Local Ting än Ting

[TriP]

Local Leaf ~ Taro ~ Dasheen Bush Callaloo


The leaves of the Taro plant are used to make the Trinidadian variant of the Caribbean dish known as Callaloo (which is made with okra, Dasheen/Taro leaves, coconut milk or creme and aromatic herbs) and it is also prepared similarly to steamed spinach.

The root of the taro plant is often served boiled, accompanied by stewed fish or meat, or curried, often with peas, and eaten with roti or it is added to soups

Callaloo (sometimes calaloo) is a Caribbean dish that is most popular in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica (known as pepperpot).

The main ingredient of which is a leaf vegetable, traditionally either amaranth (known by many local names including callaloo or bhaji), or taro or Xanthosoma species (both known by many local names including callaloo, coco, tannia, or dasheen bush).

Because the leaf vegetable used in some regions may be locally called “callaloo” or “callaloo bush”, some confusion can arise among the different vegetables and with the dish itself.

Outside of the Caribbean, spinach is occasionally used.

Plant sources for Callaloo leaves

Taro – also called dasheen in the West Indies the leaves of this root crop are used in the Trinidadian version of the dish

Tannia or Malanga called calalu in Puerto Rico

Amaranth species include Amaranthus spinosus used in the West Indies and A. flavus is a yellow variety used in Brazil and known as caruru

Pokeweed species Phtolacca octandra or West Indian foxglove

Nightshade species Solanum nodiflorum

Callaloo is almost always made with okra and dasheen or spinach. There are many variations of callaloo which may include coconut milk, crab, Caribbean lobster, meats, chile peppers, and other seasonings.

The ingredients are added and simmered down to a soup or stew consistency. When done, callaloo is dark green in color and is served as a soup or a side dish which may be used as a gravy for other food.

Callaloo is widely known throughout the Caribbean and has a distinctively Caribbean origin, created by African slaves using ideas of the indigenous people along with both African (okra) and indigenous (Xanthosoma) plants.

[TriP]

Local Paria ~ Paria Bay


A proposal was recently made to declare a Paria National Park between Blanchisseuse and Matelot.

This is on the trail to Paria, near to Turtle Rock.

The rocks off Paria Bay ~ North Coast

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Local Shark Oil ~ In Grande Riviere


Shark liver oil has surprising uses. it was an ingredient in Cosmetics, a Fuel for Street Lamps and a High Grade Machine Oil. Synthetic alternatives have taken its place but it is still used as a traditional medicine

The lighter coloured oil is from Tiger sharks. The darker oil from Bull sharks. It's supposed to be good for Arthritis, Astma, the common Cold among others

Shark liver oil is used along with usual cancer drugs to treat leukemia and other cancers; to prevent radiation illness from Cancer X-ray therapy; to prevent the common cold, flu, and Swine Flu; and to boost the body’s immune system.

It is also used for increasing White Cell counts during treatment with Anti-Cancer drugs (chemotherapy). White cells are important in fighting off infection, but many are killed by Chemotherapy.

People apply shark liver oil directly to the skin for skin conditions including skin cancer.

Most shark liver oil supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Although many people have taken shark liver oil, the issue of potential toxicity at the usual doses has not been well studied.

Some mild digestive problems such as nausea, upset stomach, and diarrhea have been reported. The safe range of doses for shark liver oil has not yet being determined, though overdosing can have toxic consequences

How much shark livers does it take to make one of those?

Their fins aren't harvested. It's not our local fishers doing the shark finning. It's foreign owned longliners that target sharks in the Atlantic. Different trade altogether.

Shark livers can be quite large. The fisher claims the oil in these bottles comes from a tiger shark. A full grown tiger shark can be about 10-14 ft and 850-1400 pounds. The liver is about 17.5% of body mass. I'm not sure what % of the liver is oil.

[TriP]

Local Divers Tour ~ La Forrest Point ~ Toco

Saturday 13th December, 2014


You can SCUBA dive, snorkel or swim if you have no gear; you can fish, get a tan or walk on the beach if you don’t want to get wet.

Meeting time is 9am at Salybia Reef before moving as a group to La Forrest

“La Forrest ("Fo-ray") - Point actually faces the Atlantic, so it is essentially on the east coast.

