Isla Caja de Muertos or Coffin Island should not be missed! This uninhabited island is maintained by a rotating group of Rangers. One hikes from white beaches with tourquise waters along paths edged with 10 foot hight cacti. Snakes laze in the sun and slither undercover as you pass by and birds sing out warnings of the human interloper wandering their island. Some of the plants and reptiles found here are endemic to the island.
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| View |
There are a few stories as to how Coffin Island got its name but this is one of my favourites! Rumour has it a Pirate named 'Jose Almeida' fell in love with a married woman on Curacao and visited her regularly between his pirating escapades. When her husband died he went and married her and during their first raid she was killed by a stray bullet! A heartbroken Jose had her embalmed and placed in a glass box in a copper coffin and buried her on the island. He visited the island monthly and would spend time at her grave! He was caught tried and executed for piracy in 1832. On his death other pirates believed he had actually hidden 'real' treasure on the island and set out to recover it. When they found the copper coffin believing it to be full or treasure they set upon each other and fought to the death. The remaining pirate then opened the box and discovering the remains jumped to his death off the cliffs!
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| Loony tunes! |
We hiked up to the old lighthouse, visited the tiny museum and met the head ranger named Orlando! He has been working the island for many years on a week on week off rotation. His son is now diesel mechanic on the ferry that runs day visitors to the island. he was able to identify a 5 foot long snake we had found as a boa that he claims is not endemic and must have been let free here by one of the visitors! The local snakes are the same colour as the boa we saw but only 2 - 3 foot long and also not venemous!
The island is also a turtle reserve and the fenced off beach is off limits to visitors and tourists!
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| Baby Boa at 5 foot long |
Back at the anchorage Dani from Joda rescued a pink Flamingo to cheers and shouts from the people on the beach!
There are a few stories as to how Coffin Island got its name but this is one of my favourites! Rumour has it a Pirate named 'Jose Almeida' fell in love with a married woman on Curacao and visited her regularly between his pirating escapades. When her husband died he went and married her and during their first raid she was killed by a stray bullet! A heartbroken Jose had her embalmed and placed in a glass box in a copper coffin and buried her on the island. He visited the island monthly and would spend time at her grave! He was caught tried and executed for piracy in 1832. On his death other pirates believed he had actually hidden 'real' treasure on the island and set out to recover it. When they found the copper coffin believing it to be full or treasure they set upon each other and fought to the death. The remaining pirate then opened the box and discovering the remains jumped to his death off the cliffs!
We hiked up to the old lighthouse, visited the tiny museum and met the head ranger named Orlando! He has been working the island for many years on a week on week off rotation. His son is now diesel mechanic on the ferry that runs day visitors to the island. he was able to identify a 5 foot long snake we had found as a boa that he claims is not endemic and must have been let free here by one of the visitors! The local snakes are the same colour as the boa we saw but only 2 - 3 foot long and also not venemous!
The island is also a turtle reserve and the fenced off beach is off limits to visitors and tourists!
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