WEST COAST CRUISING
After plenty more fun sessions in the small surf, mixed with visits to some of the island’s top tourist attractions like the coastal caves and grottos at Animal Flower on the north coast, or the wonderfully wild beaches on the east side at Crane Beach and Bottom Bay, it’s the west coast that occupies our attention for the final day of our stay. Getting out and exploring, checking out the superb and inaccessible beaches and bays, it’s in our SUP DNA and we take full advantage of a day with no real swell for once to do exactly that. We head first for Speightstown, then follow our noses on the coast road running south alongside the sea, speechless at the breathtaking beauty to be found at every turn. It’s like a living postcard rack, a non-stop show of sumptuous little hidden beaches alternating with rocky spits and points and unfeasibly well-placed luxury hotels. It’s hard not to be impressed by the intensity of the turquoise water, the incredibly beautiful Caribbean feeling oozing from each and every inch of coast.
We keep heading south, as far as Bats Rock, one of the final must-see spots before arriving at the capital, Bridgetown. We’re slowly making our way along a road criss-crossed with branches and other vegetation, but can make out through the dense green yet another deserted, idyllic beach, almost unreal in its magical beauty and atmosphere. “What could be better for a little un-planned excursion?” Alexis’ rhetorical question to no-one in particular is lost in the wind as he grabs his inflatable SUP and starts pumping under the welcome shade of the beachside trees. This time we decide to share the experience, both together on one board, moving slowly and steadily away from the beach towards the northern point. A magnificent, huge catamaran arrives and drops anchor in the middle of the bay. Another magical scene. Another time that Barbados leaves us overwhelmed with the splendour of its hidden treasures, plunging us even further into an island dream-like state, from which we may never want to leave. SUP
