Saint Anne Sandy Point Parish
Encyclopedia
Saint Anne Sandy Point is one of 14 administrative parishes
that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis
. It is the smallest parish on St. Kitts in terms of area, at just 5 square miles (13 km²). It is located on the main island of Saint Kitts
and the parish capital is Sandy Point Town
.
fields, as well as numerous small holdings, cultivating provision crops and tropical fruits. The town of Sandy Point
, the second largest town on the island, skirts the southern coast, whilst the village Fig Tree rests just North of it. Moving inwards (East), the terrain shifts from the gently sloping coastal plain to the steep mountains of the North West Range, which, above 1000 feet, above sea level, is draped in tropical forests.
Cranston Ghaut marks the northern border of the parish, whilst Sandy Point Ghaut (an ill-defined ravine near Brimstone Hill Road) marks the southern.
, the federation's second largest settlement, with a population near 3,000. The town rests along the South coast of the parish. The other settlements of the parish act as suburbs to the town, and are usually annexed in local reference to Sandy Point. These are Fig Tree, La Vallée, and Sir Gillee's. Abandoned estate houses dot other areas further inland.
Capital - Sandy Point Town
Other Villages:
. Tourism is the other main employer for the parish. The Sandy Point Area's rich history has left it awash with many of the nation's premier historical sites, such as Fort Charles
, and many warehouse building ruins, remnants of when Dutch tobacco trade reigned in the town. Offshore, just West of Sandy Point Town, lies the Sandy Point National Marine Park, often noted as one of the premier dive sites in the Eastern Caribbean.
. Its functions were replaced by Deep Water Harbour in Basseterre.
),Villa developments, and a state of the art sporting facility.
Parishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into 14 parishes. Nine parishes are located on the island of Saint Kitts and five on Nevis. The parishes are drawn like pie-slices from the ridgeline of the central mountains of both islands....
that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis , located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas, in both area and population....
. It is the smallest parish on St. Kitts in terms of area, at just 5 square miles (13 km²). It is located on the main island of Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts Saint Kitts Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island (Saint-Christophe in French) is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean...
and the parish capital is Sandy Point Town
Sandy Point Town
Sandy Point is the second largest town of St. Kitts. It is situated on the north-west coast of St.Kitts and is the capital of Saint Anne Sandy Point Parish....
.
Land
The parish itself is triangular in shape. The coastline of the parish is 4.06 miles (6.53 km) in length, with black sandy beaches, such as Pump Bay and Belle Tête dominating the southern coast, with sheer cliffs to the north. The lower slopes of the parish are dominated by abandoned sugarcaneSugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
fields, as well as numerous small holdings, cultivating provision crops and tropical fruits. The town of Sandy Point
Sandy Point Town
Sandy Point is the second largest town of St. Kitts. It is situated on the north-west coast of St.Kitts and is the capital of Saint Anne Sandy Point Parish....
, the second largest town on the island, skirts the southern coast, whilst the village Fig Tree rests just North of it. Moving inwards (East), the terrain shifts from the gently sloping coastal plain to the steep mountains of the North West Range, which, above 1000 feet, above sea level, is draped in tropical forests.
Cranston Ghaut marks the northern border of the parish, whilst Sandy Point Ghaut (an ill-defined ravine near Brimstone Hill Road) marks the southern.
Town/Villages
The main settlement in the parish is Sandy Point TownSandy Point Town
Sandy Point is the second largest town of St. Kitts. It is situated on the north-west coast of St.Kitts and is the capital of Saint Anne Sandy Point Parish....
, the federation's second largest settlement, with a population near 3,000. The town rests along the South coast of the parish. The other settlements of the parish act as suburbs to the town, and are usually annexed in local reference to Sandy Point. These are Fig Tree, La Vallée, and Sir Gillee's. Abandoned estate houses dot other areas further inland.
Capital - Sandy Point Town
Sandy Point Town
Sandy Point is the second largest town of St. Kitts. It is situated on the north-west coast of St.Kitts and is the capital of Saint Anne Sandy Point Parish....
Other Villages:
- Fig Tree
- La Vallée
- Sir Gillee's Estate
Economy
The town of Sandy Point is home to a small factory, owned by Harowe Servo Controls, which manufactures electrical equipment. Despite its small size, it is the main employer in the parish, and the largest industrial area outside of Saint George Basseterre ParishSaint George Basseterre Parish
Saint George Basseterre is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the largest parish on Saint Kitts and the second largest parish in Saint Kitts and Nevis . It is by far the most populous parish in the federation, holding nearly a third of the country's population...
. Tourism is the other main employer for the parish. The Sandy Point Area's rich history has left it awash with many of the nation's premier historical sites, such as Fort Charles
Fort Charles (Saint Kitts)
Fort Charles is an old British fort on the island of St. Kitts. Its capture by the French was the reason for the construction of the more famous Brimstone Hill Fortress, which overlooks it....
, and many warehouse building ruins, remnants of when Dutch tobacco trade reigned in the town. Offshore, just West of Sandy Point Town, lies the Sandy Point National Marine Park, often noted as one of the premier dive sites in the Eastern Caribbean.
Port
In the early 17th century, Sandy Point Town functioned as the main port for British Saint Christopher, and grew wealthy from the tobacco trade. In 1640 when production was shifted to sugar, Sandy Point continued to be Saint Kitts' main port, until 1727, when Basseterre was made capital of the island and most business was shifted. The port of Sandy Point, with its naturally deep water harbour continued to function however, and became the main port on the island for mail and personal goods shipment. The port was destroyed and rebuilt many times in its history, and finally ceased to exist in 1984, via Hurricane KlausHurricane Klaus (1984)
Hurricane Klaus was an Atlantic hurricane that hit the Leeward Islands from the west in November of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming from a broad area of low pressure on November 5, Klaus maintained a northeast movement throughout much of its path...
. Its functions were replaced by Deep Water Harbour in Basseterre.
Community Festival
The community festival for the parish of St. Anne Sandy Point is Easterama. It is a week long event during the Easter season, and it features calypso shows, queen shows, parties, street jam sessions and late night limes (hang outs). Most activities are held around central Sandy Point and on Pump Bay, Fig Tree.Future Developments
The northern coastal plains of St. Anne Sandy Point parish are currently being developed by the La Vallee Greens Corporation. The finished product will include the La Vallée Golf Course, a marina and port facility for transport to the northern Leeward Islands (Statia, Saba, St. Barths, St. Martin, and AnguillaAnguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
),Villa developments, and a state of the art sporting facility.