Moon Hole in the Caribbean

Forty years ago today Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. It seems appropriate that we share some photos of one of the most amazing man-made and out of this world communities we would never expect to find in the Caribbean. Oh, I can vouch for the authenticity of these images.

Moonhole, Bequia

The rocky cliffs present a real challenge for landing. Most people arrive by road.

At the same time as Neil Armstrong was making momentous history landing on the moon, Thomas Johnston was creating a monument of sorts, to the challenges of living side by side with the relentless sea. He had sold his advertising business in New York city and purchased land on the northern tip of the island of Bequia in the beautiful Grenadines. Here he built a unique community. Forty years later we visited the site known as Moonhole.

When we visited, some locals were preparing a cook out of freshly caught fish.

The Moonhole buildings are built of concrete and local stone. No wells or electricity, rain water is collected as it flows from the roof. Windows are large and mostly open to the breeze. A few have plexiglass panels.

With the sea lapping at its footings and rocks falling from above, this building has been abandoned.

Some of the buildings perch atop the cliffs.

The views from Moonhole are spectacular.

Today many of the buildings are desserted, some are still inhabited and others can be rented for a truely unique vacation.

Bequia has a history of boat building and whaling. Just around the corner in Friendship Bay is the whaling station at Semplers Cay. The people of Bequia are granted permission to take up to 4 whales per year. Some years they don't take any.

Whale bone verandah rails, seen on a walk around the island.

Jack's Bar at Tony Gibbons Beach, Admiralty Bay, Bequia.