by Brian Major
Last updated: 9:51 AM ET, Thu January 4, 2018
One of the Caribbean's genuine hidden gems is preparing to expand its visitor access. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) last month approved a $19.5 million grant to develop the port at Little Bay, Montserrat, where stakeholders in recent years have sought to expand the country's nascent tourism sector.
The funds will go to assist in financing the construction of an offshore breakwater and quay, according to CDB officials, improving maritime access to the small Caribbean nation.
The project "is critical to providing a safe harbor and accessibility for vessels up to [164 feet] in length," said Andrew Dupigny, CDB's head of infrastructure partnerships.
"The current jetty at Little Bay is exposed to rough seas intermittently, as there is no offshore breakwater," Dupigny added, making it unsafe for vessels to dock at times. "Montserrat is unable to provide a continuous safe harbor for cruise ships, ferries, yachts, cargo and other vessels, which impacts economic activities on the island. The development of the port is seen as vital for Montserrat's economic recovery and sustainability."
While Montserrat is one of the Caribbean's smallest destinations-encompassing only 39 square miles and fewer than 5,000 residents- the island has something nearly all of the others lack: A capital city buried by the 1995 eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano, which had been dormant for 400 years.
The eruption leveled the 40 square-mile island's southern half, including the Georgian-era capital city of Plymouth and the main seaport. The city's streets, homes, buildings, businesses and historic monuments were buried in 39 feet of pyroclastic mud and ash. Montserrat's southern region was evacuated, and an exclusion zone was created.
The zone remains in place to this day.
Tours of the exclusion zone are available, and the Montserrat Volcano Observatory-from where the volcano's signs of activity are monitored by scientists-features a large platform for visitors to observe the area. The observatory also features films and artifacts that tell the story of the volcano's eruption.
Although Windstar Cruises' 212-passenger Star Pride calls at Montserrat weekly a part of the ship's roundtrip departures from San Juan, "rough seas cause significant downtime at the existing port, and 58 out of 475 ships were unable to berth in 2016," said CDB officials.
Officials believe climate change will exasperate the situation, creating more frequent storms and rising sea levels. The construction of an offshore breakwater "will help to create a safe harbor that is climate resilient" and "support the growth of Montserrat's tourism sector, improving access and connectivity to the island."
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