Devil's Island

 Sea Date January 9, 2024


The French set up a penal colony off the coast of French Guiana, on the three small islands of  Îles du Salut.  The most famous was Devil's Island.  It was opened from 1852 all the way to 1953!  Most of us are familiar with it because of the movies, Papillion, in 1973 with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, and in 2017 with Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek. It is now a museum. As we started our walk, we felt like we were in a tropical paradise - truly beautiful views.  But when you think what it would have been like for prisoners in that heat with little food and no a/c, sun lotion and no bug spray, you can imagine the true misery.

We started the day tendering to the island of St Joseph's.  You cannot go to Devil's Island - just view it.  The majority of prisoners and the administration buildings were kept on St Joseph's. Prisoners who caused problems were sent to Devil's Island often for solitary confinement.

 Basically, you spend several hours walking the circle route around the island.  You can see buildings that were in use during the prison days.  There is a small museum exhibit.  My favorite building is the Chapel with drawings done by a prisoner. There is a small hotel on the island.  We stopped to buy a beer for Jim, a soda for me and a postcard for Stella.  The respite was needed - it was a drippy day.  (On my weather meter that is above hot and below drenched.)

We spotted an few agoutis and several dozen monkeys - the main island residents today.  Two monkeys were hitting and jumping on each other, and rolling around the path together but didn't seem especially aggressive.  Jim's comment, "They must be brothers."

Back to the ship for a truly appreciated shower and ice cream.  We needed to cool off inside and out.  The show tonight was comedian Sid Davis.  We then joined cruise host, Tomas, for a game of scattegories. A visit with Lan and then off to our cabin.

 





View of Devil's Island


Jim getting ready to go in and order a beer at the only
hotel on the island.

                                                            

                                           The pool at the hotel.  Steps going into a protected

                                                                                cove,


    

                                                          


    

                                                        A glimpse of an agouti.


    

                                                            This monkey was banging the branch on a rock, then eating the                                                             bugs that ran out.


             

                                                                                Sid Davis




                                                                   Home - the Zuiderdam



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