Access is via an unpaved road which leads off from the road to the Toco light house, so 4WD vehicles would be more appropriate for the final part of the trip.

Persons can leave their cars in parking areas next to the Salybia reef and car pool with those who have 4WD vehicles for the trip along the unpaved road.

At La Forrest, a mini rocky headland juts out in a generally south easterly direction. On the left is a sand and gravel beach which is exposed to Atlantic swells.

On the right is a sandy beach which is partially sheltered by this headland.

The beach is also shaded by several large trees. So the area is one of the most picturesque you will find locally

Call 681-3104

[TriP]

Local Hike ~ Covigne River Gorge Hike and Waterfall Climb

Saturday 13th December 2014 ~ Arboretum in Tucker Valley ~ Chaguaramas for 10:30am


$125 per person - family discounts for kids are available

We will start by hiking up a river which branches off the Covigne River then we come to the first waterfall.

Ropes will be set from the top of the waterfall and using these ropes you will climb up and down several waterfalls along rock piles and limestone formations.

The limestone gives great hand holds and grip so you can free climb many of the formations

Swim suits like surfing trunks are best, Jeans will be too restrictive and heavy.

Bring 2 extra sets of clothes, one to wear to lunch and subsequent kayak and one to go home dry in.

Any reasonable sneakers, trail shoes or river shoes are fine.

Heavy hiking boots are not appropriate as they become heavy with water. Slippers are also not appropriate

Everything will get wet so bring phones / cameras in dry bags or double/triple zip loc bag


Call 620-8240

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Local Jamun ~ Jamoon wine


Jamun is extremely good for diabetics because of it’s low glycaemic index.

Not only does it keep your blood sugar levels in check, it also prevents common diabetes symptoms like frequent thirst and urination from appearing.

It is important that you eat foods like jamun and tomatoes which are rich in this ingredient, as such foods often contain many other nutrients also that are beneficial for your health.

Leaves of the jamun tree are great for your digestive system and oral health. The leaves have been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat diarrhoea and ulcers.

They also have anti-bacterial properties which makes them an ingredient in many medicines for treating oral health problems.


According to Hindu tradition:

Rama subsisted on the Jamun fruit in the forest for 14 years during his exile from Ayodhya.

Because of this, many Hindus regard this as the ‘fruit of the Gods’ especially in Gujarat, from the bark, to the leaves, to the fruit and its seeds – the Jamun tree is another of nature’s wonderful gifts.

Ingredients

1) 3 kg of Jamun
2) 1 lt water(boiled and to be cooled slightly but should yet be hot)
3) 750 gm sugar
4) 5 gm citric acid
5) 20 gm yeast

Method

1) Deseed the jamuns/jamoon and squash them by hand.
2)Add the sugar, hot water, citric acid and the activated yeast and stir.
3) Strian after two weeks but keep stirring it occasionally.
4)Rack after two months and thereafter repeat the racking process till the wine clears

[crazybalhead]

I <3 this thread.

Please continue...

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Local Soca Short Film ~ Soca Artiste's




Starring Nessa Preppy, Orlando Octave, Dexter "Blaxx" Stewart,
Devon Matthews, John Michael Alibocas, Shradah Mc Intyre,
Kelon Cruickshank and Anthony Lawrence among other
Prominent names yet to be announced.

Look Nessa Preppy in Film

[TriP]

crazybalhead

[TriP]

Arrow ~ Last Episode 9 of Season 3 ~ The Climb

Oliver is stabbed by Ra's al Ghul and is kicked over the cliff


(Updates coming soon to Arrow's Thread)

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People of Trinidad and Tobago


"My parents are Irish but I'm from Tobago.

They fell in love with the island 20+ years ago and so it became our home.

They own the 'The Fish Pot' restaurant.

I grew up in Pleasant Prospect- the epicentre of strange and wonderful people.

The environment, conservation, saving the turtles are all things that you can’t help but become involved in living there.

I’m studying Biology in UWI and will specialise in Marine Biology and Ecology&Conservation.

The earth doesn't belong to us, we belong to her.

It’s up to us to look after her and be fair to all the other lives - plant and animal that we with live with.

