Our Volcanic Island
Montserrat is a tiny tear drop shaped island located in the Lesser Antilles, of the British West Indies. It sits approximately 27 miles southwest of Antigua and about 30 miles southeast of Nevis and St. Kitts. With a total area of 39 sq. miles, (about 11 miles long and 6 miles at its widest), it is not the smallest island in the Caribbean. However, with its active volcano and exclusion zone occupying a little over half the island, it does become smaller, yet not less intriguing.
At its peak, Montserrat housed 12,000 people including many well known musicians, but with Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and volcanic eruptions starting in 1995, people left for England, as Montserrat is a UK overseas territory. Many also left for neighboring islands, Canada and the US, leaving about 4,500 to 5,000 people at present. In addition, the volcanic loss of the capital city, Plymouth, the previous heart and soul of the island, has left Montserrat in an unusual state. There is no established town center and it is only now, over 10 years later, that people are really starting to rebuild. Yet, despite the devastation, the island has survived, and in an ironic sort of way, it’ past troubles have protected the island. There is a quietness here that is rarely still found in other islands. Montserrat has no casinos, no shopping malls, no one chasing after you to braid your hair. It is one of, if not the, safest island in the Caribbean. People are friendly, and we are all eager to show off our beautiful, unspoiled island. Montserrat is, the way the Caribbean use to be.
