Braamspunt Explained

Official Name:Braamspunt
Settlement Type:Nature reserve and village
Pushpin Map:Suriname
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Suriname
Subdivision Name1:Commewijne District
Subdivision Type2:Resort
Subdivision Name2:Johan & Margaretha
Timezone:AST
Utc Offset:-3
Coordinates:5.9483°N -55.1627°W
Elevation M:0

Braamspunt is a nature reserve, fishing village, and a former military outpost in the Johan & Margaretha resort of the Commewijne District of Suriname. Braamspunt is the most western point of the Commewijne District at the combined mouth of the Suriname and Commewijne River. The capital Paramaribo is located to the south of Braamspunt.[1] The name is a corruption of Byam's Point which refers William Byam who was a quartermaster of Willoughby.[2]

History

After Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam was constructed in 1747, a redoubt was created at Braamspunt to aid in the defence of the Colony of Suriname.[3]

Even though Napoleon Bonaparte did not officially annex the Netherlands until 1806.[4] Great Britain considered it a puppet state and started to eye the colonies. In 1804, the Royal Navy arrived in Suriname with 2,000 soldiers.[5] [6] The redoubts Braamspunt and Leiden quickly fell to the enemy, but Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam managed to offer resistance before it too was conquered.[7] Suriname was returned in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna[8]

During the 18th century, ships had to anchor at Braamspunt before being allowed to continue to Paramaribo.[9]

Nature reserve

In the late 19th century, the strategic importance of Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam and its redoubts started to decline,[10] and Braamspunt became a little fishing village with a tiny population.[11] The area is a nesting ground for turtles. The most important being the leatherback sea turtles, and the green sea turtles.[12] The area is also known for its diversity in bird life.[13] A dolphin protection has been setup, because dolphins are frequently often spotted near Braamspunt.[14]

During the 20 century, the importance of wildlife was recognized, and because Braamspunt together with Galibi Nature Reserve was one of the few remaining nesting grounds for the turtles, it was designed as bijzonder beheersgebied (special management area) in 2015 in order to protect the turtles, and the bird population.[15] As of 2017, attempts were being made to prevent disturbance by day tourism.[16]

Braamspunt can only be reached by boat from ferry terminal Leonsberg, Paramaribo.[17]

References

  1. Web site: Braamspunt nachttour. Boven Suriname. 25 May 2020. nl.
  2. Web site: Maatstaf. Jaargang 30. 1982. 25 May 2020. nl. Digital Library for Dutch Literature.
  3. Web site: Richting Noord. Vakantie Arena. 25 May 2020. nl.
  4. Web site: Het begin van de Bataafse Republiek. Geschiedenis van Zuid Holland. 25 May 2020. nl.
  5. Book: Fortescue, John. John Fortescue (historian). 1910. A History of the British Army. 5. London. Macmillan and Co.. 187. 650331461.
  6. Book: Howard, Martin R. . Death Before Glory - The British Soldier in the West Indies in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 1793-1815. 2015. Pen and Sword . Barnsley. 120. 978-1-78159-341-7.
  7. Web site: Suriname Geschiedenis Deel 4: Geleende rijkdom en Einde slavenhandel . Suriname View. 25 May 2020. nl.
  8. [Wikisource:Treaty of Paris (1814)|Treaty of Paris at Wikisource]
  9. Web site: Een geschiedenis van de Surinaamse literatuur. Deel 3. Digital Library for Dutch Literature . 2002. 25 May 2020. nl.
  10. Web site: Geschiedenis. nl. Fort Nieuw Amsterdam. 9 May 2020. 23 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190723092918/http://www.fortnieuwamsterdam.sr/welkom/geschiedenis/. dead.
  11. Web site: Vissersdorpje. Columbus Magazine. 25 May 2020. nl.
  12. Web site: Sea Turtles. 25 May 2020. Braamspunt.org.
  13. Web site: Bird Life. 25 May 2020. Braamspunt.org.
  14. Web site: Dolfijnprogramma. https://web.archive.org/web/20140117134623/http://greenfundsuriname.org/nl/dolfijnprogramma.html. 25 May 2020. 2014-01-17. nl.
  15. News: Plantage Tour Commewijne. 25 May 2020. Suri Vision. nl.
  16. News: Zandafgraving Braamspunt onverstandig. Star Nieuws. nl. 27 February 2017. 25 May 2020.
  17. Web site: Touromschrijving. 25 May 2020. Braamspunt Zeeschilpadden. nl.

External links