This is an area covered with tar and rich with history. It is also one of three such lakes in the world. Knowledgeable tour guides are recommended. Costs are as follows: children 6 - 12 yrs TT$12.00 each adults TT$30.00 each free for children under the age of 6. Contact info: (868) 784-3817; (868) 648-7697
via www.tourism.gov.tt
"Not even the Trinidadians recognize this treasure." "A must-see when you visit Trinidad." Those are two quotes I saw when I came across the site "Trip Advisor" (http://www.tripadvisor.com/).
Those quotes prompted me to write this post. I could have approached the subject and dealt with the very first quote that is so true - we don't treasure our natural resources in Trinidad & Tobago and that means everything that is unique to the Republic of T&T including our musical culture. However, that is a discussion for another post. We shall take a brief look at the La Brea Pitch Lake and present some information that would encourage you to dig deeper for more information on the subject. There is a wealth of information on the various websites that talk about the history of the lake. If you want to see more video footage then go to YouTube where visitors to the lake have posted their video footage and experiences at the lake.
Those quotes prompted me to write this post. I could have approached the subject and dealt with the very first quote that is so true - we don't treasure our natural resources in Trinidad & Tobago and that means everything that is unique to the Republic of T&T including our musical culture. However, that is a discussion for another post. We shall take a brief look at the La Brea Pitch Lake and present some information that would encourage you to dig deeper for more information on the subject. There is a wealth of information on the various websites that talk about the history of the lake. If you want to see more video footage then go to YouTube where visitors to the lake have posted their video footage and experiences at the lake.
This is not just any ordinary lake and it is not for bathing even though some people believe that bathing in the water from catchment areas in the Pitch Lake has healing properties. They claim that the water has healing attributes and guarantee that it cures rheumatism, arthritis, joint pain, and many other ailments. The importance of this lake of asphalt came to prominence in 1595 when Sir Walter Raleigh came into contact with this natural phenomenon. He quickly realized that it could be used to stop the leaks in his ship and from that point onward the legend and notoriety of the Pitch Lake started.
This natural wonder is the largest of the three known deposits around the World and is located in the southern end of Trinidad in an area known as La Brea (See map). The 'lake of pitch’ is approximately 100 acres in size with an estimated depth of 250 feet. It has been estimated that at the present rate of extraction this lake can provide raw pitch material for the next 400 years - now isn't that an amazing fact? The actual capacity of the Lake is estimated to be between 6 - 10 million tons. One must also take into account that this deposit is being constantly fed from its source beneath the earth. This means that the supply of this emulsified black gold will be with us for generations yet to come. The other known lakes are located at Lake Guanaco in Venezuelan and the La Brea Tar Pits in California, U.S.A. Trinidad's natural lake is the only one that is presently mined for export and is the largest and most famous of the three pits. The pitch is exported around the World and is used in the construction of roadways and other important projects. Today the asphalt is exported in pellet form as compared to the liquid form in drums. Trinidad Lake Asphalt is constantly working to find better ways to produce and export this natural wonder.
There are many theories regarding the formation of the Trinidad Pitch Lake with the scientists explaining that the Lake is the result of interaction of the Caribbean Plate as it related to Barbados Arc causing pressure that forces the asphalt mix to the surface. The Chima Indians have their own explanation about how the lake came into existence and it all has to do with the Colibri (Humming) bird. It was related that after they had fought and defeated their enemy they celebrated in the area where the lake is presently located. However, they got carried away and broke the sacred law of the land. In their exuberance, they got carried away and killed, cooked, and ate the sacred hummingbird.
The hummingbird was significant to the Indians since they believed these birds carried the spirits of their ancestors. Legend has it that "Pimlontas" (their winged God) became angry because of their actions and created the lake that they called Piche (pitch) to swallow up their entire village. No one had disapproved this claim to date! One thing we know that is a fact is that the lake does have a reputation of swallowing up any helpless animals that come into contact with the soft areas. The remains of animals including the mammoth and native Amerindian artifacts, including pottery, have been retrieved from the lake. It is a recorded fact that in 1928 a huge tree estimated to be more than 4,000 years old was pushed up from the bowels of the lake only to be swallowed up again. However, a cross-section of the tree was cut off and saved for posterity. Some of these facts were obtained from this website:
The Trinidad Pitch Lake creates employment in the mining of asphalt as well as provides a constant flow of tourists who are curious about the lake. Many persons visiting this area are fascinated while others leave confused when they see the large barren gray-colored area with that unusual smell. Most of the persons who enjoy the visit to Pitch Lake do so because they used the official guides for the site provided by the La Brea Pitch Lake Visitor Center. Maybe you can be one of those who can say without reservation that you have visited and touched the pitch lake. If that is the case please leave a comment regarding your experience(s). Please visit the Trinidad Lake Asphalt website for more information about this eight-wonder of the world at:
