| The Baths National Park | |
|---|---|
 One of many baths found among scattered granite boulders | |
  Location of The Baths in Virgin Islands | |
| Type | Natural Area |
| Location | Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands |
| Coordinates | 18°25′46″N 64°26′43″W / 18.42937°N 64.445398°W |
The Baths is a beach area on the island of Virgin Gorda among the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.
Geography
The Baths is situated about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) south off the maintown Spanish Town at the southern tip of the island between Spring Bay and Devil's Bay. The Baths is an area of unique geologic formations and one of the BVI's major tourist destinations.
Area
Although volcanism accounts for much of the Virgin Islands, The Baths was formed by granite that eroded into piles of boulders on the beach.[1] Granite forms from the slow cooling of magma at depth nowhere close to surface volcanoes. The granite only appears at the surface after geologic ages have eroded away all the overburden covering it. Once exposed, erosion continued to isolate the granite into large boulders and round their surfaces. The boulders form natural tidal pools, tunnels, arches, and scenic grottoes that are open to the sea.[2] The largest boulders are about 40 feet (12 m) long.
Since 1990, the area has been a BVI National Park [3] as are the adjacent bays,[4] and the area is a major tourist attraction, with swimming and snorkelling being the main attractions.
Gallery
The Baths
Boulders at The Baths
Rock formation at The Baths
Bay area at The Baths
Underwater Cave at The Baths
Notes
- ↑ Excerpt from The Baths by Julian Putley
- ↑ "The Baths, Virgin Gorda – Ultimate BVI – British Virgin Islands". Archived from the original on 2008-01-13. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- ↑ Welcome to the BVI National Parks Trust – Parks – Virgin Gorda 2
- ↑ National Parks | British Virgin Islands | Caribbean Destination | BVI
External links
Media related to The Baths (Virgin Gorda) at Wikimedia Commons
