The big boulders at Bathsheba were once coral reef and limestone that formed millions of years ago beneath the sea. Over time, the land rose up and the soft rock around the boulders was worn away by the waves, leaving the harder rock standing like giant rounded mushrooms on the shore.
Because the waves come straight from the open Atlantic, they are very powerful. This makes Bathsheba a world-class surfing spot. The best wave is called the Soup Bowl, and professional surfers travel from all over the world to ride it. The foam from broken waves often pools in little hollows in the rocks — that is how the Soup Bowl got its name.
The village of Bathsheba itself is a quiet fishing community. Local fishermen still head out early in the morning in their brightly painted boats. At the top of the hill behind the beach there are old chattel houses painted in cheerful colours, and on a clear day you can see for miles along the coast.