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SALTPOND | Trinidad

The island of Chacachacare is home to one of Trinidad and Tobago’s lesser-known jewels, a pristine tropical Salt Pond. Couched in the dense forest of the island is a triangular pool with several times the salt content of the sea. Its salinity, as you can imagine, offers unique features that set it aside from a freshwater pond. It is a natural sauna, keeping a comfortable bathwater temperature regardless of the weather. It is a fuss-free swim, or float, more accurately. Much like the Dead Sea, it allows you to keep your head above water until and unless you actively decide to submerge yourself. Either way, a dip in the Salt Pond is certainly a healing experience. Caribbean elders are known to trust in a sea bath as the remedy for anything from nasal congestion to misfortune. Just imagine what a salt pond bath could cure! Though visibility beneath the surface may be limited, you need not worry about any unexpected visitors below the surface, as few species of wildlife are cut out for the extremely salty habitat. The pond remains mostly undisturbed by creatures and humans alike. It is no wonder that this breathtaking spot is unexplored. Though not impossible to reach, it takes a boat journey through the choppy waters of the Bocas del Dragón channels to arrive at Chacachacare, the farthestflung and largest of the Bocas islands. Closer to Venezuela than it is to Trinidad, this is as down as ‘Down D Islands’ gets. For those lucky enough to join a trusted tour group, this breathtaking spot is well worth braving the waves.

L’eau Michel Mud Volcano

The easy trek to the mud pool makes it a popular choice for families of all ages and groups of all sizes

While Trinidad’s waterfalls are monopolized by the northern region of the island, the southlands give exclusive access to another natural feature - mud volcanoes. The seaside village of Los Iros is home of the Erin Bouffe Mud Volcano, one of the less popular but more fun mud deposits that offer the opportunity to dive into mother nature’s spa.

This is the perfect spot for anyone wanting adventure without a trek. After driving through the tall grasses and farmlands of the ‘deep south’ community, the mud volcano itself is a leisurely five-minute walk away from vehicle parking. Though the site lacks infrastructure for sheltering from the elements, this doesn’t become much of an issue as the car is only a stone’s throw away. For the main attraction, there is one large pool and several smaller ones, which have been multiplying over the years. Each is filled with warm clay that’s sure to bring out your inner child and treat your skin at the same time. The magic in the mud is that its density allows you to float to the surface, which adds a sensation of weightlessness to this full body mask. To top it all off, there’s a mud slide that takes you winding down the hill from the main crater, once you’re prepared to make the walk back up.

Minimal guidance is needed for such an uncomplicated visit, and

Photos: Jason Sookermany

The magic in the mud is that its density allows you to float to the surface, which adds a sensation of weightlessness to this full body mask

the farmers and residents in the area are shining examples of southern hospitality. They’ll give the best advice on whether the weather permits the option of walking through the forest path to the nearby Los Iros beach. This is a half-hour journey on average and is a straightforward navigation once the terrain is dry. If not, the farmers are happy to offer fresh water to wash off - free of charge, but donations are welcome. If your car is well stocked with plastic bags to keep clay off the upholstery, you may opt instead to drive to beach which is just parallel to the mud volcano road. A day trip to the mud volcano promises to be both restorative and exciting, all in the same dip.

Tapping the Potential of

Landfill gas (LFG) is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of organic material in landfills. LANDFILL GAS

In service of global climate action imperatives and national emissions reduction targets, The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) and its subsidiary companies are making pioneering advances into the green energy space. Among the latest projects being explored by The Group is the conversion of landfill gas into a commercially viable energy source.

Landfill gas (LFG) is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of organic material in landfills. LFG is composed of roughly 50% methane (the primary component of natural gas), 50% carbon dioxide (CO2), and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas 28 to 36 times more effective than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period. Capturing methane and putting it to productive use as an energy source is therefore a key strategy for combating global warming.

In this context, the NGC Group’s latest clean energy undertaking is a valuable one. On September 13th, 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed among NGC, NGC CNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC CNG), National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (National Energy), and the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL), to explore opportunities to capture and commercialise landfill gas for uses such as the provision of carbon-negative, renewable compressed natural gas.

Through this MOU, the Parties will identify and quantify landfill gas emissions for existing landfills, explore existing and new infrastructure requirements to facilitate transportation and commercialisation of extracted landfill gas volumes, and explore opportunities for utilisation of the derived renewable compressed natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel for vehicles. Specifically, the captured methane emissions can potentially be used to fuel SWMCOL’s fleet of vehicles and other official government fleets. It is expected that this initiative will contribute to Trinidad and Tobago’s energy transition journey and create new revenue streams for the country.

The NGC Group is committed to driving the local energy transformation to a zero-carbon energy future. This collaboration with SWMCOL is just one of several partnerships that The Group is embracing to address the rapidly changing energy and economic landscape and mitigate the threat of climate change. Now more than ever, renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives are needed if we are to create a circular economy and achieve a sustainable energy future. Harnessing the power of landfill gas is a step in the right direction.