British Virgin IslandSalt Island

SKIPPERS NOTES: The island itself is fun for history buffs, hikers and explorers. You won’t find many houses or establishments as the population of the island hasn’t been more than three people since at least 1980. There are no restaurants, snack bars, or stores and no electricity or potable water. Salt Island gives a unique glimpse into the past.

Fun Fact: The residents pay an annual rent to the Queen of the United Kingdom, delivered by the Governor, of a one-pound bag of salt.

Traditionally, the harvesting of salt was once an annual tradition of Salt Island going back to days of Queen Victoria in 1867. Residents would gather once a year to harvest the salt from the lake. It was customary for the Administrator of the Virgin Islands and later the Governor of the Virgin Islands to send one pound of salt to the Monarch on the Queen’s birthday. The tradition faded for many years, but just recently in 2015, Governor John Duncan decided to renew the tradition. He took the pound of salt to London and presented it to the Sovereign in March 2015 at their meeting as a gift from the people of the Virgin Islands. Later, at the annual parade celebrating the Sovereign’s official birthday on June 13, the Governor announced that the tradition of presenting a pound of salt would be renewed as a tradition in perpetuity.