Devil's Island
A unique opportunity to visit a place most people don't get to, unless, perhaps, you're on a cruise, is Devil's Island. It's actually one of 3 islands in a small group called Salvation Islands, and it's not far off the eastern coast of French Guiana.
Devil's Island is famous for its French penal colony. Named Cayenne, it opened in 1852 and closed in 1953. The small islands were first settled by the French in the late 1700's and settlers that came there didn't fare too well. Most died of hunger or fever. Later, the island was used as a leper colony. Then it was transformed into a prison for political prisoners.
Over 60,000 men were housed during the years of operation, but only 2,000 survived. Conditions were very harsh, escape was nearly impossible due to sharks circulating and the inability to really find a way of transport. Prisoners were generally able to roam free, although shackled. If you misbehaved, you were either sent across to St. Joseph island for solitary confinement, or you were put into a hole in the ground with metal bars across the top. Fun times!!
If you've ever seen the movie Papillon, starring Steve McQueen, then this is the place his character lived for 13 years, before escaping not once, but twice! Only one other person successfully escaped the island. After Papillon escaped the first time (on a boat), he lived with a native tribe, but after he left it, he was (gasp) recaptured and taken back to Devil's Island. The second time he managed to escape on a raft built of coconuts. This time he was more successful and eventually ended up in the United States, where he wrote a book about his experience.
Anyway, the island itself is very small and very pretty. Lovely rocky coastline, great surf, lots of tropical plants and trees. And still the remains of the prison colony. A small handful of people live on the island, keeping it maintained, as it were. We anchored close by, and then tendered in. I was one of the first to step foot on the island, early in the morning, while it was still relatively cool. I spent several hours walking the road that circles the island, and then going up into the center where the old prison buildings are. Very interesting place.
Cute little critters. Not much wildlife on the island, though. More monkeys than anything else.
This little island across the way is one of the three Salvations.
A good example of much of the coastline of the island.
Hospital, below. Church, above.
Comfy place to recuperate, oui?
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