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While living in Tobago, I spent several months helping my
friend Clinton Wiltshire, "Baj", build a 43 foot
wooden fishing boat just behind the beach at Pigeon Point,
Tobago. Tobago is the site of the Walt Disney film, Swiss
Family Robinson, and Pigeon Point is one of the more beautiful
beaches. Tobago is also attributed to be the island that Daniel
Defoe immortalized in Treasure Isle with the characters
Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday.
Clinton gets his nickname "Baj" from the slang
name for people from Barbados, Bajans. Baj is one of the most
resourceful people that I have had the fortune to meet. Building
a wooden commercial fishing boat from "scratch"
was a unique experience in today's modern world.
My daily commute to the boat construction site-voted the
Caribbean's most beautiful beach seven years in a row was
nothing like my earlier commutes across town in Baton Rouge
in bumper to bumper traffic on Interstate 10/110, or on the
icy highways through the mountains of western Massachusetts.
I would get up early (Caribbean Time), get dressed and head
out walking on the Windward Road which snakes its way
through the hills down the coastline. It is approximately
one mile to the town of Scarborough where I would catch a
bus down the island.
Along the way, I would usually pass a crew of men working
for the "works department" of the local government.
These guys really did get up early (5 am) so that they could
get done well before the tropical sun would heat things up.
Since everyone pretty much knows everyone else in Tobago,
you frequently stop to talk to your friends along the way,
since it is more important in Tobago to have good manners
than to arrive at "work" on time...what a concept!
One of the first neighbours that I pass is Mr. Arnasalam.
He is retired master sergeant from the Trinidad and Tobago
(T&T) Army. He had served his country from World War II
until the early 1970's, after which he retired to his family
land here on the Atlantic coast of Tobago on what use to be
land of the old Bacolet Plantation for which his father
use to be the overseer. Mr. Arnasalam is of east Indian decent.
T&T has a mix of cultures in a small area that a person
can experience. Mr. Arnasalam and his wife, Josephine, would
be offended if we passed a November in Tobago without stopping
by their house on Davalli (the Hindu festival of lights) to
sample the traditional delicacies.
Around the corner from the Arnasalam's is the home of Mrs.
Roberts. The Roberts family is a large family in Tobago and
Mrs. Roberts is surely one of the best. Mrs. Roberts is "Granny"
to this portion of Tobago. She runs a small local grocery
shop to make a little money on the side and to keep busy.
If she ever called in the debts of this shop the government
might have a crisis. Like everyone else, my wife and I were
adopted by Mrs. Roberts. She was always a good source for
advice about the local situation. You see foreigners don't
generally understand what the local customs and values are
in a place and having a Granny to give guidance can keep you
from offending a lot of people. Both Mrs. Roberts and Mr.
Arnasalam run small guest houses in apartments on their land.
An inexpensive way to experience a "long stay" in
Tobago.
The Blue Haven Resort is where the Queen of England
stayed when she visited Tobago back before the independence.
The Resort now derelict after being destroyed by a hurricane
was suppose to have been very luxurious in its day. The beach
is on the inside of a little cove. Behind the beach there
use to be a botanical garden that is now over grown but still
some beautiful flowering trees are there and at the edge of
the beach are coconut palms and almond trees. The almond trees
provide a nice shady spot to get out of the tropical sun while
still being at the beach. Our friend, David McEwen (Davo),
is the care taker of the 16 acres of the Blue Haven resort.
Davo doesn't have much formal education but he has a knowledge
of the local wild life and environment that many a naturalist
and biologist would surely envy. Davo is somewhat of a "Bushman"
but although not from an affluent family certainly has better
manners than I. He and his wife, Debbie, frequently invite
tourists into their home to sample the local dishes. This
is a much more authentic experience of local cuisine than
a tourist can experience at the normal restaurants.
On down the road you pass Mrs. Bobb's guest house, Seaview.
Like the name, Seaview, implies you get a nice view of the
sea (Atlantic Ocean) from her guest house. Across the ocean
on a clear day you can see the northwest coast of Trinidad
and at night the Toco lighthouse. There is a good amount of
international shipping that passes between Trinidad and Tobago
that can be watched from convenient places along this coast.
Every night the ferry from Trinidad passes past the Seaview
guest house to dock at the port in Scarborough, occasionally,
a large cruise ship will dock in the harbour and disgorge
passengers into the local economy.
Further down Windward road, I pass Sandy Hall, a
division of the local government. Our friend Goslyn P. Loranie
,"Goose", works here counting things for the government.
Goose has a booming Shakespearian voice right out of some
traveling minstrel show. If there is a "James Earl Jones"
voice of Tobago it is Goose for sure.
Next, I pass the St. Joseph's Catholic Church. While it
is the main Catholic church on the island it also has one
of the best populations of chickens or "yardies"
in the island. Anywhere else on the island this chicken population
would be subject to contributing to various family gatherings
and cook outs. But here it seems that there is enough local
superstition to protect the chickens which live in the graveyard
surrounding part of the church. Few have the fortitude to
take one from the dead.
Just before reaching the bus station I pass the T&T
central library. Before my eye operation, I had checked out
some books from the library but had forgotten to return them.
On returning from Trinidad after the operation months and
months later I returned those books. The librarian asked why
I'd been so long returning them, once I told her she would
not even tell me what the fine should have been. She just
said, "never mind, glad to have you back."
At the bus station, I would catch a bus to the "Airport".
These leave every half hour. Most other buses are hourly.
We could certainly afford other transportation in Tobago but
it seems that we were always meeting nice people on the bus.
Also, the bus costs TT$ 1 whereas a route taxi is TT$ 6 and
regular taxi is TT$ 25-40.
