Tag Archives | Selene

Alaska 2024 Blog Post 2
June 1, 2024
After a quiet evening in Green Island Anchorage, we were underway at 0706, in rain, which has been the norm so far this trip. We motored up Fitz Hugh Sound in low visibility and heavy rain, turning the corner into …

Alaska 2024 Blog Post 2
June 1, 2024
After a quiet evening in Green Island Anchorage, we were underway at 0706, in rain, which has been the norm so far this trip. We motored up Fitz Hugh Sound in low visibility and heavy rain, turning the corner into …

May 23, 2024

 

For a variety of reasons, we have missed the last several years of our Alaska journeys.  This year were we able to organize a shorter trip, with friends and family helping us with running Spirit.

 

Our first team, Kent and Melody, arrived in Anacortes about noon and by 1230 we were underway for our first night at Echo Bay on Sucia Island.  We were accompanied by friends on the Selene 55 “Rendezvous”. By 1525 we were anchored in Echo Bay, after a short 22 NM run, where we shared dinner.   We were one of four Selene’s anchored in Echo Bay.  This early in the season, with rain expected for the foreseeable future, there was lots of room and many empty mooring buoys.

 

May 24-26, 2024

 

We planned our departure for 0700 and managed to beat that by 10 minutes.  The crossing was uneventful, with relatively calm seas.  We entered False Creek and proceeded to the CBSA dock at Fisherman’s Wharf to clear customs at 1320 after a 50 NM run.  Clearance was by cell phone and by 1350 we had our clearance and headed to Quayside Marina at the foot of Yaletown for a three night stay.  Rain was our constant companion for the entire stay, but we were able to complete our provisioning of fresh foods we could not bring across the border.

A memorable event was the oyster feed, with 8 dozen oysters consumed by the crew.

Some of our oysters at Quayside Marina

 

The derelict and unkempt live aboard boat situation has not improved and there were even two beached vessels and one sunken vessel near the entrance to False Creek.

 

May 27, 2024

 

Spirit departed Quayside Marina with Rendezvous close astern shortly after 0900 for the 50 NM run to Pender Harbor.  The rain was intense at time, rendering the radar virtually useless even with rain clutter control maximized.  The winds were 15-20 knots from the SE and with the seas on our port quarter the ride was uncomfortable at times, even with stabilizers engaged.  The seas calmed once we were in Welcome Passage and continued calm as we entered Pender Harbor.  We rafted Spirit to Rendezvous just outside the entrance to Garden Bay at 1500.  The winds were light and the water was flat all evening.

 

May 28, 2024

 

Spirit departed Pender Harbor shortly before 0900 in torrential rain, poor visibility, but no wind.  Seas were calm until we reached Grief Point and then the skies cleared somewhat and the wind shifted to the Southeast, increasing to 15-20 knots.  We continued past Powell River, Lund and Bliss Landing, turning past Sarah Point and headed to Prideaux Haven, our destination for the evening.  Spirit anchored first this time, after a 51.5 NM run, and Rendezvous rafted alongside.  The rain had started again before we entered Prideaux Haven, with periods of thundershowers interspersed with sun, but no wind in the anchorage.  The early evening views were complete with rainbows and dark clouds.

A rainbow over Prideaux Haven

 

May 29, 2024

 

A quiet day anchored in Prideaux Haven, with kayaking and tender operations.

 

May 30, 2024

 

Spirit broke up the raft and departed Prideaux Haven at 0645, to make high slack water at 1100 at Dent Rapids.  We were right on time and cruised through. Taking Greene Point Rapids on the ebb 90 minutes later and exiting into Johnstone Strait via Chancellor Channel.  We took advantage of the ebb tide and entered Blackney Pass at 1800, anchoring in 50 feet of water at Hanson Island at 1838.  Our day’s run was 101 NM.

 

May 31, 2024

 

There is a significant weather front approaching, so we made a dash today past Cape Caution to avoid the high winds predicted for Saturday Evening and Sunday.  Seas were relatively calm around the Cape, with a westerly swell of 1-2 meters and a 2-3 foot chop from the 15 knot SE winds.  We anchored in Green Island Anchorage in Fitz Hugh Sound at 1630 after an 84 NM run.   The anchorage was calm, only one other vessel was present.

The Native American Village midden at Green Island

 

 

 

 

 

May 23, 2024

 

For a variety of reasons, we have missed the last several years of our Alaska journeys.  This year were we able to organize a shorter trip, with friends and family helping us with running Spirit.

