Shark Bay National Park
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
History
Nestled on the northern shore of Tortola between Brewers Bay on the west and Rough Point on the east. This Park extends from the ridge of Anderson Point to the bay at the base of the Mount Healthy ghut.
The rocky beach at Shark Bay is moulded by the pounding north Atlantic swells, buffered offshore by a limestone pavement and coral reef. Popular with fishermen, the bay also attracts seabirds such as brown boobies (Sula leucogaster), brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), roseate terns (Sterna dougallii), laughing gulls (Larus atricilla), and the magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens). Atop the ridge is a huge cavernous boulder known locally as the Bat Cave, as bats are reported to have nested there in the past. Views from the cave reveal a sheer drop to the sea and the vast Atlantic beyond. Orchids and palms cling perilously to the rocky slopes along the trail, whilst the trade winds blow steadily from offshore.
Donated to the National Parks Trust by Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Nitkin as a nature reserve, Shark Bay is the first coastal Park on the north shore of Tortola. The entrance to the Park is a 10 minute walk from the Brewer’s Bay road.
Park Information
Established: 1999
Area: 18.4 acres
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