Island of Robinson Crusoe......

Island of Robinson Crusoe......Tobago for warm sun, white sand, palm trees, exotic birds Bruce Holmes, Freelance, Saturday, February 01, 2003 TOBAGO, WEST INDIES - Having climbed to the top of the hill, Robinson Crusoe tells of his fate: "I was in an Island environ'd every Way with the Sea, no Land to be seen. I found also that the Island I was in was barren, and, as I saw good Reason to believe, un-inhabited, except by wild Beasts, of whom however I saw none, yet I saw Abundance of Fowls, but knew not their Kinds." There was just one problem with Daniel Defoe's description of Tobago, his chosen setting for the novel written in 1719. He didn't ever visit the island himself. And barren, it is not.

Modern-day visitors have a choice though, between the many secluded spots like Englishman's Bay, with at least the feeling of being Robinson Crusoe, and the popular beaches such as Pigeon Point. Pigeon Point typifies what many tourists still come for. Palm trees swaying, idyllic white sand beaches and tropical sun. But just offshore there's a different world where the shallow waters enable visitors to snorkel the Buccoo Reef with its variety of corals and sponges, and creatures like Parrot Fish and French Angel Fish. These can also be viewed on glass-bottomed boat tours. On the other side of the island is Scarborough, a bustling port which would have been all too much for Crusoe and Man Friday. Here it's a matter of do as the locals do, far from the unreal world of the European hotels. Though there is a pizza place frequented by the young, you can still enjoy a chicken curry-style roti from the same premises, a hearty meal at a down-to-earth price, and hop into a "taxi" with the locals for a tenth of the price of the sole use ones which charge in US dollars. But away from the towns, Defoe managed to get some things right. Sections of Tobago are uninhabited, and there is an abundance of bird life.

In this regard, my main interest was to be Little Tobago Island just offshore from Speyside. In 1909 Sir William Ingram brought 26 pairs of Birds of Paradise from Papua New Guinea and set them free here on his island. After his death his sons donated the island to the government as a bird sanctuary. The Birds of Paradise flourished until 1963 when Hurricane Flora destroyed the vegetation, and within a few years none remained. But today it's a sanctuary for sea birds and other wildlife. I went in a group with one of the island's foremost naturalists, David Rooks. Once an oilman and hunter, who became a conservationist in 1973, David told us the history of Tobago along with some colourful anecdotes of his own. We knew we were travelling with a legend of sorts when smiling locals waved and called as we passed: "Mr. Rooks! Mr. Rooks!" After a short boat ride we landed at Little Tobago where "Mr. Rooks," with his telescope over his shoulder, set off up the hillside at a brisk pace.

Pausing here and there, David would have us take turns looking through his telescope at birds that we hadn't even noticed like the blue crowned mot mot, and vegetation like the orchids high up in the trees. Looking back to Goat Island through the sea spray gave the sense that we really had left civilization behind. Then coming over the ridge to the wilder side of the island, we reached what would be the highlight of the day. Our enthusiastic leader explained that the sight we were about to witness was the subject of David Attenborough's BBC series entitled Trials of Life, the story of the beautiful red-billed tropic bird, and that he, David Rooks, had assisted with guidance for the production. We didn't have long to wait for the "show" to begin.

The white bird with a distinctive red bill flew past our cliff-top observation post, and then another. They banked, and nose down, dived into the waters far below to catch their fish. But they wouldn't be enjoying their meal just yet. For looming large in the skies above them soared the Frigate Birds. Unable to dive below the ocean's surface because of a lack of oil in their wing feathers, the Frigate Birds rely on others to catch fish for them. And so the daily ritual began. The Frigate Bird hurtled from on high, intent on grabbing the other bird by the neck and shaking it till it regurgitated its catch. The chase was on. In the time we watched, the larger bird stayed hungry and the "fisherman" escaped. But it would not always be so. For in nature's kingdom David Attenborough's title said it all. Just as the shipwrecked Robinson Crusoe had to battle to survive, so even for the frigate bird and red-billed tropic bird, these daily contests are indeed the Trials of Life.

note: parts of the article been edited out.