 

Our first team, Kent and Melody, arrived in Anacortes about noon and by 1230 we were underway for our first night at Echo Bay on Sucia Island.  We were accompanied by friends on the Selene 55 “Rendezvous”. By 1525 we were anchored in Echo Bay, after a short 22 NM run, where we shared dinner.   We were one of four Selene’s anchored in Echo Bay.  This early in the season, with rain expected for the foreseeable future, there was lots of room and many empty mooring buoys.

 

May 24-26, 2024

 

We planned our departure for 0700 and managed to beat that by 10 minutes.  The crossing was uneventful, with relatively calm seas.  We entered False Creek and proceeded to the CBSA dock at Fisherman’s Wharf to clear customs at 1320 after a 50 NM run.  Clearance was by cell phone and by 1350 we had our clearance and headed to Quayside Marina at the foot of Yaletown for a three night stay.  Rain was our constant companion for the entire stay, but we were able to complete our provisioning of fresh foods we could not bring across the border.

A memorable event was the oyster feed, with 8 dozen oysters consumed by the crew.

Some of our oysters at Quayside Marina

 

The derelict and unkempt live aboard boat situation has not improved and there were even two beached vessels and one sunken vessel near the entrance to False Creek.

 

May 27, 2024

 

Spirit departed Quayside Marina with Rendezvous close astern shortly after 0900 for the 50 NM run to Pender Harbor.  The rain was intense at time, rendering the radar virtually useless even with rain clutter control maximized.  The winds were 15-20 knots from the SE and with the seas on our port quarter the ride was uncomfortable at times, even with stabilizers engaged.  The seas calmed once we were in Welcome Passage and continued calm as we entered Pender Harbor.  We rafted Spirit to Rendezvous just outside the entrance to Garden Bay at 1500.  The winds were light and the water was flat all evening.

 

May 28, 2024

 

Spirit departed Pender Harbor shortly before 0900 in torrential rain, poor visibility, but no wind.  Seas were calm until we reached Grief Point and then the skies cleared somewhat and the wind shifted to the Southeast, increasing to 15-20 knots.  We continued past Powell River, Lund and Bliss Landing, turning past Sarah Point and headed to Prideaux Haven, our destination for the evening.  Spirit anchored first this time, after a 51.5 NM run, and Rendezvous rafted alongside.  The rain had started again before we entered Prideaux Haven, with periods of thundershowers interspersed with sun, but no wind in the anchorage.  The early evening views were complete with rainbows and dark clouds.

A rainbow over Prideaux Haven

 

May 29, 2024

 

A quiet day anchored in Prideaux Haven, with kayaking and tender operations.

 

May 30, 2024

 

Spirit broke up the raft and departed Prideaux Haven at 0645, to make high slack water at 1100 at Dent Rapids.  We were right on time and cruised through. Taking Greene Point Rapids on the ebb 90 minutes later and exiting into Johnstone Strait via Chancellor Channel.  We took advantage of the ebb tide and entered Blackney Pass at 1800, anchoring in 50 feet of water at Hanson Island at 1838.  Our day’s run was 101 NM.

 

May 31, 2024

 

There is a significant weather front approaching, so we made a dash today past Cape Caution to avoid the high winds predicted for Saturday Evening and Sunday.  Seas were relatively calm around the Cape, with a westerly swell of 1-2 meters and a 2-3 foot chop from the 15 knot SE winds.  We anchored in Green Island Anchorage in Fitz Hugh Sound at 1630 after an 84 NM run.   The anchorage was calm, only one other vessel was present.

The Native American Village midden at Green Island

 

 

 

 

 

 The following link will bring up the custom video from the Antarctic section of our voyage.  It is pretty good, and Patrick is visible three times, from the back, if you can identify him.  One in the kayaks and twice in a blue Helly Han…

 The following link will bring up the custom video from the Antarctic section of our voyage.  It is pretty good, and Patrick is visible three times, from the back, if you can identify him.  One in the kayaks and twice in a blue Helly Han…

 The Caribbean and Home

 

After our stop at Devils Island, Seabourn Quest headed north to Barbados, the first stop on the Caribbean segment of our Grand Americas voyage.

