Foul Bay refers to a bay, beach, and village in
Saint Philip Parish, alongside the southeast coast of
Barbados
Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
.
Foul Bay Beach is used for excursions, picnics,
wedding ceremonies, and receptions by locals and visitors to the island. It is also a nesting area for
hawksbill sea turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution that is largel ...
s.
There are different explanations of how the area got its name. Up to the mid-1950s fishermen used to sell their catch on Foul Bay Beach. The fish were de-scaled and gutted on the spot. The smell was foul, hence the name. Another story claims the name is a misspelling of "Fowl" Bay, and that the area once hosted many migrating birds.
Late 18th and early 19th Century Documents pertaining to
British slavery in Barbados show the area's name as both "Foul" and "Fowl."
As the local government developed the fishing industry, designated
fish market
A fish market is a marketplace for selling Fish as food, fish and fish products. It can be dedicated to wholesale trade between Fisherman, fishermen and fish merchants, or to the sale of seafood to individual consumers, or to both. Retail fish ma ...
s were set up in
Oistins
Oistins (Pronounced /'ȯis-tins/ -- UN/LOCODE: BB OST) is a coastal area located in the country of Barbados. It is situated centrally along the coastline of the parish of Christ Church, and is the parish capital. The area includes a fishing villag ...
,
Speightstown
Speightstown (), also known as ''Little Bristol'', is the second largest town in Barbados. It is situated north of the capital city of Bridgetown, in the northern parish of Saint Peter.
The area is named after William Speight, a member of Barba ...
, and
Bridgetown
Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the Parishes of Barbados, parish of Saint Michael, Barbados, Saint Mic ...
. Foul Bay Beach was cleaned by the National Conservation Commission, and it continues to be maintained by a team from the Commission who remove leaves, seaweed, and litter from the beach.
References
Bays of Barbados
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