Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine April 2018 | Page 639

Fort Hamilton
blubber is boiled to extract a dark, nutrient-rich
oil, also popular among locals.
A few more of Toko’s witty barbs and we start out
again, climbing and descending sunny hillsides
and stopping for beautiful coastal views. Brilliant
sunlight everywhere contrasts the stark blue
of sky and sea with the pale green countryside;
this is especially so atop Fort Hamilton, a former
cannon battery and lookout. Between poses
on the 4 cannon replicas, our trusty cameras
embrace views of vibrantly colourful Port
Elizabeth and its harbour dotted with yachts in
anticipation of the Bequia Easter Regatta.
We descend the Fort and head northeast on a
narrow, breezy stretch of road checkered with
sunlight and leafy shadows to the Old Hegg
Turtle Sanctuary on the east coast. Here, islander
Orton King dedicates his time to preserving
Bequia’s Hawksbill turtle population. Every day
he pumps over 10,000 gallons of seawater to
indoor tubs that keep turtles of various ages
until they are released on local beaches at 5-6
years old. The babies resemble little black fidgety
pebbles floundering through the water, so small
they can fit in the palm of my hand. The older,
more adept turtles glide gracefully through the
water, leaving only a silent wake behind.
View of Port Elizabeth from Fort Hamilton