 

March 18 – At Sea enroute Barbados

 

Sunday, March 19, 2023 – Barbados

 

After a day at sea, the ship docked in Barbados, joined by three other cruise ships, including one new cruise ship looking like a large blue yacht, the Ritz Carlton Evrima.  Just as in many of the ports where we dock, the ports also handle commercial cargo, so we are often bussed to a terminal at the port entrance where we meet up with our shore excursions or shuttles to the town center.  Patrick and one other couple hired a taxi and drove to the northern end of the island, about 25 KM away, to St. Nicholas Abbey, a sugar mill and rum distillery that has been in existence for 350 years.  The Jacobean era mansion dating to the 1600’s is well preserved and the main floor is restored as a museum period piece with traditional furniture.

 

The windmill (and later steam) powered sugar mill utilized slave labor until the British abolished slavery in 1833, but evidence suggests the freed African slaves were still treated like slaves until the mid 1880’s, a dark side of Barbados history.

 

We tasted the rum produced by the distillery but decided that even the least expensive bottle of 5 year old rum was not worth it at $70 per bottle.

 

Following our tour, the driver took the beach route back to Bridgetown, past massive villas, most gated.  We passed the one belong to Rihanna, the singer, who is a native of Barbados and revered by the in habitants.  There is even a Rihanna street, located where she grew up in a poor community in Bridgetown.

 

Today is Sunday, so most shops in Bridgetown were closed, so after the beach drive we headed to Carlisle Bay and the beach.  The admission fee was $10, which gave you a shared umbrella and a beach chair.  After the drive and tour of St. Nicholas Abbey we were a little hungry, so ordered fried flying fish and coconuts spiked with rum and then had a brief swim in the warm waters before returning to the ship, which departed at 1700, for our next stop, Martinique.

 

Monday, March 20, 2023 – Martinique

 

Seabourn Quest docked at the French island of Martinique shortly after 0800, with rain and brisk winds threatening the snorkeling expedition planned for that day.  While we were waiting to go ashore, and massive P&O ship, the ARVIA, new in 2022, docked alongside us.  The ship held 6,000 passengers and 1,800 crew and provided shade all day, towering over Seabourn Quest.

 

Twenty five of us headed down the dock and boarded the snorkeling boat.  We headed across the harbor to the “Bat Cave”, our first stop.  The weather cooperated and the sun provided good visibility to see a number of colorful fish.  After one hour we moved to another location and anchored in front of a beach where we swam above massive sea turtles feeding on the vegetation on the bottom, about 12 feet below us.  The weather remained sunny, but the brisk winds gave us a wet ride back to the ship, but the rum punch and other rum drinks took off the edge, since we were wet anyway.

Seabourn Quest had a ABBA themed Sail Away party on the pool deck and the passengers on the ARVIA participated, waving and dancing on their balconies along with us.  There were more of them just on that side than the entire number of passengers on our ship.  When we departed they were still singing and dancing along with us.

 

March 21, 2023 – St. Johns, Antigua

 

Our arrival into St. Johns was delayed by one hour, since we were the last and smallest of five cruise ships docked in the harbor.  Nonetheless, most shore excursions were only slightly delayed, including our kayak and snorkeling excursion to the windy west side of the island.  The kayaks were all sit upon doubles and the paddle was in the mangrove swamps.  We paddled upwind first, but only saw a few thinks, like conchs in the shallow water near the mangroves.  After a one hour paddle we stopped at a stingray feeding station and saw the large stingrays swimming below us, before heading to Bird Island, a nature preserve, where we snorkeled in very warm water around coral formations in surprisingly good shape.  Returning to the pier we had time for a brief shoreside walk before the ship sailed at 1700.

 

March 22, 2023 – Carambola Beach, St. Kitts

 

Seabourn Quest arrived off Carambola Beach at 0900 and anchored a few thousand feet from the jetty and tender dock.  Seabourn had reserved the Carambola Beach Club for the entire day and spent much of the morning shuttling supplies ashore for the BBQ and beach celebration, including their signature “Caviar in the Surf” event.  The caviar was served from a paddle board in chest deep water and the caviar was delivered from the ship by the Captain driving a Zodiac right to the beach.  Many of us walked into the water for our caviar, and the waiters were also in the water pouring champagne into chilled  glasses.  A large tent housed tables for the meal, which featured BBQ (broiled) spiny lobsters and all the side dishes, including burgers, sausages, salads, etc.  The setting was informal, lats of bare feet and swimsuits as we enjoyed the food and company.  By 1630, we had returned to the ship, the beach was restored and we headed for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

Thursday, March 23, 2020 – San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

As sunrise approached, Seabourn Quest approached the harbor entrance, passing beneath the imposing mass of Castillo San Felipe del Morro “El Morro”, the citadel protecting the harbor entrance to the natural harbor.  The ship docked at the foot of old San Juan, so it was walking distance to both fortress San Cristobal and El Morro, as well as the colorful streets of the old town, with many restaurants and shops.  The ship docked shortly after 0800.

