tar.jeeze

January 13, 2006 8:27 AM

Trinidad's pitch lake has been called the Caribbean's ugliest tourist attraction.
posted by 31d1 (31 comments total)

At once, disgusting and fascinating.
posted by Dr-Baa at 8:38 AM on January 13, 2006

That's pretty interesting.
posted by furtive at 8:41 AM on January 13, 2006

It's supposed to have "feelers" stretching outward for several miles, additional veins of pitch which stretch out from the main lake.

Fascinating.

To sate my curiousity about how this was formed, I found this: A GRAVITY INVESTIGATION OF THE PITCH LAKE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
posted by tpl1212 at 8:43 AM on January 13, 2006

I have to admit I was prepared to hate on this post, but that first link is awesome! The pictures are totally great. Thanks.
posted by OmieWise at 8:44 AM on January 13, 2006

Wow. An amazing natural spectacle and a perfect place to dispose of my next victim.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:45 AM on January 13, 2006

As I read the first link, all I kept thinking was "I... beat... you. I BEAT YOU!"
posted by kimota at 8:47 AM on January 13, 2006

Neat. Thanks.
posted by Gator at 8:49 AM on January 13, 2006

I'd love to see this lake. It actually looks amazingly beautiful.
posted by fossil_human at 8:52 AM on January 13, 2006

fossil_human enjoys pitch lake. Coincidence? I think not.
posted by JeffK at 8:56 AM on January 13, 2006 [1 favorite]

Interesting post. Thanks.
posted by 327.ca at 9:11 AM on January 13, 2006

Good post,weird place.
posted by hortense at 9:12 AM on January 13, 2006

I have to admit I was prepared to hate on this post

I can't begin to understand why. Amazing post, thanks!
posted by jonson at 9:22 AM on January 13, 2006

Great post.
posted by unknowncommand at 9:34 AM on January 13, 2006

I actually saw a documentary on this place a couple of months ago. Aside from the tar lake, the thing I best remember is how the geography causes all the houses of the poor people nearby to subside. Continually.

They showed bunches of men who would get together regularly and help each other out. Using a car jack, they lifted the ramshackle wooden houses up so they could add yet more logs under to approximate the horizontal for a while longer. It was one of those 'is this pathetic or humorous' moments - I chose to smile, because they all did. Crazy life. Thanks 31d1.
posted by peacay at 9:34 AM on January 13, 2006

Weird. Neat. Thanks for the link.
posted by raedyn at 9:39 AM on January 13, 2006

I'd love to see this lake. It actually looks amazingly beautiful.
posted by fossil_human at 8:52 AM PST on January 13

Paging scarabic.
posted by esch at 9:45 AM on January 13, 2006

Thanks for the link. My boyfriend and I were in Trinidad and Tobago in June. He desperately wanted to visit the Pitch Lake, but we didn't have the time. We did, however, visit some pitiful looking mud volcanoes. We were the only ones there to see them and the locals picnicking nearby didn't give them any notice.
posted by Constant Reader at 9:47 AM on January 13, 2006

This is really interesting - thanks!
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:49 AM on January 13, 2006

jonson writes "I can't begin to understand why."

You can't begin to think?

It's because I clicked on the second link first, which is not much of a link, and was therefore unprepared for the single link that preceded it to be as good as it was.
posted by OmieWise at 10:03 AM on January 13, 2006

Great post.
posted by sellout at 10:19 AM on January 13, 2006

Used to live there and visited the lake.
Other interesting facts:

• If one were to dig a hole about a foot deep in any of the backyards in the area, the hole would most likely be filled with pitch the next day.
• It is said that Christopher Colombus used pitch from the lake to patch one of the boats he used to sail to the island in 1496.
• The sun reflecting off the pitch results in the air above it getting very hot. Birds are occasionally seen 'cooking' their catch by placing it on a branch or other such obejct protruding from the lake.
• Before the lake was more formerly developed as a tourist attraction the tours were less formal. Walking down the street to the lake one would more often than not be approached by numerous locals all claiming to be tour guides and offering their services...sometimes in a very aggressive manner..

posted by tbonicus at 10:21 AM on January 13, 2006

That's cool. Thanks.
posted by dios at 10:23 AM on January 13, 2006

Best <title> ever.
posted by joegester at 10:25 AM on January 13, 2006

Ewwww. Thanks for the post
posted by mrhappybanjo at 11:14 AM on January 13, 2006

Lovely. Thank you.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:29 AM on January 13, 2006

Excellent post... I love hearing about places like this.
posted by moonbird at 12:44 PM on January 13, 2006

[this is cool.]
posted by fet at 1:50 PM on January 13, 2006

+Added to places I need to visit before I die.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:30 PM on January 13, 2006

I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet the the The Pitch Drop Experiment, something that has been covered a few times here.
posted by FlunkedFlank at 10:12 AM on January 14, 2006

Didn't that thing kill Tasha Yar?

posted by Smedleyman at 1:46 AM on January 15, 2006 [1 favorite]

nifty post btw - that's a funky hat the guy is wearing.
posted by Smedleyman at 1:46 AM on January 15, 2006