Wakenaam Island

Wakenaam sits in the Essequibo estuary next to Leguan, about forty-five square kilometres of flat land given over mostly to rice, with coconut, fruit and cattle alongside. The Dutch named it, and their drainage system of dams and sluices still shapes the fields. Old cemeteries with eighteenth-century Dutch headstones survive in a few places. It is a working farming island with almost no tourism, and that is precisely its character.

Background

The name Wakenaam is Dutch and means 'waiting for a name'. The island lies at the mouth of the Essequibo River and covers about 17.5 square miles. Together with Leguan and Hogg Island it is one of the largest islands in the Essequibo Islands group, and Dutch settlers lived on it in the 18th century. About 4,000 people lived here as of 2016. They are spread across many villages, among them Maria's Pleasure, Good Success, Sans Souci, Zeelandia, Meer Zorg, Free and Easy, Palmyra and Fredericksburg. Breezes from the Atlantic keep the island cool.

Source: Wikipedia, "Wakenaam"

Highlights

• The rice fields - the island's main crop, worked across most of its area.
• The Dutch cemeteries - eighteenth-century headstones in a few surviving plots.
• The drainage works - dams and sluices from the colonial layout.
• The estuary - the wide Essequibo mouth on all sides.

When to go

September to April is drier and easier for getting around. The ferry runs to a limited schedule. The wet seasons flood the field tracks.

Practical notes

There is essentially no visitor infrastructure and no accommodation to speak of. The ferry timetable is restrictive. Sites of interest are scattered and need transport.

Nearby

Leguan is the neighbouring island, and Parika is on the mainland.

Key facts