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Mayaro Bay stretches for nine miles on the east coast of the
island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
of the
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of Gr ...
. The beach which lines the bay, Mayaro Beach, is a popular destination for holidays, long weekends, and is one of the traditional places to spend the
Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
holidays. Not only do beach-goers swim, but they also
kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...
, bird watch, camp, and occasionally kite surf, making Mayaro a tourist hot spot. Located at the southern end of
Manzanilla Beach, Trinidad and Tobago Manzanilla Beach is a beach in Trinidad and Tobago. Located on the east coast of Trinidad, the larger island, the beach sits directly on the Manzanilla Bay adjoined to the larger north Atlantic Ocean. Etymology The word ''manzanilla'' is the d ...
, one can reach Mayaro Beach by traveling along the Mayaro–Guayaguayare road or the Mayaro–Naparima road.


History


Etymology

The name ‘Mayaro’ originates from maya, a plant that grew in abundance locally, and ‘ro’ meaning ‘the place of’ in an
Arawak The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Greater ...
tongue.


European Contact

French planters and African slaves were the first to settle the beach in 1783, after receiving land offered by the Spanish governor at the time, Don Jose Maria Chacon. Chacon welcomed the French planters, as they were fleeing from unrest in French islands, such as
Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
and
Guadeloupe Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
. Chacon's motives behind inviting the French planters would soon emerge, as the planters later aided Chacon in developing the profitable features of the island. After some time, residents managed to secure sixty-five
cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...
plantations A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
, with a few others growing
coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...
and
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks t ...
, despite lacking roads in the area. By 1818, twenty-one new plantations were added as the bay grew more popular. In response to the rapid growth, Governor Sir Ralph James provided a
steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...
to transport commodities and supplies around Trinidad.When
slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
were emancipated in 1838, land belonging to whites was allocated and given to the freedmen. In 1849, however, Lord Harris passed a pay ward system which stripped land from newly freed Africans that were unwilling to pay the rates. The system would later change in 1870 when the concept of
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
schools A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...
was adopted.


Further Development

Shortly after, surveyor St. Luce D'Abadie connected Mayaro Beach to Mission (modern-day Prince's Town) in the 1860s. D'Abadie traced the road on the request of Lord Harris before leaving the isle. This new road did not affect round-island transportation via the steamer, as it was still a popular form of transit. It would be around this time when the first
police station A police station (sometimes called a "station house" or just "house") is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, al ...
in Mayaro was installed, in order to control the steadily growing population. Sugar cane production began to fade away as the attention turned to
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
plantations A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
since
coconut trees The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
grew in abundance seaside and provided a steady income to farmers. The
fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
industry would also expand and become an effective way to earn profit. Most of the great expansion and achievement in Mayaro occurred in the 20th century. The changing of times and growth of the population led to the first
post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...
, constructed in 1913, which increased both the frequency and speed of mail delivery. In the 21st century, Mayaro still continues to develop. It now has a roadway that links it to other locations on the isle, which allowed for a rise in populace and multifarious business. Upon the discovery of oil, the fishing and plantation town slowly shifted into the oil and gas industry Even with said expansion, Mayaro is still considered a paradise away from the hustling cities, such as
Port of Spain Port of Spain (Spanish: ''Puerto España''), officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando. The city has a municip ...
.


Geography


Biodiversity

In terms of woodland, eastern Trinidad is carpeted by Mora excelsa, a type of tree. The mora forest extends through the Mayaro Bay and Matura Bay. Mayaro forests provide a habitat for red howler monkeys, who have traditionally been hunted for their meat. Despite this, troops of the red howler monkey can be found in areas such as Chaguaramas and the forests located in the Mayaro area. Along with the red howler monkey, the ''
Leptodactylus bolivianus ''Leptodactylus bolivianus'' is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. Its local name is ''sapo-rana boliviano'' ("Bolivian toad-frog"). It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Nicaragua, P ...
'' or the Bolivian Tree frog (locally known as the edible frog or mountain chicken), inhabits the area. But the Bolivian Tree frog isn't the only amphibian to live in Mayaro Bay. The
Amazon River frog The Amazon River frog (''Lithobates palmipes'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae that occurs in the northern and Amazonian South America east of the Andes (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French G ...
( Lithobates palmipes), described as a "rare terrestrial frog" can also be found in the Mayaro forests. Species of the
hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...
have also been spotted in Mayaro Bay since Trinidad and Tobago is considered to be the Land of the Hummingbird. In terms of marine life, many species of fish thrive in Mayaro, further proving why villagers resorted to fishing to make a profit. Various species of Carangidae roam the waters of Mayaro Bay and are often captured by villagers by a
seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...
. Mussels and oysters can also be found buried in the sand on the shoreline.


Climate

The climate of Mayaro Bay does not deviate noticeably from the overall climate of Trinidad and Tobago itself. The maximum temperature of the island can vary between 31-33 °C (88-92 °F) and the minimum temperature can vary between 20-23 °C (68-74 °F). However, depending on the month, the mean temperatures will shift between the two. The annual average water temperature for Mayaro Beach is 28 °C (82 °F), but similar to the climate, the average water temperature varies based on the time of year. Warmer temperatures favor early fall, as the water heats up to 30.2 °C (86.3 °F) during the month of September. On the other hand, colder water temperatures typical occur during the month of February, when water measures to 25.7 °C (78.3 °F). Either way, water temperatures stay fairly warm year round on the beach.


Environmental Concerns

Although the involvement of Mayaro in the petroleum industry has brought profits and prosperity to the area, oil tankers and other equipment harm the beach by releasing "petroleum based residue" into the blue waters and affecting the ecosystem beneath them. Along with issues caused by petroleum, Mayaro Bay faces damage from
coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...
caused by climate change and rising sea levels. The water level surrounding the island steadily rises by 2 millimeters each year. Although Mayaro Bay was formed by the "erosion of unconsolidated sediments", the increased erosion over the years has begun to eat away at the shoreline.


Tourism

Unlike other beaches, such as Maracas and Las Cuevas, Mayaro is far less crowded and more private. This allows for an escape from the mass of tourists that pass through, as the privacy of the beach provides a true sense of relaxation. Despite this, luxurious resorts and commodious rental homes (such as the one in the image) line the shore. Along with resorts, restaurants are also conveniently placed nearby to allow for easy access after a swim, such as Ambrosia Restaurant & Lounge, Deon's Fast Foods, and The Neighborhood Grill. In terms of attractions, the Brigand Hill Lighthouse is also in the area.


See also

*
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
**
Maracas Beach Maracas Bay is a bay with sandy beach on the island of Trinidad. It is located on the north side of the island, an hour's mountainous drive from the capital city of Port of Spain via the North Coast Road. Unlike many of the northern beaches of ...
** Pigeon Point, Tobago **
Manzanilla Beach, Trinidad and Tobago Manzanilla Beach is a beach in Trinidad and Tobago. Located on the east coast of Trinidad, the larger island, the beach sits directly on the Manzanilla Bay adjoined to the larger north Atlantic Ocean. Etymology The word ''manzanilla'' is the d ...
**
Port of Spain Port of Spain (Spanish: ''Puerto España''), officially the City of Port of Spain (also stylized Port-of-Spain), is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago and the third largest municipality, after Chaguanas and San Fernando. The city has a municip ...


References

{{reflist Bays of Trinidad and Tobago Beaches of Trinidad and Tobago