Sunday, 5 January 2025

Island 530 - Hommet Herbe/Houmet Jerbe, Guernsey

Hommet Herbe/Houmet Jerbe is a small rocky tidal island located 200 metres to the west of Grandes Rocques.  Access to the island is across a field of large boulders.  Flint and prehistoric pottery has been found on the island.  The island is composed of a very attractive pink/apricot coloured granite.  Autumn squill, rock samphire, sea campion and thrift all grow on Houmet Jerbe.

Houmet Jerbe

Houmet Jerbe

Looking east towards the fort at Grandes Rocques

Interesting rock formation on Houmet Jerbe

Wednesday, 1 January 2025

Island 529 - La Capelle/Chapelle dom Hue, Guernsey

La Capelle/Chapelle dom Hue is a very small tidal island located 300 metres from the west coast of Guernsey at the southern end of Perelle Bay.  Grass, thrift, sea beet and rock samphire all grow on the island.  

The remains of a porpoise were found buried on the island in 2017, during an archaeological dig to look for a religious building, which was thought to have been built on the island in the late medieval period.  The porpoise was buried between 1416 and 1490, according to radiocarbon dating and it is thought that it may have been buried to preserve it for consumption as food at a later date.

The skeleton of a Royal Navy sailor was discovered during another archaeological dig in 2018.  It is thought that he died around 1760.

Looking south east from La Capelle

Looking south west from La Capelle

Looking north east from La Capelle