BARBADOS

Barbados is a surfer's paradise. The island's located off the northern side of South America, out in the Carribean, which allows for waves to travel thousands of miles on the bottom of the sea, before finally unleashing all their power over Barbados' coral reefs. Made entirely of coral, the island of Barbados is surrounded by an awesome coral reef , providing for unlimited surfing conditions all over.

Whether a swell approaches the island from a northerly or westerly direction, or if it's moving in from the East or the South, Barbados is guaranteed to have surf somewhere along its shores at almost any given time of the year. The East Coast of Barbados holds the premier surf spots, as far as power and size of waves are concerned. "Soup Bowsl" at Bathsheba is internationally recognized as one of the more fun waves to surf. (Noteably where Kelly Slater impressively made his come back onto the world tour of pro surfing in 2002).

The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Barbados is warm and sunny all year round with an average daytime high of 75-85 degrees. The nights are usually slightly cooler. The prevailing northeast tradewinds blow steadily so that although it is bright and sunny, it is not unbearably hot.
The rain usually comes in quick showers. The dry season lasts from January to June. Barbados is in the tropics, and believe it or not, some locals actually put on a sweater in the cool winter nights. And the locals complain that the ocean hits 78 degrees!!!

It rains most in summer and a good rainfall is refreshing and much needed. Rain is usually followed quickly by sunny skies and within minutes everything will be dry. Tropical rainstorms sometimes occur in the hurricane season which runs from June to October (as thay say in Barbados - "June too soon, October all over!").
Tropical rains are spectacular but the island is very porous and the heaviest rains quickly drain off into the underground lakes or the sea.