Everything you need to know to survive the dry season
We’re knee deep in the middle of the driest dry season Trinidad has faced in a while. Reservoir levels are at an all-time low and Sahara Dust is covering everything (yeah we know it has nothing to do with the dry season but we hate it too). This is a season of water conservation and ways to keep cool. Here’s everything you need to know to survive the dry season.
1. It will end
With the hot Caribbean sun beating down upon you, pulling all the moisture out of you and beads of sweat running down your body, you can often feel like the heat of the dry season is some sort of never-ending torture but there is an end in sight. The dry season comes every year from December to May and sure it’s often long and hot and dry but it’s only six months and it’s the perfect time of the year to do home repairs, painting and to prep gardens and cultivate crops.
2. Staying cool is a must
This is not just a myth or something that happens in the desert, dehydration is real. You definitely need to up your water intake in the dry season to keep your body hydrated and to avoid feeling. Staying inside with the fan (Lasko of course) or AC blaring helps but sometimes you just need to go outside and for those times you definitely need to break out the sunscreen (skin cancer affects everyone) and umbrellas. Sure you might look a little dumb but anything to keep cool.
3. Forest fires are real
During the dry season, it’s easier than ever for a backyard fire to get out of control and turn into a wildfire that can burn hundreds of acres in the blink of an eye. With vegetation dry and brown they provide the perfect fuel for fires which can quickly spread and wipe out both homes and the forests. These fires can displace or even kill people and wildlife and often leave millions of dollars in damage behind. Also, when the rainy season comes, flooding and landslides occur because there are no forests to protect the mountainsides. This is why you need a permit to set fires in the dry season and all fires should be carefully tended to ensure they don’t go out of control.
4. Monthly beach and river limes are important
 It may be hot outside but fortunately, we do live on a tropical island with hundreds of rivers and beaches. This means there’s no reason to be burning up on land when you can be relaxing in the water, so enjoy the benefits of a hot day and have as many beach and river limes as you can because perfect sunny days will be rare when the rainy season begins in a few weeks.
We have two months left before the dry season ends so let’s make the best of it because the rainy season is next and you’ll miss the ability to go outside without an umbrella and sunny days at the beach. How are you handling the dry season? Let us know in the comments.
