[SunkenCiv]

The Gilpin Point peat, Abaco Island, The Bahamas, is only exposed during extremely low tides. Credit: Nancy Albury

[2banana]

And there were no frozen margaritas....

[tomkat]

juuust right for paleo ganja, mon !

[eartrumpet]

That island appears to be 6’ above sea level. Couldn’t they punch a hole inland about 5’ deep to get to the peat layer, instead of waiting for the one lowest tide of the year?

[Colorado Doug]

Unhealed bite marks on the inside of the thick carapaces of the green turtle show that they were scavenged by Cuban crocodiles after being butchered by humans.

Additional research will show that these bite marks were indeed inflicted by white, European settlers who also brought global warming with them, leading to the extinction of these fine animals as well as the demise of the local Lucayan Taino Amerindians.

[Disambiguator]

What ecosystem greeted the first human settlers in the northern Caribbean?

My guess would be the northern Caribbean ecosystem.