I've worked with SOS (Save Our Sea turtles, Tobago) and I love turtles! Seeing a nesting turtle is a humbling experience no matter how many times you've seen it happen.

My name Niamh (pronounced Neeve) causes some consternation as it becomes the classic “Nyam” or "Neeumph".

In Secondary school my classmates would wait for a new teacher to try and say it on the role call and sometimes even say my name in unison at the pause.

It gets more complicated with my Dads name- “ Fiacra,” . Everyone just calls him Irish.

[TriP]

Local Beauty ~ Owner and Stylist ~ Nissa Hanooman ~ Little Black Dress & Co

Owner of Little Black Dress ~ Boutique at The Falls West Mall


The little black dress. It is simple and timeless. This is perhaps best epitomised by Audrey Hepburn in the classic movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

This was the inspiration for Nissa Hanooman, owner of Little Black Dress (LBD) boutique at The Falls West Mall, who was mesmerised by Hepburn’s charm, beauty and sincerity. Her style is as beautiful now as it was then – timeless and elegant.

LBD recently celebrated its first anniversary with an exclusive, classy soiree at the boutique. It was a fashionable affair, with guests dressed to the nines, buzzing about the clothing and accessories on display.

Models showed off pieces artfully styled by Nissa and paired with jeweled accents from local designers – J by Joanna Moutttet and Anoushka by Ilmes.

Narissa was delighted to share some fashion ideas with Woman’s Weekly. She agrees that every woman should have at least one little black dress hanging in her closet. Quoting Dior she says, “You can wear black at any hour of the day or night, at any age and for any occasion. A little black dress is the most essential thing in any woman’s wardrobe.”

The same dress, she says, can be worn and styled in so many different ways. This holiday season the perfect accompaniments for the LBD are beautiful red lips and lots of sparkle.

For the girl who dares to be different Nissa loves the idea of a sleek, tailored pants suit for your Old Year’s Night party.

A very selective shopper, Nissa prefers to set trends than follow them. She says that before she buys any dress, she asks herself, “is this a piece I can pass on to my daughter one day?” She advises her clients to invest in timeless and versatile pieces. While there is undeniable charm in the simplicity of black and white, she says there are other hues that can also stand the test of time. She adores rich oxblood, deep mustard and navy blue.

An interesting aside: Nissa is a Barbie collector and, although it took “forever”, she got her hands on the authentic Audrey Hepburn Barbie. When it arrived she fell in love with the details including, of course, the timeless, classic LBD.

Nissa Celebrated 1 yr Anniversary 2 weeks ago

[TriP]

Local Bird ~ Bearded Bellbird

The Bearded Bellbird is the only resident species in Trinidad, it is often heard rather than seen





By far one of the loudest and most peculiar forest bird species one is likely to see, the Bearded Bellbird – also called the Mossy Throated Bellbird or Campanaro because of its beard-like wattles and metallic sound – can easily be heard and recognized during forest excursions.

All Cotingas are adorned with strange appendages, colours and/or have odd behaviours. Unlike other Cotingas, Bellbird males are raucous birds (heard over great distances), performing explosively loud croaks or bell-like sounds used mainly to advertise their territories.

These forest birds can be heard and observed displaying within the sub-canopy regions of the forest (30-80 feet up).

It is often heard rather than seen. Among the best places to see this special bird is along the nature trails of Asa Wright Nature Centre.


(The most unusual sound I've ever heard)

[SMc]

My contribution to the BBB...taken in June this year.

[TriP]

Local Paramin ~ Taxi-Service


A Paramin Taxi's ~ Because of the Steep Roads on the Hills

It's a Fairly Cheap and Affordable Vehicle

The Long-Base Version Being Able to Fit 8 people

4 Passengers on the Bench Seats in the Tray

4 Passengers in the Cabin.

[TriP]

Local Money ~ New $50.00 Bill


There is a new TT$50.00 note

The redesigned note is gold in color, making it distinctive and easy to recognize, unlike it’s previous design which was often confused with a TT$5.00 bill.

According to the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), the new note will go into circulation over the counter on December 20 at commercial banks.

It will still feature familiar national symbols like the Coat of Arms and the Twin Towers, but will now reflect the beauty of our people and the diversity of our flora.

