The first time I heard about it, I wanted to hike there: a literal plane crash in the middle of the forest in Trinidad.
So naturally, I kept begging those in charge, and it worked!
Persistence is truly the key.
On September 19, arriving at the entrance to Bamboo Cathedral at 8 am, almost on time, after a head count of 12 and a final application of bug spray for all, the team from Guardian Media was off—into the wild.
Taking in the beauty of Chaguaramas, on the way to the Tracking Station, while looking out for Red Howler monkeys, spirits were high as we slowly tackled the hill.
At marker ten, the group kept up a good pace; by marker number 17, a few of us slowed down but still moved ahead, with someone asking, out of breath, “How many markers are there?” No one wanted to break his heart—there were ten more to go.
Soca music and encouraging words from other “dishwalkers” helped in getting us to the final marker, number 27. Challenge completed.
That, however, only meant that we had conquered making it to the Tracking Station; we had a lot further to go, with our final destination being the site of the plane crash.
With our trusted colleague and seasoned adventurer Dewayne at the helm, we soon left the paved road and stepped into the forest, into the Northern Range.
We were greeted by yellow caution tape or red tape and signs stating “Experienced riders only”, showing just how far we had ventured. The area was littered with biking trails and indicators of other trails taking you to Covigne Gorges, areas now added to our list of hikes to attempt in the future.
With the gradient constantly increasing, we all were secretly hoping to see any part of the hike that was downhill. Dewayne’s constant reassurance that “we are almost there, 15 minutes again” led to our growing scepticism, especially as every time he said it, the smile on his face grew wider.
Stopping for water breaks and for those lagging to catch up, it did not go unnoticed that the younger people were in the back struggling, while the older ones were at the front of the class. The play-by-play commentary, keeping count of those who slipped in the mud the most and those who were always last, kept us entertained as we got closer to the site.
As we began our descent down the side of the mountain, we arrived at the ropes; all of us who “survived” Rincon knew our upper body strength would once again be tested. Yay! (Not really)
With the cry of “Allyuh it missing a propeller” from someone further ahead, coming down the slope, the scale of what occurred half a century ago was clear: A plane resting peacefully, almost as if it had been placed there, maybe as a prop in a movie scene.
Finding a clearing, as it slammed into the side of the mountain, missing every tree, made me wonder if it was the skill of the pilots or sheer luck.
On Saturday, February 1, 1975, a Piper PT-ANZ aircraft crash-landed during bad weather in the Tucker Valley, Chaguaramas, area of Trinidad’s Northern Range.
The aircraft was on its way to St Croix, US Virgin Islands, from Miami when rough weather forced the plane to change course heading instead for Trinidad.
The two pilots escaped with minor injuries. They endured a five-hour trek out of the forest.
After 51 years in the elements, the wreckage is in surprisingly good condition. The nose and one wing were destroyed on impact. Fuselage still in one piece, the doors removed as they would have been in an emergency situation. The aircraft tail number is now covered in moss. Inside gutted, more than likely the victim of scavengers wanting to take home a piece of history, while the body of the plane is now carved with the names of people who had visited the site.
After a brief rest period and some exploration of the crash site, it was time to head back. Dewayne took us on a different path than the one from where we came, a newer trail, this one looked like it was done by the mountain bikers, as it was well maintained and had ramps.
There we saw families of capuchin monkeys crossing overhead. Still no Red Howler monkeys, though. This trail brought us out directly onto Tucker Valley Road, the corner before Bamboo Cathedral, back to where we started. Everyone was muddy but accounted for. The next stop: Macqueripe Bay for some much-needed salt water to soak our very weary bones.