The old town was crowded with visitors, especially since a large cruise ship with 6,000 passengers docked a few minutes after we arrived.

 

Disembarking was delayed for a 100% immigration check of all passengers and all crew.  We not allowed back on the ship until 100% of the passengers had been cleared.  That process took until 1000, when we allowed back on board after waiting in a large drafty terminal until the process finished.  Following that, the ship had a US Public Health inspection and a USCG safety inspection, with crew drills which took until 1330 to complete.  Meanwhile, guest services, like restaurants were either closed or had limited services.

 

At 1700, Seabourn Quest sailed out of the harbor and set a course for Miami, 2 sea days away, passing north of Cuba and east of the Bahamas.

 

The evening culminated with a special “Route 66” celebration for the 163 passengers on board for the entire voyage.  The dinner was typical diner food, with burgers, lobster rolls, pulled pork sandwiches, potato and macaroni salads and desserts.  The crew was lined up on both sides as we entered, all dressed in 50’s and 60’s costumes.

 

 

 

 

 

 The Caribbean and Home

 

After our stop at Devils Island, Seabourn Quest headed north to Barbados, the first stop on the Caribbean segment of our Grand Americas voyage.

 

March 18 – At Sea enroute Barbados

 

Sunday, March 19, 2023 – Barbados

 

After a day at sea, the ship docked in Barbados, joined by three other cruise ships, including one new cruise ship looking like a large blue yacht, the Ritz Carlton Evrima.  Just as in many of the ports where we dock, the ports also handle commercial cargo, so we are often bussed to a terminal at the port entrance where we meet up with our shore excursions or shuttles to the town center.  Patrick and one other couple hired a taxi and drove to the northern end of the island, about 25 KM away, to St. Nicholas Abbey, a sugar mill and rum distillery that has been in existence for 350 years.  The Jacobean era mansion dating to the 1600’s is well preserved and the main floor is restored as a museum period piece with traditional furniture.

 

The windmill (and later steam) powered sugar mill utilized slave labor until the British abolished slavery in 1833, but evidence suggests the freed African slaves were still treated like slaves until the mid 1880’s, a dark side of Barbados history.

 

We tasted the rum produced by the distillery but decided that even the least expensive bottle of 5 year old rum was not worth it at $70 per bottle.

 

Following our tour, the driver took the beach route back to Bridgetown, past massive villas, most gated.  We passed the one belong to Rihanna, the singer, who is a native of Barbados and revered by the in habitants.  There is even a Rihanna street, located where she grew up in a poor community in Bridgetown.

 

Today is Sunday, so most shops in Bridgetown were closed, so after the beach drive we headed to Carlisle Bay and the beach.  The admission fee was $10, which gave you a shared umbrella and a beach chair.  After the drive and tour of St. Nicholas Abbey we were a little hungry, so ordered fried flying fish and coconuts spiked with rum and then had a brief swim in the warm waters before returning to the ship, which departed at 1700, for our next stop, Martinique.

 

Monday, March 20, 2023 – Martinique

 

Seabourn Quest docked at the French island of Martinique shortly after 0800, with rain and brisk winds threatening the snorkeling expedition planned for that day.  While we were waiting to go ashore, and massive P&O ship, the ARVIA, new in 2022, docked alongside us.  The ship held 6,000 passengers and 1,800 crew and provided shade all day, towering over Seabourn Quest.

 

Twenty five of us headed down the dock and boarded the snorkeling boat.  We headed across the harbor to the “Bat Cave”, our first stop.  The weather cooperated and the sun provided good visibility to see a number of colorful fish.  After one hour we moved to another location and anchored in front of a beach where we swam above massive sea turtles feeding on the vegetation on the bottom, about 12 feet below us.  The weather remained sunny, but the brisk winds gave us a wet ride back to the ship, but the rum punch and other rum drinks took off the edge, since we were wet anyway.

