Life on Mustique

Ocean Science's blog
Glenn Cooper
Fri 2 Mar 2018 17:38
This is a privately owned island, the ownership now being with The Mustique Company Limited, which  runs pretty well everything - the roads, the airport and also the planes, the dock and the utilities.  There are around 100 property owners, most of whom are shareholders in The Company.  It is a sort of condominium.   Back in the late 1950's a Scottish aristo called Tennant bought it.  He paid something like £45,000.  Today that would buy a hutch for a single celibate  tortoise.  He developed it, and his pal Princess Margaret became a regular visitor.  I scoured the beaches for one of her fag ends as a souvenir, but no luck. 
 
Although it is an opulent playground for the mega rich and celebs such as Sir Mick (we must have just missed him) it is actually a charming and unspoilt place.  Building is controlled.  There are large parts of the island left wild, with shady pathways through mangroves  leading to quiet beaches. .
 
There are many tortoises, particularly after rain  when they come out to drink from the roads. 
 
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We have to clear immigration at the airport, which is just below our hosts’ house.  The airport terminal looks more like a beach bar:
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It is a hairy approach.  It attracts spectators.  You can get to places like St Lucia in a few minutes.  Getting here from London does not take as long as you might think.
 
Think picnic and what comes to mind?    Maybe a tartan rug, some cheese  sandwiches, a thermos, plastic beakers.   It is all a bit different on Mustique.  A selection of staff from the house serve chicken and ribs from the barbeque, rum punch and rose with lunch, home made brownies.  All at a long table on the beach in a purpose built shelter.   I am just passing on information.  This is what happened.  I am not trying to piss you off, honest.
 
 
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Then back to the house for a shower, a swim, a read, a hot tub, and hey ho is it that time again?  Plates of canapes appear (e.g caviar on fresh ginger) and the bar is open.  A bit more of this and hey ho it is dinner time – 10 of us round the familiar table.   This is life on Mustique.