Carriacou in the West Indies is a true paradise of a tropical island, part of the Grenadine chain that stretches between Grenada and St Vincent, and the southernmost of the group.
The international jet set has infected a few of the other islands in the Grenadines (and consequently most other Grenada hotels), like a virus. Mustique is a prime example.
But if you’re looking for some real peace and quiet you don’t need to worry about any spoilt narcissists competing for attention on Carriacou. The long, crescent-shaped beaches and swaying palms are relatively untouched.
Earthly paradises like Carriacou Island tend to sit on fault lines of one kind or another, and this indeed is what they have to thank for their idyllic appearance – the hidden menace beneath the tranquil waters and gently swaying palms.
Atolls, lagoons and archipelagos of islands with gently sloping beaches that slide into clear blue sea are in the process of sinking like the fabled Atlantis beneath the very azure waters that make them so appealing. They’re also often assisted in their stage exits by volcanic eruptions, again thanks to faults and fissures beneath the surface. It’s the price they pay for a spectacular but transient beauty.
But this is a process of gradual change. We’re talking millions and millions of years, and you don’t need to lose any sleep over it.
The Rocks of Carriacou
Now for the science, as they say. Actually, the geology of islands like Carriacou is what gives them their distinctive appearance, and it’s not as boring as it sounds.
The island of Carriacou for example is composed of two-thirds volcanic rock. The contours of the island, beneath its trees and beaches, are determined by the ways in which lava has flowed from volcanoes over millions of years.
There’s a lot going on deep down in the earth beneath the Grenadines. Either the North or the South American Plate is sliding or crunching its way beneath the Caribbean Plate. Scientists haven’t yet discovered which one is moving.
The boundaries where the plates are meeting each other are marked by volcanic activity as immense pressures are exerted that force molten rock to the surface. This has been going on for millennia, and from the Virgin Islands to Venezuela there’s an arc of 17 active volcanoes.
Carriacou Island – Underwater Volcanoes
Only 10 km north of Grenada the amusingly-named Kick-‘em-Jenny submarine volcano is on full alert to cause trouble. It’s as well to have a sense of humour when dealing with things as unstoppable as volcanoes. Kick-‘em-Jenny has erupted several times, most recently in 1990.
On Carriacou in the West Indies research has been ongoing in connection with interpreting the complex tectonics of the region. Carriacou’s rocks were formed in the Cenezoic Era, after the time of the dinosaurs, and the record in these rocks has played an important part in understanding the geological history of the area, apparently called the Southern Lesser Antilles Arc Platform.
And Finally . . . How To Impress!
Next time you’re at a cocktail do on Carriacou, which hopefully will be some day very soon, you can astound them with your extensive knowledge of plate tectonics in the region. Or on second thoughts maybe you should just keep your mouth safely shut, join in the party and sway to Calypso rhythms…