One of the prettiest bus trips is up the Atlantic coast
along the Windward Road from Scarborough to
Roxborough and crossing over to the Caribbean side
to Charlottesville and then returning.
Except for a few young dorks and the very infrequent vagrants,
Tobago is a pleasant experience of British manners from times
gone by. Whenever and where ever we would travel on the island
I could strike up a conversation with someone and be completely
amazed by what that person had to offer. The breadth of experience
and differences of culture, values and general way of life
here in Tobago would always lead to new experiences. Chances
were that if I expressed an interest in whatever the conversation
was about I'd get an invitation to join in.
Once on the bus, we'd bounce and rattle our way out of the
station past the post office and central agricultural market
and up the hill to the Claude Noel Highway, which connects
Scarborough to the southwestern part of the island where the
international airport is located. After turning left on the
highway before you go very far you are rewarded with a panoramic
view of lower Scarborough, the Harbour and the Atlantic ocean.
As the bus continues down the highway, we pass the village
of Lambeau. Mr. Broomes lives in Lambeau. He, like
Mrs. Roberts, runs a little grocery shop to earn money. These
corner shops make a good retirement business keeps one active,
earn a little money, make people happy. You could spend days
listening to the stories of these people. I believe that the
older people of Tobago are a national resource. Although some
of their ways are from times gone by their experiences are
golden. Many have lived from before emancipation until modern
times. Such a breadth of change for one lifetime.
Soon the bus is passing Lowlands. Which like the
name suggests is flat not like the rolling hills of Scarborough.
My first impression of this area was that it looked like an
undeveloped Florida. Apparently, others had this thought since
about a year after we arrived someone bought a large tract
of land on the sea and is now putting in a Hilton Hotel complete
with golf course.
In the Lowland and Canaan areas you will find
what use to be old coconut plantations. Here the coconut trees
are all planted in nice rows. Unfortunately, coconut oil was
found to or suspected to have some bad health effects and
the switch to other oils decimated these industries here.
Now these once productive lands mostly are pastures for cattle.
As the bus passes the turn to Buccoo, we enter the
village of Friendship. This marks the end of the
Claude Noel Highway and the beginning of the Old Milford
Main Road. Friendship blends into Canaan which
then blends into Bon Accord. Bon Accord is the home
of British Football (soccer for Americans) star Dwight
York. He is a local success story. Started playing on
the local school team and eventually was seen by a scout and
signed to play professional football in England. Dwight is
well known on the island and very respected.
As we reach my bus stop, the last corner on the Old Milford
Main Road before reaching the airport at Crown Point.
On the corner is John Grants' new restaurant and night club.
The night club hosts a weekly local talent contest called
"Scouting for Talent". "Scouting" is part
of a nationwide television program where a person can advance
to competitions and championships in Trinidad. Everyone is
welcome from school kids to grandmas to professionals and
prizes are awarded to the winners.
From this corner I have about another mile to mile and a
half to walk back to where the boat is being built. At the
beach, the road turns hard to the right and heads along the
beach towards Pigeon Point Resort. First thing to pass
is a small fishing village which has supplied our table with
countless flying fish fillets, Mahi Mahi steaks, King fish,
Snapper, and other local fish to many to name. All at prices
one might have thought from long ago. You see, fishermen are
a little like elephants they have good memories. Once you
are kind or helpful to one your kindness is usually paid back
in different ways far more than if it was just paid back in
kind. But then again this principle applies throughout Tobago.
Something that seems lost to the modern USA.
Then to the entrance of Pigeon Point, where you have
to stop and pay TT$ 10 to use the facilities of the resort.
In my case since I am considered an extended "local"
and am helping to build the fishing boat, the owner has granted
me complimentary access. Thanks Winston!
The road continues back to the resort facilities winding
through manicured lawns, coconut palms and tropical flowers.
But my friends and Tobago have taught me to enjoy each blessing
in life as you receive it, do not pass them by. So I cut over
to the beach and enjoy my twice daily walk on one of the most
beautiful beaches in God's creation.
Just think, if I walked on the road surely one of my friends
would give me a ride and then I'd be at work in a few minutes
instead of 20 or 30 minutes in heaven. But since most of the
tourists are still back in their hotels, I have this jewel
all to myself. This is a concrete example that proves to me
that richness is measured by more than just money. What a
blessing this place has been to me.
Eventually, I am back at the resort after investigating
whatever treasures the sea has washed ashore today. The boat
is being built next to the maintenance shop for the resort
and is across the path behind the parking to the beach. Winston
the owner of the resort is supplying electricity free of charge
to Baj in return for Baj's handyman skills. The design of
the boat is traditional Bajan. The look of the boat strikes
me as similar to the boat on the TV show "Gilligan's
Island". And, as fast as we are progressing we may just
take as long to get it into the water.
After each day's work I would make a return trip. But on
that walk down the beach there was usually one of the typical
Caribbean sunsets that tourists pay thousands of dollars to
see. The sun sets like a big ball of red fire into the Caribbean
Sea. The best time for sunsets is during the rainy season
because the cloud patterns make for some brilliant color displays.
Bright colors of the rainbow, not like the more pastel colors
common in North America. With the varying cloud canopy the
color patterns can seem to extend for hundreds of miles in
all directions.
THANK GOD, that GE is "downsizing". Bless that
person who probably agonized over choosing me to be affected.
And, thanks to my wife for getting me through it to such a
beautiful place. Otherwise, I'd probably have been stuck again
in the Pittsburgh (or other) airport, as was usual, instead
of "stuck in Tobago"......
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Travel Writers: Stuck in Tobago by Tom Boyle
Globe
Trekker : 
