Seahorse Sunday in Barbados
I had heard that it was possible to see racehorses relaxing and being washed down in the sea after a race day. It was on my Bajan bucket list. And so imagine my delight on our first day, when from the dive shop I saw them further along the beach. Camera in hand, I dash along the golden sand to ensure I was in with a chance to experience a whole other type of Sea-Horse!
These magnificent beasts seem to love their Sunday swims, being cooled in the calm coastal waters. Their handlers wash them down, and even swim alongside them if they venture into deeper waters. They are there in the early morning before the day gets too hot, so if you want to experience this you need to be on the beach early. It is a magical way to start the day and, for me, a dream come true on our first day.
Of course, as divers, it is a whole other type of seahorse that we are usually pleased to encounter and Barbados has plenty of your “normal” seahorses too. If you can drag yourself away from the wrecks of Carlisle Bay (more on these in our next blog) and look around the coral bommies that are scattered on the white sandy seabed, then you may be lucky enough to find one of these enigmatic marine creatures.
Another great location to test your seahorse spotting skills is under one of the piers. Once you get your eye in, you can find them on many of the small sponge fingers at the base of the pier legs. Or even clinging to discarded items dropped from the boats above!
For someone who loves both horses and seahorses, this was a real treat. To see the horses being bathed in the ocean at the very start of the day and then to spend two very different dives looking for their marine cousins. Magical.
To find out more about visiting Barbados click here.
We dived with Barbados Blue and you can learn more about them here.
