Punta Galera (Galera Point) - Toco.

This trail starts at the intersection of the Paria-Main Road and Galera Road at 10.83710°N and -60.93772°W. It proceeds heading 82° along the Galera Road. This road is only about 3.5km long so it is great for walking during the early morning and late evening. This is because it has little canopy cover to shade you from the intense sunshine and heat. Along Galera Road you will encounter Salybia Beach. This is located at 10.83435°N and -60.92323°W. This beach is one of the most beautiful “white sandy beaches” that exists on this coastline of Trinidad. From along this area you get a very good view of the sister island of Tobago as well. Salybia Bay is best visited during weekdays because it becomes a literal zoo on weekends with droves of Trinidadian beachgoers equipped with lots of very intense music systems. This kills the natural ambience of the place. Upon leaving Salybia Beach turn again heading 82° toward the end of this short road. The road ends at the Galera Point Lighthouse. It is located at 10.83426°N and -60.91029°W. You are free to roam the grounds of the lighthouse at your leisure. There are lots of picnic tables under “sea grape” trees. This particular spot makes a great “Sunday Lime.” At the rear of the lighthouse there’s a wooden gate that leads out to the very extreme Northeast point of Trinidad. You can walk along the rocks out to the very edge at 10.83483°N and -60.90902°W. You should be careful out there though because the rocks can get loose and you’ll end up in the raging ocean or you can easily trip and get injured pretty badly out there. I opted to venture down onto the shoreline and then free climb back up to the edge of the rock faces at the lighthouse. It’s quite the adventure provided one exercises caution because although the vertical free climb is maybe 30 feet at best, the rock face is loose in places, and you’ll fall into a raging ocean or the rocky shoreline below... From Galera Point return along the Galera Road out to the junction with the Paria Main Road. Turn heading 350° and follow this winding road past the Toco Police Station and qaint Courthouse. You’ll past the Toco Fishing Depot and then to Missions Bay. Missions Bay is located at 10.83338°N and -60.95128°W. It’s a nice spot to sit and relax in a more natural and tranquil atmosphere than Salybia Bay…
Toco is the most northeasterly village in Trinidad. The village is part of the county of Saint David. It marks the point where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean converge so the waters are usually quite turbulent. The origin of the name “Toco” seems to be ascribed to the early Amerindian inhabitants of the area. Punta Galera (Galera Point) is the closest point on the island of Trinidad to the sister island of Tobago. From here Tobago lies just 35km to the northeast. “Galera” is a slight corruption of the word “galea.” This was the name that was originally given to the southeastern point (Galeota Point) by Christopher Columbus. The Galera Point Lighthouse is a site of historical significance and was built in 1897. Not much activity took place in Toco after the Spanish colonized Trinidad in 1531 until 1631, when Sir Henry Colt and English forces entered the territory without the knowledge of the Spanish. In 1637, the British were expelled by the Dutch, who had formed an alliance with the Amerindians in the area and were, not too long after, expelled by the Spanish. One hundred years later, Capuchin priests from Spain came to convert the Amerindians to Roman Catholicism. The mission village in Toco was named Mission Village and existed even after the British came. There was another mission near Cumana and was adjoined to the mission in Toco by way of the Anglais Road. The French also had a big part to play in the history of Toco. They flocked to the region a few years after 1783, when the Cedula of Population came into effect encouraging French islanders immigration into Trinidad. In an attempt to seal off the northeast and the eastern areas, the six parcels of land (the Toco area) were sold. Some of these settlers included the D'Godet's, the Monique's, the Ponne's, the Traille's, the Narcise's and the Rotan's. Unlike many other areas in Trinidad and Tobago, the land in Toco was not suitable for extensive sugarcane cultivation. Thus, by 1797, there was only one sugar mill in the entire district. However, the land was quite suitable for cotton production. In 1797, there were as many as 59 cotton mills and the population during that period consisted of 159 African slaves, 62 "free" blacks, 28 French settlers and 155 Amerindians who supposedly lived on the missions. Amerindians (Caribs) also lived in other areas of Toco and Cumana during that period. There were no roads connecting Toco with the rest of the island. So, in 1818, Toco benefited from the round island steamer service started by Governor Ralph Woodford to accommodate the trade in cocoa and other goods. In 1830, the Catholic Church made Toco a parish and dedicated the newly built Our Lady of the Assumption Church at Mission Village to it. The Capuchins had established the first church in the area. In 1849, Lord Harris was responsible for creating ward boundaries. Toco was also one of the earliest villages to receive schools under the ward system as early as 1862. Despite the supposed functionality of the ward system, residents of the area had refused to pay ward rates for developmental purposes and so by 1852, approximately 64 Toco estates were put up for sale. This and other factors could have contributed to the sparse population of the area. However, by 1881, the population of Toco grew due to the popularity of the cocoa and coffee industry and the influx of workers from Tobago. In fact, at one point in time, Toco was mainly populated by people from the island of Tobago. By 1930, the first road into Toco linking it with Sangre Grande was built ending the dependence on the round island ferry service and the influx of people from Tobago into the area. Today, Toco remains sparsely populated, although the numbers have grown since the olden days. In 1980, census reports indicate that the population was about 1311.The villagers of Toco are often very friendly. With its serene atmosphere and picturesque beaches, Toco remains one of the most popular surfing and vacationing spots in Trinidad and Tobago though it is not celebrated as much as other parts of Trinidad such as Maracas and Las Cuevas. In Toco, there are several coconut estates some of which still remain. The Baldeosingh family owns one of the largest in the area. Toco is considered to be a fishing village. Locals can get an education at Toco Secondary formerly Toco Composite, Toco Roman Catholic School and Toco Anglican School...
Happy Trails...