My first time to Scrub Island

Scrub Island day trip was a blast.

I had never been to Scrub Island before and when a few of my friends mentioned the trip I jumped on the opportunity.  Now for those who are not familiar with Scrub Island or Scrub for short, it is one of the outlying cays that are a part of Anguilla. Although it is privately owned, it is uninhabited but frequently visited. The others major cays surrounding Anguilla are Prickly Pear Cays, Dog Island, Seal Island, Little Scrub, Scilly Cay, and Sandy Island. However, Scrub Island is the largest of them all with an area a little larger than 3 square miles.

Scrub Island Anguilla

Getting to Scrub Island

Now getting to Scrub Island is easy but can be tricky because the water is very deep and surrounded by reefs. So I suggest that anyone who wants to visit Scrub do so with one of the many experienced fishermen in Island Harbour, like we did. They are easy to find and many are willing to take you there. They will even let you know if the weather is good enough for you to enjoy the day.

Heading to Scrub Island

It was a serene day as we all hopped into the boat sometime in the morning to commence our full day adventure on Scrub Island. On the way we passed the famous Scilly Cay and its restaurant and we got to see the eastern coastline of Anguilla. The boat ride took under 20 minutes to get to Scrub Bay. One of the most memorable things for me was how we were greeted by the most crystal clear sea water I have ever seen. However, do not be fooled, the water is very deep and jumping in without being a strong swimmer is a no-no. There were two yachts in the water but the beach is so big we hardly noticed them.

There are no docks, piers or wharfs so getting to the island meant going directly up to the sand with the boat.  In no time we unloaded food, drinks, umbrellas and all the people. We were ready to enjoy the island.  There are only a few large trees close to the beach so bringing our own shade is a necessity. Sadly, we forgot our tent so had to settle for the umbrellas and trees but we managed.

Adventures on Scrub Island

We started off with some barbecuing, with Chef Chuck on the grill. You can check him out from my Little Bay post. Many of the pictures on this blog were also taken by him. Then it was on to swimming, dancing, and of course, eating. The water was so cool and refreshing that the hot day barely made an impression. Once everyone was full and energized we decided that it was time to see the plane. Bear in mind that this is a small plane that crashed landed on the island some decades ago. It is mostly still intact but sits in the middle of the island. Therefore, it was hiking and trekking time. On the way we passed shales of rocks, two old and derelict vehicles, a few rock wells, cacti and eventually found our way to the now semi overgrown road. You may ask why there are vehicles, a road and a plane doing on an uninhabited island but the story goes deeper because there is also an overgrown airstrip as well. I will leave the fishermen tell you about these stories.

Scrub Island old vehicle

Scrub Island Hike

Scrub Island Hike

The trek was long and hot but we made it and had our fun with the little plane. Eventually we headed back to the beach, but on the way we spotted another well and the pond which fills a large part of Scrub Island. I think trekking through the sand on the beach was the hardest part mostly because we were at the end and tired, and the sand was so soft and deep. The fatigue, nonetheless, was easily cured by some more food, drinks and the enchanted water that washes up on the beach.

Delon the wing man for Air Scrub Island

Scrub Island Captain Chuck

Scrub Island crashed plane

Scrub Island Anguilla with friends

Eventually the day began to draw to an end so we packed, cleaned up, and called out to the boat. I don’t think anyone wanted leave Scrub Island because the day felt so good. One thing I do know is that one day in the future I will be heading back to Scrub Island.

Things to pack for Scrub Island Day Trip

• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Plenty of water
• Water proof bag for anything you don’t want wet.
• Food
• Phone
• Sturdy Shoes

We have other adventures as well including

• Cave Adventures
• Winward Point
• Kayaking
• Boat Racing with Miss Anguilla
• Other fun activities