BUCCOO REEFS

The highlight of a visit to Tobago, unforgettable. The Buccoo Reefs are the largest reef system to be found in Tobago. They are about ten thousand years old and rest on the remains of a very old and gigantic reef that has been transformed into a limestone bedrock.

Bordered by Pigeon Point and the Bon Accord lagoon to the west and a mangrove to the east, the system forms an arc made up of five coral plateaus, named respectively, from the east, Eastern Reef, Outer Reef, Northen Reef, Western Reef and Pigeon Point Reef. All these plateaus are crossed by marine channels and currents, the most important of which, the Deep Channel, is located between Northen Reef and Western Reef. This arc delimits the interior of a lagoon closed by a barrier from which the reef stretches in a circular manner to the north for more than 1,500 m in radius.

The Buccoo system supports a variety of biotopes and habitats for flora and fauna. On the coastal side, near Bon Accord, you will find lambis, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. The roots of mangrove trees, characteristic of the mangrove that stretches to the east, are home to oysters, sponges and sea anemones.

The lagoon, whose depth varies between 2 and 6 m, shelters a whole collection of corals, in particular stag horns, elk horns and fire corals. Beyond the lagoon, there are large accretions of brain corals as well as star corals, and more than 70 species of fish, including sergeant majors, surgeonfish, parrotfish, red barbarians, trunkfish, blue sardines, butterflyfish, damselfish... Unfortunately, the Buccoo reef system has suffered considerably from mass tourism and its popularity. Large portions of the reefs are already dead and bleached in the eastern part, victims of boat anchors, unscrupulous swimmers' feet, mercantile stripping and pollution. In 1973, the majority of the Buccoo system was declared a protected area, including the lagoon and Nylon Pool, a sandy part of the lagoon located near the Eastern Reef, so named because in the 1950s, Princess Margaret, impressed by the clarity of the water, compared its transparency to that of her nylon stockings!

Today, entry into the lagoon is regulated, and it is strictly forbidden to pick up or remove anything from it, under penalty of heavy fines. The only way to access the lagoon and reefs, unless you are a water sport enthusiast and wish to sail there, is to take the glass-bottom boats that await tourists from Buccoo, Store Bay or Pigeon Point. The tours usually offer an excursion to the flats beyond the barrier, complemented by a swim, with mask and snorkel, at Nylon Pool. Beware that the glass bottom of some boats can be very scratched, so much so that it will be difficult for the underwater enthusiast to see anything through. Before choosing your operator for this beautiful excursion, don't hesitate to negotiate the prices and especially to check the condition of the boat you will be on. Smaller operators often offer a more complete excursion for a smaller number of passengers.