ABOUT NORTH ISLAND
Located amongst the inner granitic islands of Seychelles, North Island is the most private island and a fertile paradise.
OUR HISTORY
In 1783, a Portuguese ship under the command of Sgr. Anacleto Gomez was caught in a violent storm, drifting for 50 days without food or water. Eventually, the ship’s crew found themselves off North Island, unable to navigate further. With no sails left, they tried to repair their ship but could not regain control. After a month of desperation and survival tactics, they eventually shipwrecked on North Island. The survivors struggled to find food and fresh water, living on turtle and bird meat, and used primitive tools to craft a raft in hopes of reaching a nearby island.
The survivors of the shipwreck faced extreme hardship, with many dying from thirst, hunger, and despair. They made a rudimentary raft, but the journey was perilous, and they were nearly drowned in the process. After several failed attempts to cross the seas, two men managed to reach the island of St. Anne, where they were rescued. The rest of the survivors remained on North Island for about a month, living off the meagre resources they could find, including turtle-infested marsh water. Their ordeal finally ended when a rescue mission was launched, saving the remaining survivors.
The Beaufond family received the first official concession for North Island in 1826, granted to Madam Celerine Beaufond. Despite the early 19th-century restrictions on women and slave emancipation, Celerine was awarded the concession, with the family already inhabiting the island for a few years prior. Their plantation, using the island’s guano deposits and fertile soil, grew crops like vanilla, spices, and fruit. This era marked North Island’s role in the spice trade and its shift to copra production, a more labour-efficient agricultural industry, after the abolition of slavery.
The Beaufond family continued to own North Island until 1976, when it was sold to a German developer, Mr. Ruster, after the collapse of the copra industry in the 1970s. The farm was abandoned and overgrown, with domestic animals running wild. By 1997, Norisco bought North Island with plans for restoration. The original cattle, left to roam, were difficult to capture, and invasive species like lantana spread across the island. The new owners aimed to restore the island’s ecosystem and establish a sanctuary for endangered plants and wildlife.
North Island’s legacy, from its early exploration to plantation life, shipwrecks, and treasures, paints a picture of an island steeped in history and mystery. After being abandoned and overgrown for years, our present owners are focused on restoring the ecosystem and wildlife, creating a sanctuary that will protect the island’s natural beauty and biodiversity for future generations. The rich history of human occupation, survival, and myth continues to be a part of the island’s allure. The legends, especially of hidden treasures, persist, keeping the island’s fascinating past alive in the local culture.
During the Beaufond family’s plantation years, records of life on North Island are scarce. The plantation used guano as fertilizer, with the island’s abundant bird life contributing to this. It is believed that crops like vanilla, cinnamon, and ylang-ylang were grown, and essential oils were distilled for trade. By the 1840s, coconut farming had become more prominent due to the labour efficiency of copra production. The Beaufond family lived on Mahe, with many workers buried at Bel Ombre, and possibly some slaves in a cemetery at East Beach.
MYTHS AND LEGENDS
The Treasure of North Island
One of the most enduring myths surrounding North Island is the tale of a hidden treasure. In the 1920s, a man named Peter claimed to have found a ceramic jar filled with gold medallions on the island. However, superstition prevented him from sharing the location, and the treasure was never recovered. Peter’s mysterious death before he could reveal the treasure’s location, along with the secrecy surrounding it, only added to the intrigue. Despite extensive searches, the treasure has never been found, but the legend continues to captivate local imagination.
OUR PEOPLE AND CULTURE
‘Adding A Touch of Wonder Everyday’
With a legacy of welcoming guests to the island as family, North Island holds a special place in many people’s hearts. But none more than the dedicated people that call our beautiful island sanctuary ‘home’. For all the lush greens and vibrant blues, we wouldn’t be complete without the dedication and smiling faces of our North Island family.
THE NORTH ISLAND WAY
So what was the concept behind our logo?
The idea was to use concentric circles to represent the main inner granitic islands of the Seychelles. When aligned with a map, each cluster perfectly reflects their respective island with the larger circle clusters representing the larger islands of Mahé and Praslin and the smaller clusters showing the islands of Silhouette, La Digue, Felicité and North Island.