However the most exciting feature of the new $50 banknote is its feel.

Instead of being made from traditional cotton, it will be made from Polymer, a type of plastic film.

The CBTT said that Trinidad and Tobago will be joining over 20 countries that already use polymer notes.

Polymer is the material of the future for money as it is stronger, cleaner and longer-lasting than cotton money.

It also carries many security features, making it very difficult or in some cases virtually impossible to counterfeit.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=606631

[TriP]

Local Foods ~ Channa and Bara


At first they sold Bara and Chutney alone

Then Bara with Channa

Then a Name was Found - Doubles

This was sold mainly in Indo-Communities all over T&T


(But no one really can say who exactly started this)

[TriP]

Local Black Bird ~ Merle Corbeau


Smooth-billed Anis (Crotophaga ani) are black birds are almost always found in groups and these family birds even nest in a single large communal nest.

Each female is capable of laying up to seven eggs, and nests have been found containing up to 29 eggs

The Smooth-Billed Ani feeds on termites, large insects and even lizards and frogs, will slowly work their way through the vegetation searching for prey.

Very Aggressive,Will Fly Down at You if come close to there nesting place

[TriP]

Local Entertainer ~ Darrel Dookoo


A Female Who Keeps Reporting His Facebook Videos

His FB Page https://www.facebook.com/inexconsultants
Followed by 7,335 people


(Extreme Obscenities)

"Stop watching meh fackin' nipples"



(He Finally made it on YouTube)

[TriP]

Local Cycling ~ Tour of Tobago





This 1 Hour ESPN Program Includes 5 Days of Elite Cycling Deep in the Caribbean with the Beautiful Island of Tobago as the Backdrop.


In addition to Exciting Riding We'll show you:

1.Top Beaches in Tobago

2.The Tobago Cocoa Estate

3.R & Sea Divers

4.Healing With Horses



Local TnT Host ~ Ashleia Baksh

Radio Announcer - STAR 947TT

Animal Lover

Believes in God

Feeding Your Soul with Fruits of Life

Devoted Mumbai Indians

Real Madrid Fan

[TriP]

Local Surfing ~ Mt. Irvine Beach - SATT Nationals (13-12-14)

Mt. Irvine Does Not Disappoint

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Local City Gate ~ Port of Spain ~ Christmas Exhibit

A Spektaula Calypso Tent in the 90's

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Local Parang ~ Brian Lara Promenade ~ Christmas Exhibition


Parang on the Promenade

Parang Queen Alicia Jagessar of Los Alumnos De San Juan invited the young members of

Moruga Secondary's Los Parranderos Picantes on stage to sing a spirited version of Rio Manzanare

[TriP]

Local Media Producer-Director-TV ~ Lisa Wickham

Wickham Fulfils Lifelong Dream ~ Writing a Book ~ On a Positive Note - Words of Inspiration


Bio:

Lisa Wickham...writing since the age of six.

She has been writing since the age of six and Lisa Wickham has fulfilled a lifelong dream, writing a book—On a Positive Note! Words of Inspiration, to be launched on December 11, at Luce, Hilton Trinidad.

Before flying out to Bahamas, via Florida, on November 20,2014, the popular producer said: “It was through writing that I ended up on Rikki Tikki on TTT. Auntie Germaine (Mitchell) invited me to read one of my poems and the rest is history.

“About three years ago my life took a shift and I decided to begin focusing on positivity. Every day I would put up little positive quotes on my Facebook and Twitter pages. The response was overwhelming with people connecting to these posts, though to me it was a lot of ‘self talk’. It was me talking myself out of a situation that was happening in my life at that time.

Last year, I thought this would make a great collection. I actually completed the book last year but only got around to publishing it this year.”

Though Wickham is a well-known face on television, writing is her passion. She said: “This is a side of me that not many people realise but I have been writing since I was a little child. I started with poetry. I write everywhere, napkins, notebooks, backs of menus. Sometimes you feel empty with nothing and I will stop for a while, but when I travel I get inspired and it would come gushing out. Or something would happen to upset me and I vent through writing.

