Discovering A Not So Deserted Island
Pinel Island is located in Orient Bay, off the coast of St. Marteen's Island. It's about a 15-minute ride by ferry boat, but that's only when the ferry is actually operating---and that wasn't our lucky day. The captain told us our next best choice to see the island was by kayak.
Mary and I rented a tandem kayak and headed out across Orient Bay quickly learning why it was 15 minutes by ferry, but a solid 45 minutes in a kayak fighting the strong current from the ocean inlet. It was an intense ride that had our nerves rattled when we finally reached the island.
Pinel Island isn't exactly a primitive island since it had a full service bar (and it wasn't operating either). We quickly learned why it wasn't deserted. Dozens of large multi-colored iguanas surrounded us. They roam free, along with a few island chickens.
The theory is they were probably dumped there when the novelty as a pet wore off. How the free-range chickens got into the mix I have no clue.
I got some decent shots using my Nikon Cool Pix point and shoot camera. It may look as if I was inches from the iguana's face, but a decent zoom allowed me to keep a distance. Capturing their most striking feature--their eyes--required me to lay on my stomach to have the right angle. The iguanas were thankfully cooperative and friendly.
My parting advice is to take the ferry boat to Pinel Island. Consider kayaking across Orient Bay only if you are confident in your skills on the water.
Click here to learn more about Pinel Island.