The site of Montserrat’s original airport
I flew out of the W.H. Bramble airport in 1995, as many Montserratians were choosing to leave for other Caribbean islands, Canada and the UK. But no-one used it ever again after the 25th June 1997 eruption of the Soufriere Hills killed 19, and destroyed the airport.
Montserrat’s volcanically devestated capital of Plymouth
It’s Plymouth, but not as I remember it. I’ve just driven up Garibaldi Hill, just outside the exclusion zone, to get my first sight of Plymouth in 16 years. Even though I know, intellectually, what happened since, it’s still a shock to see it. Then it was the thriving heart of Montserrat. Today it’s a Pompeii of the future.
From golf course to volcanic desert
This is the Belham River valley: it used to be Montserrat’s premiere golf course. Expensive houses lined its periphery. An area overlooking the valley is called Happy Hill. Truly paradise for the wealthy expats who lived in the area. The Soufriere Hills Volcano (in the background of this photo) changed all that.
Nature hiking in Montserrat
Weather is unpredictable in this transition period between the warm dry winter and the start of the hurricane season, but I arrived on a hot, sunny, humid day. After settling in to my guest house on the west coast I was itching to reacquaint myself with Montserrat after 16 years, so I started walking. Past the governor’s new residence (the volcano had forced even him to have to relocate) and onto the main road and south toward Salem.