Sandy Bay is one of eight

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

of the island of

Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

, part of the

British Overseas Territory The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ...

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is a British Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic and consisting of the island of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and the archipelago of Tristan da Cunha including Gough Island. Its name wa ...

in the South

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. Located on the island's southeastern coast, it is sparsely populated and is a popular recreation site.

Description

Terrain in the district is quite varied with steep ridges and a limited amount of flat ground, as befits the island's volcanic origin. The lower reaches of the bay are generally arid, but the upper area is lushly vegetated. Most of the island's

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

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

s are grown there. The district has the largest beaches on the island and is a popular recreation spot. Due to its southeastern location, the beaches are exposed to the prevailing south-easterly winds and subject erosion from heavy seas. West of the bay, one of the island's Post Box Walks leads to a set of sea stacks and tidal pools called Lot's Wife's Ponds, which are popular for swimming and fishing.

Demographics

Its population has declined from 254 in 1998 to 205 in 2008 and 193 in 2016. Only Blue Hill District has fewer residents.

History

The first fortifications defending Sandy Bay were built after 1708 when extensive limestone deposits were found nearby and a

kiln A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...

built to make mortar. The gun

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

was built too close to the sea as it was washed away during a storm in 1734. Eight years later, the battery had been replaced, but it was deemed insufficient to defend the beaches. Shortly afterwards it was replaced by a curtain wall (known as Sandy Bay Line) that spanned the full width of the beach. The eastern side of the line has been partially restored, but the western side has been almost entirely washed away. The single-gun Beach Hill Battery was built in the late 1700s atop the promontory that divided the beaches.Denholm, p. 72

Gallery

File:Baptist chapel in Sandy Bay.jpg, Baptist Chapel File:Fortified Line in Sandy Bay.jpg, Fortifications near the bay File:Sandy Bay viewed from the west.jpg, the bay viewed from the west File:The chimney basalt sea stack at Lot's Wife's Ponds.jpg, basalt sea stack near Lot's Wife's Ponds, known as "the Chimney" File:View of the Sandy Bay valley from the beach.jpg, the valley seen from the beach File:Sandy Bay district seen from High Peak.jpg, the valley seen from High Peak File:View of Sandy Bay from Diana's Peak.jpg, district of Sandy Bay File:Sandy Bay from highlands to the north.jpg, viewed from High Peak

Notes

Bibliography

* {{coord, 15.983, S, 5.718, W, type:city_region:SH, display=title Districts of Saint Helena Geography of Saint Helena Populated places in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha