Monkeys, Agoutis, and Turtles, Oh My!!

Île Royale, French Guiana, an overseas department of France

Thursday February 27, 2025

Before starting with our amazing experiences from today we want to share something we got last night! We are honored to have been named Golden Shellbacks!

Île Royal is the home of the Bagne de Cayenne. Or in English - we went to the penal colony on Devil's Island. This famous prison opened in 1852 and closed in 1953. The French government sent their most dangerous criminals and political prisoners to this prison. It was notorious for the harsh treatment the prisoners received, the horrible conditions, the tropical climate, and the many diseases there, all of which led to a death rate at times up to 75%.

After the prison closed, it fell into disrepair. Recently though the increase in tourism has led to restoration of some buildings, and the addition of a restaurant, visitor center, and hotel.

Walking through the forest to get to the prison buildings was one of the best parts of the visit today. Animals we saw included monkeys, agoutis, and birds. And in the harbor, near the dock, we saw a turtle.

These are Capuchin Monkeys, considered one of the smartest type of monkey:

The Brazilian Agouti, or Orange-rumped Agouti, is a type of rodent.

Birds:

Royal Tern

On the left above is a Ruddy Turnstone, and on the right is a Peacock

Below is a magnificent Banyan Tree that stands in the middle of the prison complex. It provides shade and a home for birds and other small animals.

As we were waiting on the dock to return to the ship a Green Sea Turtle popped up to say Good Bye!

Fun Facts:

Devil's Island has played a key role in many well known movies such as:

• In 1952, Phantom of the Opera - in the original version the phantom, played by Lon Chaney was said to have come from Devil's Island.

• In 1939, Boris Karloff starred in the movie "Devil's Island"

• Season 2, episode 8 (1966) of "The Wild, Wild West" took place on Devil's Island

• And probably the best known were the book and movies (2) (1973 & 2017) named "Papillon". These were about convict Henri Charriere and his escape from the prison and the island. Later research, however, couldn't find any evidence he had ever been in prison there.

In the middle of the 19th century, 15 prostitutes were brought to Devil's Island to encourage the prisoners to start families and lead a better life. That did not work out..... and ended with a syphilis epidemic raging across the island.

Looking Back:

We were pleasantly surprised with our visit to Devil's Island! Hope you enjoyed the info and surprise animal pictures!

We'll be sailing the next two days with our next stop in Barbados on March 2! Stay safe everyone and please stay tuned!