L'Escalier Tête Chien

A dyke of hardened lava runs down the cliff and into the sea at Sineku in the Kalinago Territory, weathered into a ridge of blocks that reads as a set of steps climbing out of the water, and in Kalinago tradition it is the track of the tête chien, the boa constrictor, a figure central to the origin stories of the community. Guides from the territory take visitors down the path and tell the story, which is the point of the visit.

What you actually see

• The lava dyke - a hardened ridge running down the cliff into the sea.
• The step formation - the weathered blocks that give the feature its name.
• The Kalinago tradition - the boa story attached to the formation.
• The Atlantic coast - open ocean breaking at the foot of the ridge.

When to go

December to April is drier and the path is safer. Rain makes the descent slippery. Guides work from the villages during the day.

Honest expectations

The path down is steep and slippery and the rocks below are wet and sharp. A guide from the territory is expected and the story is the substance of the visit. There are no facilities at the site.

Nearby

Kalinago Territory villages surround it, and Glassy Trail is south.