"Bermuda's Largest Nature Reserve" Spittal Pond by grandmaR

Unlike at the Bermuda Aquarium, the birds here are wild and sometimes tough to get a good picture of. This flamingo was blown here from the BAMZ - not a native species in Bermuda

Spittal Pond

Spittal Pond park is 64 acres in size. 30 of the acres are owned by the National Trust (mainly fenced-in areas off limits to the public or the bird nature or sanctuary reserve proper). One section is privately owned with 3 houses on it.

The origin of the name "Spittal" is obscure: it may mean "hospital for the poor and lower class people or for animals". However, this area has never been used for such purposes and none of the previous owners had such a name.

There is a self guiding trail, but the ranger guided tour on Friday afternoon is more interesting.

Much of the pond is surrounded by Black Mangroves. Mangroves are vital trees along the shorelines as they provide the breeding and nursery grounds for most (2/3) of the commercial fish; provide a buffer against erosion; and help in reclamation of flooded or waste land by trapping salt.

A sluice gate was built in 1985 to control the level of the pond and to help flush the pond with new oxygen-containing water to control eutrophication and the increase in nutrients which can lead the algal blooms. Salinity levels fluctuate because heavy rains dilute the salt, while storms bring new seawater in. Evaporation and opening of the gate increase salinity.

Blocks of stone

The checkerboard formation of the rocky Spittal Pond coastline was formed by natural processes of erosion. The boulders at the back of this area have been washed up and deposited there by storm waves. There are two types of limestone: marine, which is what the checkerboard formation is made from (land down under water from settling sediments / dead calcareous organism), and windblown sand dunes. This side was used as a landing point for whales during the time, when whaling was common in Bermuda.

Jeffrey's Hole is a sea cave formed by the action of the ocean when the sea level was much higher. In the 1700s a runaway slave called Jeffrey apparently hid in this cave for over two weeks. He was recaptured after his owner followed his girlfriend and found that she had been delivering him food.

Near here is On top of a high cliff on the southern shore of the reserve is "Spanish Rock". Carved into the rock is the date 1543 and some indecipherable letters, no doubt the work of a lone mariner - probably Portuguese.

• Pros:Natural wild area
• Cons:Difficult to get to, and only one guided tour a week.
• In a nutshell:Much nicer than the name would imply