Lying in the easternmost part of Antigua, one of Antigua and Barbuda’s two main islands, Indian Town Point is a small headland that protrudes deep into the Caribbean Sea. For years on end, this craggy speck of land has been incessantly pummeled by formidable breakers, gradually carving their way through the soft limestone rock. That in turn resulted in a series of mesmerizing formations, including a couple of blowholes from where seawater gushes aloft as if it was a geyser.

The sole centerpiece of Indian Town Point, however, is undoubtedly the aptly named Devil’s Bridge. Part of a national park with which it shares its name, the Devil’s Bridge is a naturally formed arch, sculpted over the course of millennia by the surrounding choppy seas. Induced by the area’s strong trade winds, the battering waves eroded the limestone-rich promontory to the point where a bridge-like structure was created.

Long before this rock formation became a magnet for curious onlookers, the area was inhabited by Amerindian tribes, which according to archeological evidences, established a fishing community along the rugged coastline. Despite its indigenous past, the place’s somewhat intimidating name has its origins in the modern era.

Story has it that during Antigua’s time as a British colony, dozens of African slaves were throwing themselves from the natural bridge into the rough sea in a futile attempt to escape their masters. As their souls were allegedly claimed by the devil himself, the rock formation was later dubbed with the wicked moniker that eventually turned into its official name. Whether you opt to believe this fable or not, one thing is clear, this remarkable rarity is a sobering reminder to the sheer forces of nature.

photography by: Z_dead/ Flickr

photography by: Ian Gratton/ Flickr

photography by: Amaury Laporte/ Flickr