A short article and photographs entitled The Changing Face of Sandy Ground was recently published in The Anguillian. It attempted to show, among other things, how the coastal village, once dominated by a number of traditional buildings, is now the scene of some modern structures either already built or in course of construction.
These structures include guest houses, other business places and restaurants – located on the strip of land nestled between the pond on the east and the sea on the west. Some of the structures even line the beach presenting an unobstructed view of the sea and the variety of pleasure craft and other boats. The surrounding hillsides to the east, north and south, provide a panoramic view of the village, its population settlement, the bay, jetties and its general touristic features.
But these splendid views are spoiled, to some extent, by a number of wrecks either on the beach itself or on the southern rock-bound ridge of the harbour. The wrecked boats were all thrown there by hurricanes and rough sea conditions, and have been left in their places for a number of years as eyesores to both nationals and visitors on one of Anguilla’s best seascapes. It is no wonder that there are frequent complaints and calls for their removal.
Some years ago a few old boats, which were both hazardous and unsightly in Road Bay Harbour, were toured out to sea and sunk to serve as artificial reefs and breeding places for fish. The deteriorated conditions of the abandoned two wrecks on the rocks may not allow for such a usage at this late time, but there are other means of disposal which should be explored and undertaken. The wrecks on the beach are easier to remove and so the delay is being questioned even more.
