Salvation Islands - Devil's Island

Next day we headed on a one hour boat trip out to the islands. For the non-trivia folks, back many years ago, when countries had lots of inmates, they settled penal colonies away from their countries. That is how much of Australia was settled (and maybe why Australians are so hardy) The French sent their prisoners to French Guyane. Many towns on the mainland had minimum security prisons and some medium. Where are you going to escape to ? The most dangerous and those who kept trying to escape were sent to the islands. (the name Salvation Islands came from a disasterous colonization effort years before and the islands provided life until relief parties came)

The main and administrative island was St. Joseph. There they held prisoners in compounds but they were free during the day to move around the island, they all had jobs, tended gardens, fished, etc. The solitary confinement cells were here. 5 by 8 feet. Over 70% who went into solitary died there. Even speaking with you neighbor was not allowed. Gruel and a piece of bread was put through a tiny door once a day.

The worst of the worst were sent to Devil's Island (one of three islands) Until Papillion (remember the Steve McQueen movie or the book) no one had ever escaped from Devil's Island. The French continued to use this penal colony until the 1950's.

Now if you think I learned a bunch about the islands while there, you would be very wrong. Everything is in french only, tours in french only. descriptive signs and plaques in french only and helpful staff in french only. Lots of natives go out to the islands. When you get just that far from the mainland, the water goes from chocolate to silty green and you can see a few feet into the water. On the north side of Royal Island, there is actually a sand beach instead of mud. Long hot day.