“I used to be a junior writer for the Junior Express, the Sun and the Express as well when I was much younger. I also still write for the Guardian Life Business View Column, and have been a contributor since 1998. I have written several business articles for Caribbean journals and magazines. What’s also little known is that I have written some Christmas music for Kenny Phillip’s Christmas collection and I wrote a chutney soca a few years ago; one version of it was actually the theme song for The E-Zone. I co-wrote a groovy soca with Lemo as well.

“I used to well write calypsoes at school from Form One to Six. I just write.”

Wickham says just having life and observing life feeds and fuels her drive to write.

She said: “I draw my inspiration from my life experiences. My life has been very diverse straddling the creative, corporate and the academic. I have also lived in and travelled to several countries across Europe, Africa, India, North America and the Caribbean. I think this feeds into my work whether is writing, producing or directing or even just who I am and how I am with others.”

Wickham has led her company, E-Zone, in producing many major events. “My proudest moment to date was when we conceptualised, produced and filmed the 2007 and 2008 Cott Music Awards” she proudly said.

“Allison Demas asked if we could produce a Grammy-style award show. I interned at the Junos (The Canadian Grammy’s) and we also were then doing the various productions for BET and BETJ (BET’s jazz channel). We were able to pull it off.

“I have also been the supervising producer for Home Again, the Canadian film starring Tatyana Ali and shot in Trinidad and more recently one of the producers for Girlfriends Getaway, the US film starring Garcelle Beauvais. Of course there was The E-Zone TV Show which was actually licensed by BET and ran in the US on BET and BETJ.”

Wickham was also a co-producer of the popular Nescafe Party Time television teen talent programme. In addition, she produced and directed the series of award-winning Digicel DVP ads, the Blink bmobile Shadows World Cup 2012 ad, also an award-winner, among numerous others.

She added: “Another important project, which has nothing to do with film and TV, is when I was the head of the Global Quality Exchange (GQE) back in the 90s. This was a World Bank project. Total Quality Management and ISO 9000 is now being introduced to T&T as companies needed to be certified to trade internationally. A training unit was set up jointly with the Institute of Business (now the Arthur Lok Jack) of which I was then the general manager and the T&T Bureau of Standards, the GQE and I headed that initiative. That was another proud moment because we worked with several companies and it was pioneering.”

Wickham successfully manages to marry her professional with her domestic side, she being the mother of a teenage daughter, Gabrielle Branche, who not surprisingly is also artistically inclined. “My daughter is my life,” said Wickham. “She is also the apple of my mother’s eye. Gabi is both creative and scientific. I guess she has both her father and mother in her. She told me once ‘mommy I top you because you started writing when you were six and I started when I was five.’

“Gabi was in Phantom of the Opera, and she went to Latvia for the World Choir Games with St Joseph’s Convent to represent the country and region and she also was in the top 20 in the Level 2 Math Olympiad earlier this year. Oh, of course she is a Lilliputian with Aunty Noble (Douglas) and was in The Love Movement for years.

“Our quality time is on the way to school. No phone calls and no radio allowed so in the car on mornings, we just talk and talk about anything. I am very proud of her and she inspires me.”

With her trademark laugh, Wickham said: “Imagine that she inspires me? As a proud Holy Name Convent girl I have come to terms with the fact that she attends St Joseph’s Convent.”

So, what drives Lisa Wickham? She revealed: “My passion is developing others to their full potential. I have been doing that ever since I was very young. So many of the current industry exemplars have passed through our doors, some even before knowing what they wanted to do in life and I am very proud of them. At 18, I was the youth co-ordinator for the Laventille/Morvant pastoral Area.

“I really come to life when I see other people achieve their dreams. The painful part is when they turn their backs on you as some eventually do, but that is human and I work through it and get back on the treadmill again.

“My daughter started the St Theresa’s Youth Group so I help her and it’s great. Eight years ago, I also established the Lisa Wickham Achievement Award for Excellence in Academia and Extracurricular Activities for the SEA year at my primary school, St Dominic’s RC in Morvant. I do this quietly because it’s more about the purpose than the PR for me.

“I also love to travel to foreign countries. I am most creative on an airplane. I look at the clouds and by the time I land I have napkins full of ideas. I love to read. Exercising... hmmm, I should be doing more. I’ve trained intensively with Gerard and Steven but I fall off the wheel but intend to get back on again because a girl gotta look hot; right?”

