For over 40 years, Jetworth “Pat” Richardson has been the smiling face at the forefront of eco-tourism experiences in Antigua and Barbuda. An experienced tour guide, Pat has also become a de-facto ambassador for the island of Barbuda, sharing his passion and expert knowledge of the island’s wildlife with visitors on tours of the island’s Frigatebird Sanctuary. An icon in Barbuda – and one of its greatest conservation advocates – Pat graciously took a little time out of his day to talk to us about his life, the island, and the amazing Frigatebirds of Codrington Lagoon.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your backstory. Who is the great Barbuda Pat?
A: I am originally from Antigua, and I first came to Barbuda when I was around 12 years old. When I got older, I went back to Antigua to work for Calypso, a tour company. I captained their glass bottom boat tours to Bird Island and Paradise Reef. Eventually, I returned to Barbuda after a few years in Antigua and carried on doing tours for a different company there. Over time, I was told that I was a good guide, and I loved my job, and so…the rest is history! I like doing what I do. I think that is most important.
Q: What would you say about Barbuda to someone who has never visited it?
A: Barbuda is a beautiful place. I see it as the most peaceful, quiet, anywhere on earth. The people are friendly: they will go out of their own way to help others. Our sites are few but spectacular. The cliff at Two-Foot Bay, overlooking the Atlantic, gives you a view of the reefs and the waves that is breathtaking. On the west side of the island, when you see all the flat land…we are so special that sometimes I can’t find words to describe it. Barbuda is an island of natural attractions, not spoiled by overdevelopment.
Q: As a tour guide and ambassador for Barbuda, what are some of the key experiences on the island?
A: Take a tour of Martello Tower; the only fort still standing on the island. You should try Barbudan cuisine: visit our local restaurants or the Nobu right on the beach – people come from all across The Caribbean to check out Nobu, and the Barbuda Belle, our local hotel property. They serve beautiful dishes.
Spend some time on the beach. Any beach. Our beaches are relaxed and uncrowded. Often you’ll be the only person there.
Indian Cave still has fascinating petroglyphs. It’s a safe answer, but our pink sand beaches as well. They are what we are famous for.
Q: Shifting gears now to the main event: tell us all about the Frigatebirds!
A: The Frigatebird is the national bird of Antigua and Barbuda. Frigates are also known to the locals as robber birds; they’ll chase down other birds and take their catch from them! The males are black with the trademark red throat sac, while the females are black and white. The sac inflates massively – bigger than your head, in a heart shape! They have a broad wingspan of 1.8 metres and live for up to 45 years. Contrary to popular belief, they are a land-based bird – they live near the sea, but never dive, as they lack oil glands for diving.
Q: Why do you think the Frigatebirds have resonated so well with visitors to Barbuda?
A: The life of a Frigatebird is theatre. Their antics are incredible. Males fight over nesting materials and their mating displays, from August to March, are visible from 10 to 15 feet away. Seeing how they communicate – how a female chooses a male – mirrors our own behaviour. We can all relate to Frigatebirds in some way!
Q: What does a tour with Barbuda Pat look like?
A: After a safety demo, we’ll take a boat past the Lighthouse Bay Resort and Irma’s Mouth, a gap made by the hurricane of the same name. As we go on, we pass Old Man’o’war Island – where the frigatebirds lived when I was a child. We still call Frigatebirds Man’o’wars. Now, they live down in the lagoon, and the pelicans have claimed the island as their home – which makes for great pictures. Closer to the birds, we enter the mangrove, which has desalination. Arriving at the sanctuary itself, in Codrington Lagoon, I give my speech on the birds and the tour begins in earnest.
Q: Let’s end on a fun note. What’s your most memorable tour experience?
A: I have had the privilege of having royalty on my boat, and one of my fond memories is a tour I did with Prince Harry. It was during mating season with a lot of active males, and one of the males was feeling brave and decided to dive towards the prince. His security team instantly sprang into action, ready to intercept the bird. It may be the only recorded case of a bird attempting to commit Regicide!
