The Animal Flower Cave is located under the cliffs at North Point,

St. Lucy Lucia of Syracuse (283–304), also called Saint Lucia ( la, Sancta Lucia) better known as Saint Lucy, was a Roman Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution. She is venerated as a saint in the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, a ...

, Barbados. It is the island's lone accessible sea cave. It was discovered by its seaward entrance in 1780 by two English explorers. The cave stands six feet above the high water mark although it was formed at sea level. This has occurred because Barbados is rising at 1 inch per 1000 years. There are coral steps which lead down through an opening in the roof (former blowhole) into the cave, these steps were built in 1912. Inside the cave, still found are some

sea anemone Sea anemones are a group of predation, predatory marine invertebrates of the order (biology), order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the ''Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classifi ...

s, which are locally called animal flowers, whence the cave obtained its name.

Sea Anemone

The flower consists of tentacles that can sting and paralyze a passing fish in the larger variety of species. The tentacles retract into the stalk or stump for safety on contact with an alien object like a stick. The flower then waits a while before coming out of the stalk again to allow danger to pass.

Cave's floor

The cave has a coral floor which is estimated to be about 400,000 to 500,000 years old. Whereas the younger coral section above the main floor is about 126,000 years old. This dating was carried out by the

German Geological Institute German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

. The

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

, as the guides call it, is in a chamber all by itself. The transparent and still water does not reveal its depth but looks deceptively shallow. The smooth floor of the cave, worn down by the water and the rubbing action of the coral rocks over time, has an undulating formation and the light lends a "magical quality" to this chamber. At certain times of the year and in bad weather, the caverns become filled with water and the entrance acts like a giant

blowhole Blowhole may refer to: * Blowhole (anatomy), the hole at the top of a whale's or other cetacean's head *Blowhole (geology), a hole at the inland end of a sea cave **Kiama Blowhole in Kiama, Australia **The Blow Hole, a marine passage between Minst ...

. On calm days it is possible to swim in the natural

rock pool A tide pool or rock pool is a shallow pool of seawater that forms on the rocky intertidal shore. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only at low tide. Many tide pool habitats are home to especially adaptable animals that ...

s in the cave or to view the Atlantic Ocean through the windows to the ocean (cave openings).

References

External links

The Animal Flower Cave
Fun Barbados (archived 2011) Caves of Barbados Saint Lucy, Barbados Sea caves {{Barbados-geo-stub