Santa Cruz del: Most Crowded Island
Santa Cruz del Island is a small coral island, and one of the
tiniest, in the land of San Bernardo off the coast of Colombia. The size of the
island is 2.4 acres, and 1200 people are living there. The population of Santa
Cruz Island density is more than four times that of Manhattan.
On this Island, there is no Manhattan, and no sewage system or
running water. People can get electricity for just five hours a day through
generators, and the Colombian navy dropped off fresh water once every three
weeks. So there is a question why do people live on this Island?
A group of fishermen, who were legends have this place about 50
km away from this Island, in the coastal town of Baru, were looking for new
waters to fish when they fell upon this small island, and they were sitting
where low water is. Due to late return, people decided to set up camp on this
island for a late night stay, and that was the time when they discovered that
island, the uniqueness of this land was there is no mosquitoes there. People stayed
there in very good weather and that night they slept in peace.
Today, we see the area of this island consists of 90 houses, one
restaurant, a school, two shops, a disco and a packed area that’s the size is a
soccer field and a half. This area is a densely populated island on earth. There
is so limited space that many structures expand onto the water, by using
artificial means. There is the possibility of some houses with multi-story but
most of them are single stories. The unoccupied space is a courtyard that is
about half of the size of a tennis court, its structure is amazing which is with
high tides underwater and it remains there frequently.
Most of the islanders are either staff members who are working
at resorts and hotels or fishermen on nearby islands. There is only the
occupation of the people who were living there, was fishing for a very long
time. But over time, in current years, people of that area were searching for some
other work. Now their dependence on tourism has increased and the position of
their economy is improving. There is another island that is situated nearby
Mucura, which has a high-end resort and offers snorkeling or diving, fishing to
tourists, and many other facilities. The people of Santa Cruz work there.
Others sell many things such as crafts, shells, and local food to the tourist.
Despite the difficult life on the island that is faced by the
locals, the environment of the island is peaceful and comfortable. There is no
crime or violence, so there is no concept of the locked door on this island,
and according to the children who are living there is that the place can be
described as better disciplined and docile by their school teacher.
The electricity is provided by a generator that is turned on from
seven to eleven in the evening, and provided power on the island. There is a specific
time for soap operas on television. People will use their resources to purchase
gasoline during football games so that they could on the generator to watch the
game on Television.
The driving instructor of
66 years old, Juvenal Julio, and the other person who is the great-grandson of
one of the famous founders of the island, said Santa Cruz del Island is a
paradise. According to him “I will live the rest of my days here. It’s a
glorious life
Photo credit: Hotel Punta Faro
Photo credit: unknown
Sources: Toronto Star / CNTraveller / Colombia Reports / Frontrunner Magazine
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