Petite Nevis
Encyclopedia
Petit Nevis is a tiny, privately owned island
in the Grenadines
, off the coast of Bequia
. The island is uninhabited, but has been used by whalers
to flense
their catches to the current day, although this practice is now limited both by season and by law to conserve the whale population as an endangered species. Whaling by early settlers to Bequia was undertaken to help feed their isolated community. Hunting was and still is carried out in small boats using a hand-held harpoon, a skill passed down through generations, and made newsworthy by world renowned local legend and whale boat captain, Athneal Ollivierre (died 2000), and who was also part-owner of Petit Nevis.
A small isolationist community called Moonhole
on nearby Bequia scavenges whale bones from the island for building materials.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Grenadines
Grenadines
The Grenadines is a Caribbean island chain of over 600 islands in the Windward Islands.-Geographic boundaries:They are divided between the island nations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. They lie between the islands of Saint Vincent in the north and Grenada in the south. Neither...
, off the coast of Bequia
Bequia
Bequia is the largest island in the Grenadines. It is part of the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and is approximately 15 km from the nation's capital, Kingstown.-Geography:The island capital is Port Elizabeth...
. The island is uninhabited, but has been used by whalers
Whalers
Whalers may refer to:* Danbury Whalers,US ice-hockey team in the Federal Hockey League* Eden Whalers, Australian Rules Football team* Hartford Whalers, former US ice-hockey team* New Bedford Whalers, name of three US soccer teams...
to flense
Flensing
Flensing is the removing of the outer integument of whales. English whalemen called it "flenching", while American whalemen called it "cutting-in".-Open-boat:-Shore and Bay whaling:...
their catches to the current day, although this practice is now limited both by season and by law to conserve the whale population as an endangered species. Whaling by early settlers to Bequia was undertaken to help feed their isolated community. Hunting was and still is carried out in small boats using a hand-held harpoon, a skill passed down through generations, and made newsworthy by world renowned local legend and whale boat captain, Athneal Ollivierre (died 2000), and who was also part-owner of Petit Nevis.
A small isolationist community called Moonhole
Moonhole
Moonhole is a private community on the island of Bequia in the Grenadines. Moonhole derives its name from a massive arch formed in volcanic substrate through which the setting moon shines one of night of the year....
on nearby Bequia scavenges whale bones from the island for building materials.