OLD PROVIDENCE MCBEAN LAGOON NATURE PARK

The Caribbean paradises of Providencia and Santa Catalina cover only 8 square miles to the north of the larger island San Andres. They are the remains of an old volcano, shaped by streams.

The islands have abundant woodlands, and although man has done them some damage, they are one of the few conservation zones left in the Caribbean. The vegetation originated in Central America on the high ground, and from the West Indies on the low ground and there are many unique species, The most colourful of the fauna are the lizards and the birds; there are no poisonous snakes – and extra attraction for tourists. The islands are also a regular stopover for 56 species of migrating birds from the Western Caribbean.

The culture of the islands is complex and rich, reflecting the origins of the inhabitants and a turbulent history. The native population is racially mixed, predominantly black and totaling about 5,000, some having migrated from the mainland. Traditions of the English-speaking puritan culture are still preserved. In Providencia, as in the rest of Colombia, there is freedom of worship, and the dominant creeds are Roman Catholic, Baptist and Adventist. The traditional music and dances stem from Europe with a strong Afro-Caribbean influence (now mixed with reggae, socca and v allenato ).

The choice of diet is as wide as the choice of music: seafood appears in all possible guises, especially the rondon, minced fish, fish balls, crab soup and fish stew .

The islanders speak Spanish, English and the local English-based Creole. They love horse-racing, tombolas, carnivals and all the fun and festivity of national and religious holidays. They are cheerful, puritan people; kind but a little distant; always warm and generous.

The traditional activity is fishing. They are masters of that art and can fish even in the most difficult reefs with nets, hooks or by diving. The commonest catches are lobsters, sea-snails, bream, grouper, turtle, crab and other reef species.

The Old Providence McBean Lagoon Nature Park covers an area of 2,450 acres, of which 2,200 acres are underwater, at the north-eastern end of Providencia.

CLIMATE. Warm, an average of 25°C and rainfall of about 60” a year. January and June are generally drier than the rest of the year.

TERRAIN: The part of the Park on land is a single hill of volcanic origin called Iron Wood Hill, rising up to 500ft above the flat swampy area of mangroves.

The lagoon area is shallow and contains Crab Key and the Three Brothers Key, protected by a long bar or reef.

The Park is surrounded by a complex of mangroves in the McBean area, with a predominance of the red mangrove ( rhizophora mangle ), the yellow mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ) and the white mangrove ( Laguncularia racemosa ).

These various species of mangrove have adapted to life in the different parts of the coast, and play an important role in the breeding habits of several species of fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

The vegetation on Iron Wood Hill is dry forest with small trees. The dominant species are Acacia collinsii , or cockspur, inhabited by the aggressive (and painful) ant pseudomyrmex ferruginea . There is also the pactá palm ( coccothrinax jamaicensis ) and ersbalamono ( bursera simaruba ) and some members of the cactus family.

The Keys have their own special vegetation. For example in Crab Key, there is icaco in plenty and some coconut palms; in the Three Brothers Keys the predominant species is Picus, which the is nesting place of the man-of-war or frigate bird.

The lagoon contains an extensive prairie of marine phanerogams, mainly thalassia testudinum grass, and in some places with good Siringodium filiforme grass. On the rocky coastal strip there is some coral in the sand and plenty of algae, some calcareous, which help to form more sand.

The vegetation provides abundant oxygen, food and shelter to many species, and especially to their larvae and other pre-adult stages.

LOCATION: The north-eastern side of Prividencia

AREA: 2,400 acres, of which 2,200 are underwater.

ALTITUDE: Sea level to 500ft.

TEMPERATURE: Average 25°C

PLACES OF INTEREST: Crab Key. Three Brothers Key and McBean

Mangrove

ACTIVITIES: Walk the pathways of the McBean mangrove, dive among the reefs and around the keys.

CHARGES

ADMISSION:

Visitors from abroad $20,000 US$7.69
Local visitors $6,400 US$2.46
Children aged 5-12, Students, senior citizens $3,200 US$1.23

ACCOMMODATION

Huts provided by the local community

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

http://www.parquesnacionales.gov.co/areas/lasareas
/providence/provintro.htm

E-mail: caribe@telesantamarta.net.co