Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay occupies a small horseshoe of black volcanic sand on the south-western coast of Saint Helena, backed by high cliffs that catch the prevailing wind and shelter the cove from the Atlantic swell. The sand is volcanic in origin, dark grey to black in colour, fine-grained and compact, and it slopes steeply into the water. At low tide the bay is approximately 50 metres wide and the water is clear enough to see the bottom at a depth of five or six metres, though the visibility varies with the season and the state of the Atlantic.

The path down to the beach zigzags steeply from the clifftop road, dropping about 80 vertical metres in a series of short switchbacks. It is well-made but worn smooth in places by the passage of feet over many years, and it can be slippery when wet. At the bottom, the beach opens out and the full extent of the cove becomes apparent: the high dark cliffs on either side, the narrow entrance to the sea, and the deep blue of the Atlantic beyond.

Swimming in Sandy Bay is possible throughout the year but the water is cold by any measure, typically between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius even at the height of summer, and most swimmers wear wetsuits. The cold is a consequence of the South Atlantic current that flows northward along the coast of Antarctica and up the western side of the South Atlantic, bringing cold water from high latitudes. For those who can tolerate the temperature, the swimming is remarkably clear and the underwater visibility often exceeds what is available on tropical reefs.

Snorkelling is popular and the underwater scenery includes volcanic rock formations, kelp forests and a variety of fish species including the endemic Saint Helena wrasse and the occasional Galapagos shark that passes through the deeper water at the mouth of the bay. The fish are relatively tame by the standards of heavily dived areas, a consequence of the bay's relative isolation and the limited number of visitors who make it down the path each day.

Local fishermen use the bay regularly and their catch is sold from coolers on the beach or taken directly to Jamestown. The fishing is done by rod and line from the rocks at each end of the beach, or by spearfishing in the shallows. Walking along the clifftop path above the bay at sunset is one of the most rewarding activities on the island: the light comes from the west across the Atlantic, the cliffs glow a deep red, and the bay below is suffused with colour as the sea turns from blue to copper to dark.

It is the finest beach on Saint Helena and the only place on the island where a safe swim in the sea is readily accessible to visitors.

The underwater visibility and the presence of endemic fish species make it one of the more interesting snorkelling locations in the South Atlantic.

The setting at the base of high volcanic cliffs gives the bay a dramatic and intimate character that is unlike the beaches of more visited islands.