Tradition holds that this island was the first landmass that Christopher Columbus reached during his voyage to the New World in 1492. Rising to heights of 140 feet above sea level, the island boasts fine beaches, a scrub-covered landscape dotted with lakes that contain both fresh and brackish water, and a landmass that measures 6 by 12 miles. Its height has always made it a useful navigational aid for mariners negotiating local sea lanes, and for several decades, lighthouses have been maintained to assist them. A single, badly rutted road skirts the island's 35-mile perimeter.

`We'd be crackers to harm environment'
San Salvador residents yesterday expressed concerns about the impact a potential resort development may have on the island's eco-sensitive Pigeon Creek area, saying efforts to obtain information on the proposed project have met with a wall of silence from various government agencies.