North Point of San Salvador, Bahamas:
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue and
landed on one of the richest islands in the Caribbean. San Salvador, unlike any
other in the Bahamian territory, remains untouched by large developers and
commerce, yet it boasts a rich and thriving ecosystem in many ways. Across its
63 square miles, you’ll find flourishing sea grass beds, mangroves, coral
reefs, hypersaline lakes, and rocky keys that contribute to the island's unique
natural beauty. One of the most beautiful and diverse parts of the
island is northernmost point of the island, which Columbus documented in his journal.
Sea grass beds can be found all around the island, but one of
the most thriving beds is located along Graham's Harbor. On the surface, it may
appear as just a broken dock, but beneath the water, it has become its own
habitat for many local species, known as an artificial reef. Within the rubble,
you’ll find phototrophs like sea turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), urchins, soft coral fans, stony corals, and sea stars, all
nestling within the cracks and columns of the remains. There are many
carnivores among these growing environments, such as parrotfish, the invasive
lionfish, and jellies feeding on plankton. One of the more majestic inhabitants
of the harbor is the two resident green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) that greeted us every time we snorkeled. However, no ecosystem is balanced without predators, and in
this case, it includes reef sharks (Carcharhinus
perezii.) that were seen around dusk.
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Green Sea Turtle - Credit -
Piper Davis |
Around the cove of the harbor, known as Cut Cay, patch reefs
hug the rocky coastline of the North Point peninsula. The North Point peninsula
is composed of calcarenite limestones and karst formations. On the top surface
of the point, you’ll find phytokarst, which are small-scale, irregular, and
rough-edged karst features caused by algae, cyanobacteria, rainwater, sea
spray, and more. On the west side of the point, in Graham's Harbor, the calmer
waters create beaches and habitats. In contrast, the east side of the point,
Rice Bay, experiences significantly higher wave energy and rougher conditions,
resulting in most of the salt spray coming from this side. Within Rice Bay,
many will notice a sunken ship sunken ship at the edge of the point. The Dutch propane
tanker crashed into North Point in 1985, and the crew was not recovered.
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| North Point- Coastline (pc: Piper Davis) |
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| Shipwreck (pc : Piper Davis) |
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| Karst (pc: Piper Davis) |
The point itself is rich in crustaceans and vegetation. When examining
the tidal pools, we found chitons, which are ancient mollusks. Among them were
fuzzy chitons (Acanthopleura granulata), consuming algae off the sediment. Beaded
Periwinkle Snails (Tectarius muricatus) and Peanut Snails (Cerion
spp. San Salvador) were very common
at the point, residing within crevices to avoid wave action while
remaining moist. Vegetation on the point is mostly shrubs and ground covering. Mostly
covered by Coastal Ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) and Sea Oxe-eye (Borrichia
arborescens) that follow the rough path along the top of the point.  |
| Sea Oxe-eye (pc: Piper Davis) |
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| Coastal Ragweed (pc:Piper Davis) |
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| Picture Credits - Piper Davis |
The Gerace Research Center provides a unique opportunity for curious students to discover the island from it's history, its culture, and the riches San Salvador provides in it's ecosystem. Thank you the University of South Carolina - Beaufort (Natural Sciences Department) for an amazing experience to study, learn, and indulge in this experience. -Piper Davis
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