Seabourn Quest had a ABBA themed Sail Away party on the pool deck and the passengers on the ARVIA participated, waving and dancing on their balconies along with us.  There were more of them just on that side than the entire number of passengers on our ship.  When we departed they were still singing and dancing along with us.

 

March 21, 2023 – St. Johns, Antigua

 

Our arrival into St. Johns was delayed by one hour, since we were the last and smallest of five cruise ships docked in the harbor.  Nonetheless, most shore excursions were only slightly delayed, including our kayak and snorkeling excursion to the windy west side of the island.  The kayaks were all sit upon doubles and the paddle was in the mangrove swamps.  We paddled upwind first, but only saw a few thinks, like conchs in the shallow water near the mangroves.  After a one hour paddle we stopped at a stingray feeding station and saw the large stingrays swimming below us, before heading to Bird Island, a nature preserve, where we snorkeled in very warm water around coral formations in surprisingly good shape.  Returning to the pier we had time for a brief shoreside walk before the ship sailed at 1700.

 

March 22, 2023 – Carambola Beach, St. Kitts

 

Seabourn Quest arrived off Carambola Beach at 0900 and anchored a few thousand feet from the jetty and tender dock.  Seabourn had reserved the Carambola Beach Club for the entire day and spent much of the morning shuttling supplies ashore for the BBQ and beach celebration, including their signature “Caviar in the Surf” event.  The caviar was served from a paddle board in chest deep water and the caviar was delivered from the ship by the Captain driving a Zodiac right to the beach.  Many of us walked into the water for our caviar, and the waiters were also in the water pouring champagne into chilled  glasses.  A large tent housed tables for the meal, which featured BBQ (broiled) spiny lobsters and all the side dishes, including burgers, sausages, salads, etc.  The setting was informal, lats of bare feet and swimsuits as we enjoyed the food and company.  By 1630, we had returned to the ship, the beach was restored and we headed for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

Thursday, March 23, 2020 – San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

As sunrise approached, Seabourn Quest approached the harbor entrance, passing beneath the imposing mass of Castillo San Felipe del Morro “El Morro”, the citadel protecting the harbor entrance to the natural harbor.  The ship docked at the foot of old San Juan, so it was walking distance to both fortress San Cristobal and El Morro, as well as the colorful streets of the old town, with many restaurants and shops.  The ship docked shortly after 0800.

The old town was crowded with visitors, especially since a large cruise ship with 6,000 passengers docked a few minutes after we arrived.

 

Disembarking was delayed for a 100% immigration check of all passengers and all crew.  We not allowed back on the ship until 100% of the passengers had been cleared.  That process took until 1000, when we allowed back on board after waiting in a large drafty terminal until the process finished.  Following that, the ship had a US Public Health inspection and a USCG safety inspection, with crew drills which took until 1330 to complete.  Meanwhile, guest services, like restaurants were either closed or had limited services.

 

At 1700, Seabourn Quest sailed out of the harbor and set a course for Miami, 2 sea days away, passing north of Cuba and east of the Bahamas.

 

The evening culminated with a special “Route 66” celebration for the 163 passengers on board for the entire voyage.  The dinner was typical diner food, with burgers, lobster rolls, pulled pork sandwiches, potato and macaroni salads and desserts.  The crew was lined up on both sides as we entered, all dressed in 50’s and 60’s costumes.

 

 

 

 

 

 March 16, 2023 – Cruising the North Atlantic towards Devils Island

 

By 0500 we had crossed the Barre Norte and altered course to the north towards the Salvation or Safety Islands (Iles du Salut), the location in French Guiana of the infamous Devils Island penal colony.  The Salvation Islands lie offshore from Kourous, close to the European Space Agency’s spaceport.  We would be close enough to see a launch if one were scheduled, but sadly, none are.

March 17, 2023 – Devils Island, French Guiana

 

Devils Island was a French penal colony which remained in use from 1852-1952.  It is located some 10 NM offshore from Kourous.  More than 56,000 prisoners, mostly male were imprisoned over the course of it’s existence, with more than 90% dying.  The prison actually was on three islands, Ile Royale which was the administrative center and where most prisoners were located, Ile Sainte Joseph, where the solitary confinement cells were located, and Devils Island (Ile du Diable), where the most known inmate, Frenchman Albert Dreyfus, wrongly accused of treason, spent 4 years in solitary confinement.  Very few people escaped, since the island group, known as “The Salvation Islands” or Iles du Salut, has treacherous currents and the waters are shark infested.  In addition, all trees were cut down to prevent prisoners from making rafts.  Prisoners who died were thrown into the sea to ensure the sharks remained close to the islands.  The cemetery contains only guards and their families.  The 1973 and 2017 films “Papillon” dramatized the story of one successful escapee, whose story is now being questioned, since French Archives, recently opened, do not show he was ever on Devils Island.

