Seasonal· Barbados· Windward Islands
Barbados Turtle Nesting Season
13° 4.7′ N · 59° 36.5′ W · approximate
Barbados has the second-largest hawksbill nesting population in the wider Caribbean, and leatherbacks haul out on the wild east coast. Watching hatchlings scramble to the sea at night is unforgettable.
Practical
Position is Drill Hall Beach (OpenStreetMap; approx), a popular nesting beach on the south coast. Visit Barbados gives hawksbill nesting as roughly June 1 to October 31 on the west and south coasts (another Visit Barbados page says April to November), and leatherbacks on the east and south coasts from about February/March to July. Hatching on the east coast (for example at Bath) runs about July to October. Use red or no lights near nesting beaches, keep your distance, and call the Barbados Sea Turtle Project's 24-hour hotline (230-0142) to report nests or hatchlings, or to be told about releases. Harvesting turtles or possessing turtle products has been illegal since 1998.
Best for
Night-time hatchling releases
Season
Hawksbill Jun-Oct; leatherback Mar-Jul
Nearby
- Charles Fort and Needham's Point Lighthouse0.2 NM away
- Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison (UNESCO)0.2 NM away
- Barbados Cruising Club0.3 NM away
- Barbados Sailing Week0.3 NM away
- Barbados Yacht Club0.3 NM away
- Cuzz's Fish Shack (Pebbles Beach)0.3 NM away
- Jerry-Can Fuel opposite the Yacht Club0.3 NM away
- Mount Gay Round Barbados Race0.3 NM away