Down de Islands

Not "the" but "de".

About once or twice a year several of the families in Beach Camp would go for a weeks holiday at the company house on one of the islands off the north-west coast of Trinidad.


Monos island didn't have mains electricity but a very noisy generator behind the house. Apart from the "boatman" and his wife who lived in a small house next door, there were no staff. I think that on some occasions, one of the families may have taken a cook along but for the most part, it was all do it yourself.

We had to drive the 100km to the jetty within the US base and had to have passes to get past the guards. Cars loaded with all the food we needed for the week as there were no shops.

At the jetty, we would be met by the boatman for the trip to the house on Monos island. Either in two trips in the small company speedboat (speed is a bad description for a heavy wooden vessel) or  if he came in his own fishing boat, we could all fit in with the supplies,

It was all quite basic (take a look at the ceiling lights): two large dormitories:  one male, one female and downstairs a large dining & sitting room and kitchen. A small beach, jetty (pier) and the boat with which we went out on fishing trips or waterskiing or to visit friends at other houses. There were no roads and one didn't even venture 10m inland from the beach.

Happy days for both parents and children.

In the photo left to right:
me, my father, Peggy Bushe, Peter Bushe, Joy Porter, Jim Porter and my mother half-hidden.