Salomon Islands

The Salomon Islands are one of the favorite anchoring spots for itinerant yachtsmen passing through the Chagos, even though there are no proper moorings for yachts and a permit of the BIOT authorities is needed.

Now uninhabited, the islands are overrun by low jungle between the coconut trees and it is hard to find the traces of the former settlements.

[1][2] This atoll was settled in the last half of the 18th century by coconut plantation workers from Isle de France (now Mauritius).

Between 1967 and 1973, 500 inhabitants of the Salomon Islands were evicted by the British and their pets were killed in gas chambers by Sir Bruce Greatbatch in order to make way for an American military base.

[3][4] Île Boddam had a jetty, shops, offices, a school, a church and a villa where the plantation manager lived.