Sandy Ground Village and Road Bay in Anguilla became a den of hundreds of people, vehicles, musical entertainment, food and clusters of visiting boats for the annual mass Caribbean Beach Party there on August Monday.
The party commenced around 12 noon with the arrival of the large following from the J’ouvert Morning event. From early in the day a massive fleet of yachts from neighbouring French and Dutch St. Martin/St. Maarten and St. Barths took up anchorage in the surf – hardly leaving room for the many swimmers who took refuge in the inviting water from the searing heat of the sun.
But the majority of the visitors and residents danced in mass for hours in front the stage where musical bands and singers provided entertainment throughout the day and into the late evening.
Even at the open beach, where there should have been enough space for all, many of the overwhelming throng of people had to elbow their way through the scantily-dressed crowds and the food stalls.
A big absent event at Road Bay was the annual August Monday boat race which usually lends much cultural activity and excitement to the Beach Party. The race had to be postponed due to unfavourable high wind and sea wells in the wake of the weekend tropical weather system that passed over the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Though the boat race was severely missed, the beach party, nevertheless, generated a much enjoyable preoccupation for all.
