THE SOUTHEAST PENINSULA, ST. KITTS

The Southeast Peninsula (SEP) was selected as the site for BAMS prototyping and system demonstration.  SEP is a 4,000 acre area which constitutes almost 10 percent of area on the island of St. Kitts. (see Figure 1).  It was created as a result of volcanic action, originally giving rise to a series of islands, which through sand accretion and marine deposits, were eventually joined.  These natural processes have created diverse characteristics such as beaches, steep hills, mangroves, coral reefs, sand dunes and salt ponds.  The SEP was made accessible by a new road that opened in 1990.  While presently the SEP is relatively undeveloped, it is expected to experience significant tourism growth in the near future.   

Field (1991) identifies ten physiographic areas on the SEP.  These are briefly described in Table 1and shown in Figure 2.  Beaches are generally categorized as Caribbean and Atlantic based on the obvious naming of the corresponding seas.  Normally, Atlantic beaches experience waves of higher energy relative to Caribbean beaches.  However, due to the SEP orientation, four beaches on the southeast end fall between both categories.  For convenience, these beaches are categorized as Channel beaches since they face the channel separating St. Kitts and the neighboring island of Nevis.

Figure 1.  Location of St. Kitts and SEP area

Photo by Aerofoto (www.aerofoto.com)

Figure 2.  Southeast Peninsula Area

1.  Sir Timothy’s Hill - This 500 feet (183-meter) high hill separates the SEP from the Frigate Bay area.  Steep slopes and thin soil cover present a constraint to any major development.

2.  Friar’s Bay Area - The main features of this area include South Friars Bay beach on the Caribbean (2A) side, North Friars Bay on the Atlantic (2B) side, a mangrove fringed Friar’s Bay Salt pond (2C) and a sand dune (2D) located along the North Friar’s Bay beach.

3.  The Isthmus Area - This area is a narrow strip of land with steep slopes, which present constraints to major development.  The only area along here that has any real potential for major development would be the Canoe Bay area (3A) with its moderate slopes.

4.  Salt Pond Hill - This hill stands 850 feet (268 meters) high with steep slopes.  This area, which is covered with thorn shrub and mature stands of forest, will probably remain in its present form.

5.  Great Salt Pond (5A), Little Salt Pond and Sand Bank Bay (5B) - This area consists of ecological communities including mangrove forest, Caribbean and a dry forest, major sand dune.  The area is considered to possess the greatest potential for development on the SEP.

6.  Major’s Bay Area - This area includes the Major’s Bay Bluff, the Majors Bay beach, the Major’s Bay Salt pond, and the lowlands stretching to Great Salt pond between Major’s Bay Bluff and the Nag’s Head area.

7.  Banana Bay (7A), Cockleshell Bay (7B) and Mosquito Bay (7C) - This area consists of a complex of three bays, two dunes and one salt pond.  Both dunes run along Cockleshell Bay and Mosquito Bay beaches.

8.  St. Anthony’s Peak - This hill stands at 1,000 feet and dominates the southern end of the SEP.  The steep slopes of this hill also represent constraints for major development.

9.  Nag’s Head Area - This area has been identified as a principal nesting area for many birds (mainly Brown Pelicans and Great Frigate birds).  Nag’s Head, even though it has steep slopes, still has potential for development on the top area which forms a plateau.

    10.  Little Salt Pond (10A) and White House Bay (10B)- This area consists of two bays (White House Bay and Ballast Bay) and one salt pond.