 

Today the trees have regrown and Ile Royale boasts a hotel located in the former administrative center and campground on the main square.  There is ferry service to the mainland.  No visitors are allowed on Devils Island, but we will take zodiacs to Ile Sainte Joseph and tenders to Ile Royale.  Ile Royale is better preserved and restored, with extensive signage explaining what is still present.  The island has a large church and a post office, only for residents.  There are two swimming areas constructed by the prisoners, one for guards and one for prisoners.  People were swimming in both and camping in some of the buildings, with hammocks covered with netting slung from the ceilings.  Viewing the partially restored cells, including those on death row was sobering.  The guillotine that was used for executions has been removed.

 

One of the solitary confinement cells on Ile Royale

Grim solitary confinement

Prisoners swimming area – Ile Royale

Soiltary Confinement house for Albert Dreyfus on Ile du Diable

Ile Saint Joseph is in a natural state of decay, with trees growing up through the buildings and the 150 solitary confinement cells.  Many of the cells only had bars for a roof, so the prisoners were exposed to the elements all the time.  In another few decades, it will be difficult to even see the crumbling ruins underneath the tropical vegetation.  There is a small group of buildings still used by the French military and off limits to the public.

 March 16, 2023 – Cruising the North Atlantic towards Devils Island

 

By 0500 we had crossed the Barre Norte and altered course to the north towards the Salvation or Safety Islands (Iles du Salut), the location in French Guiana of the infamous Devils Island penal colony.  The Salvation Islands lie offshore from Kourous, close to the European Space Agency’s spaceport.  We would be close enough to see a launch if one were scheduled, but sadly, none are.

March 17, 2023 – Devils Island, French Guiana

 

Devils Island was a French penal colony which remained in use from 1852-1952.  It is located some 10 NM offshore from Kourous.  More than 56,000 prisoners, mostly male were imprisoned over the course of it’s existence, with more than 90% dying.  The prison actually was on three islands, Ile Royale which was the administrative center and where most prisoners were located, Ile Sainte Joseph, where the solitary confinement cells were located, and Devils Island (Ile du Diable), where the most known inmate, Frenchman Albert Dreyfus, wrongly accused of treason, spent 4 years in solitary confinement.  Very few people escaped, since the island group, known as “The Salvation Islands” or Iles du Salut, has treacherous currents and the waters are shark infested.  In addition, all trees were cut down to prevent prisoners from making rafts.  Prisoners who died were thrown into the sea to ensure the sharks remained close to the islands.  The cemetery contains only guards and their families.  The 1973 and 2017 films “Papillon” dramatized the story of one successful escapee, whose story is now being questioned, since French Archives, recently opened, do not show he was ever on Devils Island.

 

Today the trees have regrown and Ile Royale boasts a hotel located in the former administrative center and campground on the main square.  There is ferry service to the mainland.  No visitors are allowed on Devils Island, but we will take zodiacs to Ile Sainte Joseph and tenders to Ile Royale.  Ile Royale is better preserved and restored, with extensive signage explaining what is still present.  The island has a large church and a post office, only for residents.  There are two swimming areas constructed by the prisoners, one for guards and one for prisoners.  People were swimming in both and camping in some of the buildings, with hammocks covered with netting slung from the ceilings.  Viewing the partially restored cells, including those on death row was sobering.  The guillotine that was used for executions has been removed.

 

One of the solitary confinement cells on Ile Royale

Grim solitary confinement

Prisoners swimming area – Ile Royale

Soiltary Confinement house for Albert Dreyfus on Ile du Diable

Ile Saint Joseph is in a natural state of decay, with trees growing up through the buildings and the 150 solitary confinement cells.  Many of the cells only had bars for a roof, so the prisoners were exposed to the elements all the time.  In another few decades, it will be difficult to even see the crumbling ruins underneath the tropical vegetation.  There is a small group of buildings still used by the French military and off limits to the public.