You can take a shell with you, coming back from a trip. You put it to your ear and recall the entire trip. And before that, you walked on the hot sand and looked for the nice one. On the Virgin Islands, there is the entire island of empty shells. It is also called Shell Cemetery.
At first glance, it looks a bit strange ... The island of splinters and bones ... Sailing on the boat closer, you see the piles of mother-of-pearl shells. They attract you but realizing the scale you feel uneasy. They are not only on the surface of the water but under it. All these shells were houses for mollusks, a delicacy on the Virgin Islands. Local fishermen took out mollusks and threw shells into the water. This is how this island was formed…
Its history of the island is very long. In the 13th century, the Arawak Indians were diving to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, breaking a shell and taking out mollusks. Then, they were throwing the shell back. 800 years ago, the catch of the Indians was rather poor. With time, inhabitants of the Virgin Islands have tried the meat of mollusk-sea snails. The demand grew, and fishing became frequent. Locals came to this place again and again and the island of shells was enlarging.
Mollusk pancakes breaded or fried meat of a sea snail with sauce – this is just a part of every Virgin Islands’ restaurant menu.
Some scientists claim that such number of shells does not frighten other mollusks. It attracts them. They see these shells, take them for their own, and stay there. However, nowadays, mollusks are leaving.
The cemetery is located a little norther of the Anegada Island. Previously, it was a secret place. Only fishermen knew about it. But now that is a popular tourist site. You can watch the fishing process directly from the island. Just take shoes with thick soles not to hurt your leg.
In the Virgin Islands, not just meat is in demand, but shells of mollusks. This is a good chance to bring one at home and think of a great holiday, putting it to your ear.
You may ask, what is the problem? It is known where is located the island of shells. Any merchant can come there, take as much as he wants, and sell. But for 800 years, on the pearl island, there is no single shell for sale left. Because to get the mollusk, the fishermen open the shell and break it a little. So, it loses its nice look.
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