds

On Monday Veronic, Marck, and I set off to go and see some hummingbirds at Yerettê Hosue. https://www.yerettett.com/ We learned a lot not only about the hummingbirds but also about the owner’s philosophy on life. He has worked all around the world and then settled back in Trinidad.

There are 14 species of hummingbirds seen there, of the 17 in Trinidad. They have numerous feeders around the house and also many nectar-producing plants. It is fascinating to watch these tiny birds hover while they feed, and also how territorial they are. I could have spent all day just watching them. The history of the birds, what they mean to the Amerindians, their exploitation by different generations, of invaders, and their whole biology would require many more pages. Here are a few short notes.

Hummingbird Facts

Hummingbirds flutter their wings at a remarkable 50-80 times per second! They do not flap their wings, they rotate them in a figure 8, which enables them to hover and fly backward and upside down. The heart rate of a hummingbird can reach up to 1,200 beats per minute during flight, and it can drop significantly during periods of rest to conserve energy. They have extremely high metabolism rates and need to consume large amounts of food, mainly nectar, to fuel their energy-intensive lifestyle. Some species feed on insects and spiders for additional protein, especially during the breeding season. They can enter a state of torpor during the night or when food is scarce, reducing their metabolic rate to conserve energy. This allows them to survive periods without food. Hummingbirds display iridescent colors on their plumage, which are the result of microscopic platelets in the feathers that refract light. These vibrant colors can change depending on the angle of the light. Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds, with many species measuring 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 13 cm) in length.

I took dozens of pictures, but I needed a larger lens, a tripod, and much more time. They are so fast. In the pictures below you can see several of the different kinds that were in the garden and photos of how they can hover in one place horizontally or vertically. they can also fly upside down.

For those who are interested I have also made a video of the visit which incorporates video and photo footage https://youtu.be/aFhK-hxYMgs

While all this was happening progress on the boat is going well and we are on schedule to be back in the water 10 days after getting back. More on our adventures in the next blog: https://kiwiflyingfish.com/2024/02/party-time-at-trinidad-carnival/