Greg and I started our hike up Mount Peggy (Peggy’s Rock, “Ma Peggy”) at 6:30 a.m. so we could finish before it got too hot. This is a moderate hike. Too much of it is on the road for my taste, but the views are nice throughout most of the hike. Here’s a description from AllTrails:
Map:
Preview:
Pictured below is our actual route, including the walk from our boats to the trailhead and the turn we missed (oops!) which caused us to backtrack about a half mile (outlined in red). Between starting farther down the beach and missing a turn, our hike was about seven miles.
Pictures!
We first walked along the beach, part of which is a boardwalk, to get to the trailhead.
The island you see below is the same one that I showed in the last post: the place where the community gathers to celebrate when a whale is caught.
It was time to embark upon the steepest part of the hike. It wasn’t difficult, though.
The 360 degree view from the top is lovely.
May 25th was laundry day for us. 🙂 Since we don’t have a washing machine or a water maker (we are very primitive), we made use of the services provided by the laundry/diesel/water/ice boat. So handy!
In addition to the holiday on May 25th, May 21st is Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is a national holiday with a week of activities, including a pilgrimage to Bequia. I am 100 percent certain we saw the Baptists. And boy, do they know how to dress! So colorful!
We went on an island tour on the 27th. Ellis drove us around various parts of the island and shared the history of each area.
Bequia is a pretty island. In case you are wondering, it was damaged by hurricane Beryl in July 2024. The storm took a fortuitous turn, which spared Bequia from more severe damage, but it was only 30 nautical miles from the eye’s path, so there was still some damage. I read that the visible signs of the damage inflicted by Beryl were all but gone by February 2025.
Island Tour
Fort Hamilton, Admiralty Bay
During the many conflicts between the French and the British in the 18th century, Bequia, as was the case with so many in the region, changed hands numerous times. It was only in the 1760s that the British finally gained control of the islands after their victory in the Seven Years War. They built Fort Hamilton during the 1770s. It overlooks Admiralty Bay, one of the Royal Navy’s most important bases in the Caribbean.
In the 1790s, the French supported the Black Caribs in a revolt against British rule. Fort Hamilton was central to the defense of the island and the suppression of the revolt. The French were unable to give active support to the Black Caribs because of the guns of Fort Hamilton. They prevented warships from supplying the rebels which allowed the British to regain control over the island by 1797.
After the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Fort Hamilton was no longer of strategic importance. Maintained by a local militia in the 19th century, much of its was demolished in the early 20th century. Today the fort is maintained by St Vincent and Grenadines National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority. All that is left of Fort Hamilton is a platform with three 24-pounder guns that date from the early 19th century.
Where does Fort Hamilton get its name?
The fort is named after one of the most important, and indeed controversial, Founding Fathers of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. (Yes, the same one everyone is singing about.)
Born and raised in the Bahamas, Alexander never set foot or lived on Bequia, although his father, a Scottish settler, lived there between 1774 and 1790. He (Alexander’s father) was given a grant of land by the British government as part of their drive to colonize the Caribbean and owned a farm not far from the site of the fortress. He later moved to the Bahamas where the future Founding Father was born, before he emigrated to the American colonies.
We visited a beach that used to be a popular setting for social events. Sadly, there is so much sargassum now that the beach stinks. It is also kind of an eyesore. But the trees were lovely!
Former Turtle Sanctuary
There used to be a turtle sanctuary in Bequia but it no longer exists. It was serving such an important purpose, so it is sad that it is gone. Here’s the description from the man who ran it:
“My name is Orton ‘Brother’ King. I live on Park Beach on the island of Bequia, which is the largest in the chain of the southern Caribbean island nation called St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I am a native skin-diving fisherman and because of my long concerns about creatures in our oceans going scarce, with some already extinct, I am trying to save one of these beautiful species—the hawksbill turtle—from extinction.
From boyhood, sea turtles always fascinated me, especially the hawksbill. Like me, divers and snorkelers are always thrilled to see a turtle in the ocean. Unfortunately, this turtle will be extinct in the Caribbean sooner than many expect.
At 57 I retired from the ocean to dedicate my life to saving the turtles. My project involves monitoring beaches, checking nests, trying to protect mother turtles and eggs from poachers, collecting hatchlings, and taking them to my sanctuary to keep them safe during the most vulnerable years of their life. Outreach to our island youth regarding this fascinating species is also an important part of the sanctuary’s mission.
I keep the turtles in my sea-water ponds, feeding them canned tuna for six months. Then they are fed small fish (sardines, etc.) until they are 3 years old (14 inches long) at which time they are released into the ocean. This gives them a better chance to survive, and instead of one from one thousand reaching maturity, this project will help repopulate the ocean sooner with about fifty from one hundred.
The Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary is making a big difference in the survival of these creatures. I have been in operation now for over twelve years and have already released 2000 three-year olds with my special mark (a hole drilled in the back end of the shell). Divers are seeing these marked turtles throughout the waters of the Grenadines.”
Spring Top Viewpoint
This was a nice stop. Great views (I mean, it’s a viewpoint). The stone with “Ursula” on it pertains to a woman who died mysteriously by driving over the cliff here.
I love this oven. I want one in our backyard when we buy our teeny tiny house someday.
Working our way back to the starting point.
We left Bequia the next day. It was time to go to yet another beautiful island!
I should mention that we are now hanging out with two other boats. It is fun traveling together. Three boats, six people, one dog.