Wickham is hoping that her book of poems will be an inspiration to all who read it. She said: “That is the essence of it all. I really want the book to help others through difficult or challenging times. I want people to keep it and just pick it up, open it on any page and the quote should speak to them for that day.

“I actually have had to use my own book over the last few weeks in the same way. People see me always smiling, but I too have my painful or dark moments. I have to keep myself motivated because I realise that many people live through me and I take that seriously. I have always had to live with that.

“People would come up to my mother when I was on Rikki Tikki and Party Time and say ‘I want my daughter to be just like yours’. At the time it was slightly annoying because it makes you a target. But as I grew up I grew into my role and now I understand the importance of inspiring others and I really do take it seriously.”

And so, Lisa Wickham continues to be a work in progress. She said: “I am currently working on me; redefining who I am and where I want to be in the next five years. It is a work in progress. But, I don’t get to take two months off and do that so I am also working on a series of testimonial ads for a major corporation that I think will be tremendously inspiring and we are in pre-production for another film as well as a TV series.”

Always abroad on business, Wickham said: “I am always jetting off somewhere. I think I have been in Trinidad for just two months combined this year.”

Now attending a conference in the Bahamas on Festival Arts of the Caribbean, earlier this year she was in Berlin representing the region at a Women in Leadership—Female Company Founders Programme.

This year, Wickham was also in Los Angeles assisting the TTFC to promote T&T as a film destination and also went to Atlanta for the premiere of Girlfriends Getaway there.”

[TriP]

Local Christmas ~ Black Cake


Christmas is right around the corner.

I hope your fruits were set well in advance.

Stew the Fruits in a Bottle of Port Wine to Quickly Infuse the Alcohol.

[TriP]

Local Divers Tour ~ La Forrest Point ~ Toco - (13-12-14)


TT Eco-Divers - Off The Beaten Track


1.The Scout Group

2.Idyllic Bay

3.View from the highest point

[TriP]

Local Asylum Family ~ Bunji Garlin


We 'Rolling with TnT 'Round We 'Neck

[TriP]

Local Movie ~ Scandalous The Movie ~ Behind the Early Scenes

Plot Outline

Set in beautiful Trinidad and Tobago, SCANDALOUS! is a Bollywood style Caribbean musical about being true to yourself and honest in love at all costs.

Anita Panchouri is the doting daughter of a deep in debt Indian businessman. She's on the verge of willingly marrying a wealthy suitor when she meets a romantic rasta singer, Lee de Leon who's drafted last minute to perform at her engagement party.

There are sparks, naturally, but Anita refuses to acknowledge them, focusing instead on playing matchmaker to a constantly bickering, secretly-in-love couple: her sarcastic cousin Poorvi and her underachieving future brother-inlaw, Partiv.

Of course, no one can see these sworn enemies are made for each other...no one except Lee who vows to unite the two. Anita is skeptical that Lee, the newly arrived stranger, can pull off a feat she's been trying to accomplish for years. When he succeeds in transforming the fighters into love birds through a little creative Cupidry, however, Anita's moved by his romantic gifts and decides she wants to be with him, just once, before she enters a loveless marriage for the sake of her father's future.

But Anita's designs on Lee don't go unnoticed. Nikhil, the territorial younger brother of Anita's fiance, picks up on the attraction, especially when Lee unexpectedly switches his set to sing a love song at a big soca show. And when Nikhil learns the true state of the dismal Panchouri finances the family's been hiding, he sets about a plan of revenge that will destroy Anita and her father and crush her chance at true love.


Kabir Bedi
Role: "Ram Panchouri"

Natalie Perera
Role: "Anita Panchouri"

Machel Montano
Role: Lee de Leon

Valmike Rampersad
Role: Nikhil Kuma

[TriP]

Local Surfing ~ Mt. Irvine Beach - SATT Nationals (13-12-14)


First heat - Duane Kenny, Steve Aeschlimann, Brian Ramcharan and Alan Davis

[TriP]

Local Point Fortin ~ Clifton Hill


This rubble was placed there to prevent coastal erosion at Clifton Hill beach after the destruction of what was once a very nice place.