St. Elizabeth-Bays and Beaches
Among the bays and beaches present are:
Bays
Malcolm, Black River, Parotee, Starve Gut, Calabash, Great Pedro.
Beaches
Galleon, Hodges, Crane, Fullerwood, Parotee, Fort Charles, Billy’s Bay, Calabash Bay, Great Bay, Treasure Beach
Caves
There are 44 caves in the parish of St. Elizabeth. The following are some of the more popular ones:
Mexico – the longest in the island
Peru Cave – located near Goshen, displays an impressive growth of stalactites and stalagmites
Yardley Chase Caves – situated on the south coast, at the foot of a 457 metre (1,500 foot) limestone cliff (Lovers’ Leap)
Wallingford Caves – near Balaclava – famous for the fossil remains of large extinct rodents discovered in 1919-20 by H.E. Anthony.
Preservation Sites and Wetland Areas include:
Government (Crown Lands) – 8,564 hectares (18,841 acres)
Private Woodlands – 19,734 hectares (43,415 acres)
Scientific, Nature Reserves – Holland Swamp Forest
Natural Parks – Cockpit Country
– Black River Lower Morass
Wetlands Sanctuary – Luana Point Swamp
– Lower Black River Morass
Wildlife Sanctuary – Luana Font Hill
Mineral Deposits
St. Elizabeth, unlike other parishes, has a number of mineral deposits adding to the rich natural resources of the parish. These include bauxite, antimony, white limestone, alluvium, clay, peat deposits in the Black River Morass and the Great Morass are estimated at 6.5 million tons (6.6 million tonnes) and extensive silica sand deposits are located in the Black River area of Hodges. This is used in the manufacturing of glass.
Other resources are logwood, sisal, bull and sable thatch palm.