Where’s the Beach?

The property of Almond Garden is huge; 6 acres shared with the house next door, with a gentle slope leading down to the beach, or what could be a beach.  There is a picturesque gate that must be kept closed to keep the wild goats from eating the foliage on the grounds. 

View from the porch


Once you go through the gate, it is so overgrown all that remains is a path leading to the ocean—there really isn’t a beach.  The water is beautiful; turquoise to deep sapphire.  It is a little too choppy to invite swimming or snorkeling; we will need to pack up and travel to public beaches in order to enjoy the sun.

 

Our first stop is Oualie Beach where you can grab a lounge chair and sit under thatched-roofed umbrellas.  The water is a little calmer here on the Caribbean side of the island and much cooler than anticipated.  All the beaches on Nevis, even those at the hotels, are public, so there is no fee for using the lounge chairs.  There is a restuarant/bar with a public restroom.  We buy rum punches from the bar and enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Later we head for Pinney Beach and Sunshine’s Bar to sample the “Killer Bee,” think Long Island Iced Tea.  One is all you really need.  Two and you’re toast.  Three…well you get the picture.  Someone has a small monkey in a diaper tied to the railing of the outside eating area.  He/she has large mournful eyes, and I think it is the saddest creature I have ever seen, other than, perhaps, the female dog with milk-swollen teats sitting calmly watching some locals eat, patiently waiting for someone to take pity on her and share a bite before she heads back to feed her pups.

Sunshine's Restaurant

Back at the house we discover there is no hot water.  This is not something we thought to check when making our reservation, so we are unsure if there is a problem or if the house doesn’t have hot water—I am remembering when my friends Bob and Mari were living in the Philippines and their first house didn’t have hot water.  American’s like to take a hot shower.  Are we spoiled?  Probably.