Ever been to Ilha de Queimada Grande?

Every island in the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers of the world has its charm, or lack thereof. Being isolated they are often free to develop flora and fauna that is unique, or to preserve a way of life that has disappeared on the “mainland” of this world. One thing they all seem to have in common however (apart from the being surrounded by water, though do causeways count?) is that they are all fairly quirky places. For some people islands are the stuff of adventure stories, with pirates and buried treasure, for others there is the air of romance, and still others dream of being reincarnated as Robinson Crusoe, so long as they get to come back with an iPod, washing machine and a branch of Starbucks on the next rocky outcrop.

If asked to name a quirky island many people will plump for the Galapagos Islands with their odd animals, or they may even suggest Australia with its odd everythings (that's a compliment), but there are others that leave ancient turtles and kangaroos in the shade when it comes to being quirky and odd.

For me it has to be Ilha de Queimada Grande. Not only does it have its quirks, but it is the most terrifying place on earth for an ophidiophobe like me. (That's a word I've waited a long, long time to get to use in conversation. Google it!)

Ilha de Queimada Grande is a forested 43,000 square metre lump of rock lying off the south east coast of Brazil (quirkiest of countries perhaps). Naval restrictions forbid civilian visitors other than approved scientists, but the other great dissuader to visitors such as me is that the island is home to a particularly venomous snake, the Golden Lancehead. This is a variation of the notorious Fer-de-Lance and it can inject enough venom in one bite to kill two men at once. These 2 metre long creatures breed prolifically all year round and can produce 50 little ones at a time. With not very many natural predators and no human enemies they have been free to colonise the island to such an extent that there is now estimated to be one snake for every square metre of land. That's a lot of snakes.

At one time there was a lighthouse keeper who lived on the island - I wonder what happened to him? There were also plans for a banana plantation which came to nothing, and doesn't it look so lovely and inviting from the air!