"Rhone Rescuers" a Salt Island Travel Page by grandmaR

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Anchored off Salt Island

Salt Island is named for its salt ponds. Before the days of refrigeration, salt was harvested from two large ponds for curing local fish and for sale to passing ships. Up to 1,000 pounds of salt was harvested here annually. Locals were allowed to harvest salt for 2 days of the year, and the rest of the time, it was restricted to island residents. According to the law, all harvesters were required to give the government one bag of salt for every three collected as a lease payment because the island was owned by the Crown.

The island is most famous as the location of a ship wreck and dive site. When the R.M.S Rhone (Royal Mail Steamer) went down in 1867 in a hurricane, the Salt Islanders were the ones who rescued the crew.

In thanks, the islanders and their descendents were given the island and only had to make a payment of one sack of salt a year. Now there is only one resident on the island, and he is over 75 years old. But he still harvests salt.

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Fish swimming in the Rhone wreck

National Parks Trust moorings are available (anchoring is not permitted as the Rhone is a national marine park) and, if none are available, anchor at the Settlement or nearby Lee Bay and use the dingy mooring.