Watamu History

The current modern Watamu has a young history that can be traced from 1937 when an Irish family, the Flynns, wrecked around Watamu and were washed ashore on the current beach of Turtle Bay and where they lived in an upturned boat.

Back then Watamu was just a forest without population, except for the occasional fishermen from Malindi and Lamu (Bagiuni people, Bajuni in Swahili, Bajuni people descended from intermarriages between Giriama and Arab traders) who occasionally swam to shore when the sea was rough took refuge in thatched huts in Northern previous Beach, near present-day position of Watamu village.