Recently my family and I visited some of the beaches we either had not been to before or had not visited for some time. Off we set with our cameras primed to take some shots of the outstanding beauty that Anguilla is fortunate to possess.

We went to Long Pond Bay and walked around Long Pond having fun trying to identify the numerous birds there. Then we followed the path over the coral to the tiny beach, unnamed on every map we have, which is opposite the pond and which is a pleasant walk to reach.

Blocked beach access

We had more than a little difficulty getting to it as a house is being built next door and the access to the beach is completely blocked. If we had not known that the beach was there, we would have thought that we had made a mistake and perhaps taken the wrong path. As it was we skirted the piles of building materials and forced our way through the undergrowth to reach it. It was as quiet and unspoilt as ever and we spent a pleasant time trying to spot and name the various varieties of fishes that inhabit the sheltered stretch of water by the tiny patch of white sand.

On our way back we thought we would try to find the original access point and found it easily enough – completely blocked by a huge pile of sand.

We arrived at Captain’s Bay to find that we were the only people on the beach. This glorious crescent of white sand, with its turquoise sea and surf pounding on the rocks was a delight to our eyes. We had never visited it before and so we parked up and prepared for a pleasant stroll from one end to the other.
I cannot stress enough just how fantastic this beach looks. We took lots of photos and walked along the pristine sands with wide smiles, enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

At the further end of the beach, near an imposing building, we stopped to look at the rock pools, exclaiming at the miniature life we saw within the tiny sea worlds dotted about the rocks. It was while we were thus engaged that we became aware that we were not as alone on the beach as we thought we were.

Two ladies had emerged from a marquee pitched at the back of the beach where the sand gives way to the scrub. They came over and asked who we were. We were startled as this is not the way a usual Anguillian conversation starts. There was no friendliness in their question. When we told them who we were we were asked if we were ‘checking up’ and were informed that this was a private beach and we should leave immediately. Surprised, we asked the name of the beach, just to clarify where we were and the name of the building we were standing beneath. We were informed that the place was a resort named ‘Exclusivity’. We stood our ground and stated our belief that no beaches were private on Anguilla. There were no signs up stating that the beach was private either. One of the ladies said that she would report us to ‘the boss’ and they marched away into the resort. We were shocked by this encounter. Now we knew why the beach was empty. Everyone had been hounded off of it so that it would be a secluded hideaway for the people in the resort.

We continued on our way, still enjoying the beach and the weather, giving ample time for ‘the boss’ to be reported to and to come out and speak to us. This did not happen, which reinforced the impression that these staff had thought we were tourists and so ignorant of the law here on Anguilla – easy targets for shooing away.
Back at home I thought that I would check out the position with regard to Captain’s Bay. Had we been misinformed and this beach was indeed privately owned? Exclusivity’s website states that there it is a private beach but this is worded ambiguously and could be taken to mean ‘secluded’.

I wondered if anyone else had been warned off the beach and so contacted the web-based ‘Anguilla Forum’. I was pleased to hear that nothing of this nature had been reported.

I have however had other people tell me that ours was not an isolated incident and they too have been asked to leave Captain’s Bay.

I have spoken to local people and heard that ‘from time immemorial that has been a private beach (in the sense of secluded) with Anguillians from all walks of life picnicking and camping there unmolested for days.’ On a bright sunny weekend there was not one Anguillian on that beach…..
I spoke to the Government’s Fisheries Department. I asked if this beach was indeed privately owned after explaining what had been said to us. I was assured that it was a public beach.

Captain’s Bay is a turtle nesting site, so I am not suggesting that the island’s inhabitants all descend on the beach. This would be detrimental to an endangered species. However, there is no reason not to visit, respecting the fauna found there, and enjoying the beautiful scenery. If anyone tells you differently, don’t believe them!

Beach access is a sensitive issue here on Anguilla with many competing claims to these natural assets. With so much of the land leading up to the public beach in private ownership, there is bound to be conflict. I contacted Exclusivity giving them the opportunity to contribute to this article. I have not received a reply.

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