Paddling in Nevis
By Fran Sibthorpe
I recently had an opportunity to visit Nevis which is situated on the Western Caribbean coast within the Leeward chain of islands that also includes Saint Kitts. One of Nevis’s popular beaches is Pinney’s Beach, which is a beautiful long stretch of dark volcanic and light sandy beach. Warm turquoise clear water softly rolls in from the Caribbean Sea. Paddling in the sea and beachcombing provided an opportunity for me to look and collect a handful of shells.
Wandering along the beach provided a surprising feature: a lagoon that was enveloped in green trees and bushes. This provided a great photo opportunity. The reflection from the lagoon showed Nevis Peak in the background. Nevis Peak is a large non-active volcanic mountain partially covered by cloud and the main focal feature of the island. However, the scene was an amazing back drop from the beach. Although the volcano is dormant, continuous hot water springs flow from it. This was evident when I visited the island’s hot springs in Bath, Charlestown. Natural therapeutic thermal springs ranged from warm to extremely hot temperatures.
An evening beach visit to Cotton Ground Beach was another lovely wander on the sandy stretch of beach. Sunset on the beach was an unforgettably amazing experience and photo opportunity to complete my experience of Nevis.
Learn more about the best beaches and destinations for sea and beach glass, seashells, fossils, rocks, and more beach finds around the world. Articles ›
Learn more about seashells
Learn more about identifying shells, the history of seashell collecting, great shelling beaches, and the lives of the animals who make the shells we find on the beach. Articles ›
No live shelling: Be sure shells are empty and sand dollars, sea stars, and sea urchins are no longer alive before you bring them home.
This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 50 September/October 2025.
