They call it the Eight Wonder of the World

By Akeme Clarke who lives in south Trinidad and has made several trips to the facinating pitch lake

Walking across the hard pitch that led to the many holes filled with that magical elixir to youth, the breeze gently swaying the plant life, the stories about one of the most exciting and beautiful places in south Trinidad summed up to be the absolute truth. Its beauty flourishes in the surroundings: big cashew trees circle the lake while guava, mango and breadfruit trees have found a way to bear fruit amidst the tar. Beautiful water roses, nymph lilies and bird of paradise grow naturally in a place where normal plants could not survive. Herons everywhere, eating the algae that grow under pockets of water, along with hummingbirds, sandpipers and kingfishers.The La Brea Pitch Lake deemed by its residents as the eighth wonder of the world deserves such a title. It is truly a wonder to look at; the experience of wading in the shallow pools of water and the familiarity of its flora and fauna is thrilling. According to Mr. Joefield, a local at the pitch lake, in the dry season the heat of the sun causes the lake to be an inferno while in the rainy season one can bathe in the various pools and cracks that has accumulated rain water some as high as ten feet .It is believed that the sulphur mineral waters is a good remedy for skin diseases and has miraculous healing powers for arthritis, pimples, infections and rashes.

The "unpavable" road that leads to the lake

One of the mysteries behind the formation of the Pitch Lake, as told by locals, is about two young lovers who were responsible for the destruction of the settlement of La Brea. This is what happened. Callifaria – the daughter of Callisuna, who was the chief of the La Brea tribe, fled from her tribe to the long arms of her boyfriend, Kasaka – a prince of the Cumana tribe. Quite peeved by his daughter’s flight, Callisuna and his warriors invaded Cumana, did battle, captured his daughter, tied her to a horse and speedily returned to La Brea. Unfortunately, Callisuna did not know that his drastic action so angered Pimlontas, the winged Arawak god, who damned the village of La Brea, making it sink into the earth, replacing it with a thick black substance.

Another version is the legend about the Chima Indians, a tribe which existed on the very spot where the present lake occupies. Apparently, after a victory, these Indians had jubilant celebrations which included a grand feast in which vast quantities of Colibri Birds (Humming Birds) were cooked and eaten. The plumes of these small birds were used as accessories. The victory which had absorbed the minds of the Indians drowned the memory that the delicious Colibri Birds where really the spirits of their ancestors. As an act of punishment, the winged God opened up the earth and summoned up a lake of pitch which swallowed up the entire Chima village and its people. Interesting.

The villagers surrounding the lake were very warm and inviting, and ready to help a stranger in need of some assistance. Although the pathway to enter the lake was a bit treacherous, it was quite worth the trip. The scenic view was quite excellent, as the dark pitch was highlighted by the vegetative surroundings. It was extremely quiet, except for the few visitors splashing around in some of the deeper pools a little distance off.

In historical times, the pitch lake was called by the Amerindians, Piche, which means Pitch, while the Spaniards called it ‘Terra de Brea’ which means, “Land of Pitch. The British however called it “Pitch Lake”, but like many parts of Trinidad, the Spanish name has been kept, hence the village is still called “La Brea”. When Sir Walter Raleigh "discovered" the Pitch Lake in 1595, it was already known as the Tierra de Brea, its Spanish name, by the Amerindian guides who introduced Sir Walter to the 95-acre lake of black gold.  Sir Walter Raleigh immediately recognized the potential, even if he did not discover the lake, and began caulking his ships with the tar; proclaiming it "most excellent and good", far better in fact than the tar being used at the time in England.

People bathing in mineral rich pools of the Pitch Lake,La Brea

On his second voyage to Trinidad, Sir Walter Raleigh seized the opportunity to take some of the black gold home with him, where it was used to pave Westminster Bridge for the opening of Parliament. Since the time of Sir Raleigh till now, tar from the La Brea Pitch Lake in Trinidad has been used to provide high ranking road surfaces not only in Trinidad and Tobago, and the other islands of the Caribbean, but it has also paved streets in over 50 countries including the United States of America, England, India, Singapore, Egypt, and even Japan.

The Pitch Lake is one of three natural asphalt lakes in the world, the others being in California – the famous La Brea Tar Pit – and Venezuela. Pitch from La Brea is used to pave roads around the world. It quietly replenishes itself after quantities have been removed which is amazing. One resident commented on having dug out a large quantity of pitch and by the next day, the hole was completely filled and overflowing. The Pitch Lake is the result of a fault in the sandstone 250 feet down, through which crude oil or bitumen seeps. According to the tour guide, swallowed objects may reappear years later as the pitch slowly swirls. Logs hundreds of years old float to the surface perfectly preserved in some areas, while in other areas there are vents bubbling sulfur or even sea water.The surface of the lake is firm enough to walk on except for a small area in the center called “the mother of the lake”. When cracks on the surface become filled with rain water, gas can be seen bubbling in them. Tourists and locals alike come to bathe in these cracks when they are filled with water. The cracks may reach a depth of up to five feet at times.

According to officials at the site of the lake, the lake is opened from Monday to Sunday and public holidays during the hours of 9am – 5pm. The admission for adults (13 & over) is $30, children 6–12 $12, children under six free, students in uniform $3 (primary school), $5 (secondary school). “This is quite reasonable when compared with going to Gulf City to play games in galactica” one of the officials commented with a smile. “Many parents right here in south Trinidad prefers to spend their money on things that would rot their children’s’ brains and it is more costly. They refuse to see the natural splendor of what is their backyard and capitalize on it. The Pitch Lake is much more interesting and can teach the young children of today a thing or two about the country’s history. But instead they prefer to play games.”

According to an official at the Ministry of Tourism, although the annual percentage of visitors that come to the pitch lake has declined, it has not dropped to an all time significant low. “We have made attempts to attract locals and foreigners by creating a more tourist attraction rather than just the backyard effect we had a while before” an official commented.

Ultimately, there is a timeless beauty of the La Brea pitch lake that infuses the culture and history of Trinidad and its people. Whether it’s the name, residents or natural wonder, the pitch lake, a natural splendor in all its glory will always remain a constant wonder.