Pinel Island
Native name: Îlet Pinel | |
|---|---|
.png) Pinel Island seen from Saint Martin | |
  Location within Saint-Martin  Location within Lesser Antilles  Location within the Caribbean | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 18°6′22″N 63°00′52″W / 18.10611°N 63.01444°W |
| Archipelago | Lesser Antilles |
| Area | 0.115 km2 (0.044 sq mi) |
| Coastline | 1.945 km (1.2086 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 19 m (62 ft) |
| Administration | |
Pinel Island, also known as Îlet Pinel, is a small Caribbean island off the french coast of Saint Martin.
Geography
[edit]The island is a limestone ridge that was once part of the Saint Martin coast, which is now lies around 170 m away.[1] The island has 4 beaches and 4 rocky shores.[2] It is partly surrounded by very shallow shoals with coral. To the west, facing Saint-Martin, lies a 80 m-long tongue of sand juts out into the sea.
History
[edit]According to legend, it was after attempting to conquer the island of Saba that a buccaneer, Captain Pinel, discovered this marine refuge. Faced with resistance from the island's inhabitants, the invaders retreated until they ran aground on the magnificent islet in Cul-de-Sac Bay, which has since borne his name.[3]
In 2000 a pre-Columbian site was discovered on the southwestern beach of Pinel Island. Ceramic, lithic, and shell artifacts were found there in the sand.[4]
Nature
[edit]
The island is part of the Saint Martin Natural Reserve.[1] It is covered by a dry savannah of short grass (Greasy Donna) with some thorous groves except for goats (introduced species), lizards (ame), iguana (Iguana nudicollis),[5] hermit crabs and birds. Because of the excessive presence of humans, seabirds pass there but no longer come to nest.
Tourism
[edit]The island can be reached by a ferry service from Cul-de-Sac which departs in high season every half hour. There are two restaurants on the island. Several hiking trails travel the island.[6]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Îlet Pinel |". Alluring World. 2020-10-21. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
- ↑ writer, Catherine Mukosa (2022-01-27). "Saint Martin Pinel Island Travel Guide". www.sint-maarten.net. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ↑ "Îlet Pinel - Guide de voyage & touristique à l'ÎLET PINEL - Saint-Martin - Petit Futé". www.petitfute.com. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- ↑ Bonnissent, Dominique (2022-03-04). "Saint-Martin – Îlet Pinel". ADLFI. Archéologie de la France - Informations. une revue Gallia (in French). ISSN 2114-0502.
- ↑ Clement, D., Nolf, P., & Nolf, F. (2016). Shelling on Sint-Maarten/Saint Martin, the ‘Friendly Island’: Part. I: Introduction and land mollusca. Neptunea, 14(1), 16.
- ↑ "Pinel Island, Saint Martin nature reserve and beach resort". St. Maarten / St. Martin. Retrieved 2025-07-31.