La Ruffin Bay, Moruga.

This driving trail was done in four legs. It ventures to the Southern fishing village of Moruga.

Leg 1: Iere Village to Debe.
The drive starts in Iere Village just outside Princes’ Town at 10.28157°N and -61.38838°W and proceeds onto the Naparima – Mayaro Road. Turn right heading 239° at the junction located at 10.27888°N and -61.38239°W onto the M1 Ring Road. Turn right heading 299° at the junction located at 10.26880°N and -61.42688°W onto the Manahambre Road. Then turn left heading 191° onto the M2 Link Road at 10.26977°N and -61.42917°W. You would then continue straight on at the four road intersection at 10.25388°N and -61.43387°W. Continue straight on at the three road intersection located at 10.22232°N and -61.44170°W. Turn left heading 164° at the four road junction at the Debe Market located at 10.21593°N and -61.45387°W onto the S.S. Erin Road. Turn right heading 282° at 10.18368°N and -61.45035°W onto Gopie Trace. Then turn right heading 343° at 10.18266°N and -61.47404°W onto Tulsa Trace. This short stint into Debe should afford anyone the ability to see most of what this southern village has to offer in terms of scenery and locally made Indian delicacies...

Leg 2: Debe to Moruga via Penal and Barrackpore.
Turn left heading 103° at the junction located at 10.17317°N and -61.47436°W onto the San Francique Road. Then turn left heading 73° at the junction located at 10.16789°N and -61.46445°W onto the S.S. Erin Road into the village of Penal. Turn right heading 84° at the junction located at 10.17024°N and -61.45623°W onto Clarke Road. Turn left heading 45° onto the Rochard Road at 10.16070°N and -61.39728°W heading into the village of Barrackpore. Turn right heading 106° onto the Rochard Douglas Road at 10.18775°N and -61.39384°W. Usually this road is alright for driving but today when I did it there was a significant amount of resurfacing activity taking place so there was a very significant detour through Jones Village. Turn left heading 2° at the junction located at 10.18728°N and -61.37609°W then turn right heading 73° at 10.20750°N and -61.37009°W. Turn right heading 179° onto Clement Joseph Trace located at 10.20718°N and -61.33762°W then turn left heading 90° onto Mathabar Trace at 10.20293°N and -61.36751°W. Turn right heading 172° at 10.20303°N and -61.35431°W and then left heading 92° at 10.18468°N and -61.35642°W back onto Rochard Douglas Road. The detour exposes you to some agricultural scenery but the roads are in a very sorry state. Turn right heading 89° at 10.18606°N and -61.34235°W onto Gunness Trace. Then turn left heading 4° onto Poui Trace located at 10.18606°N and -61.32703°W. This trace exits at the Moruga Road in St. Mary`s Village. Unfortunately, the Moruga Road is one of the worst roads in the country in terms of the number of depressions it has. Turn right heading 130° at 10.19071°N and -61.31303°W onto the Moruga Road. Turn left heading 59° at 10.09711°N and -61.27639°W onto La Ruffin Road. There is a three way junction located at 10.09618°N and -61.26613°W. A left turn here goes along a private road into a privately owned fruit and vegetable farm. You want to turn right heading 172° at that junction. Turn left heading 44° at the junction located at 10.09171°N and -61.26302°W and follow this very narrow road to the single lane L'Anse Mitan Suspension Bridge (ca. 1899). This is one of only two such bridges in Trinidad and Tobago. The other is in the northern fishing village of Blanchisseuse. Currently efforts are being made to add a new structure beside the old bridge and hopefully, preserve the old one as part of our local history. This road ends at La Ruffin Beach located at 10.08422°N and -61.25331°W. This beach can best be described as "idyllic." Unfortunately, locals visit the beach and leave incredible amounts of garbage everywhere along the shore, the campgrounds, and even on the beach. Driving heading 288° at the junction located at 10.09171°N and -61.26302°W leads past the Moruga Beach Facilities. This is located at 10.08716°N and -61.27594°W. There are ample facilities here for picnicking and so on. There is a shallow pool created by a sand bank that separates from the open ocean. This is also very good for swimming or just lying around. This road also leads directly into the centre of the village of Moruga at 10.08826°N and -61.28016°W and back onto the Moruga Road. At the end of this road at the beachfront there is a bust of Christopher Columbus, who some claimed landed at this bay when he "discovered" Trinidad. I have long suspected that this discovery could be validated if the indigenous people that existed here for hundreds of years prior to Columbus were invisible when Columbus came and conquered this land for Spain...

Leg 3: Moruga to Debe via Penal.
The trip back is easier because it uses the fastest and most direct way back. Turn right heading 18° at the junction located at 10.08826°N and -61.28016°W onto the Moruga Road. Then turn left heading 266° at the junction located at 10.12987°N and -61.29562°W onto the Penal Rock Road. Most of this road is in very poor condition. However, it traverses one of the teak forests in the country with little to no human activity. Turn right heading 30° at the junction located at 10.13083°N and -61.42185°W onto Rochard Road. Then turn left heading 260° at the junction located at 10.16062°N and -61.39746°W onto Clarke Road to Penal. Turn right heading 30° at 10.17012°N and -61.45650°W onto the S.S. Erin Road. Then turn left heading 290° at 10.18516°N and -61.45025°W onto Suchit Trace. Turn right heading 13° onto Debe Trace at 10.19071°N and -61.46396°W and then left heading 6° at 10.20388°N and -61.46147°W onto Dwarika Trace to Ghandi Village...

Leg 4: Debe to Iere Village.
Turn left heading 20° at 10.20871°N and -61.46080°W onto Ghandi Village Road. Turn right heading 110° at the junction located at 10.21881°N and -61.46203°W onto the M2 Link Road. Take the roundabout located at 10.21715°N and -61.45852°W and continue through the junction located at 10.21579°N and -61.45435°W heading 109° to continue along the M2 Link Road. Proceed heading 52° through the junction located at 10.22222N and -61.44196°W and then 16° at the junction at 10.24591°N and -61.43716°W. Continue heading 349° through the junction at 10.25360°N and -61.43376°W. Turn right heading 126° onto the Manahambre Road at the junction located at 10.29676°N and -61.42918°W and then turn left heading 97° onto the M1 Ring Road at 10.26889°N and -61.42733°W. Follow along and then turn left heading 20° at the junction located at 10.27865°N and -61.38258°W back to Iere Village.

Happy Trails...