Discovering Joyxee Island/Spiral Island has been one of the best things I have ever done with my life and a dream of mine to meet its creator, Richart Sowa.
This is my journey about meeting one of my heroes that I had talked about obbsessively since forever.
It has been a dream of mine to see this island since the age of 21 or 22.
I read an article in The Sun newspaper about a man from the UK called Richie Sowa who had built his own island made of plastic bottles. It was called Spiral Island. And I was in love.
To this day, I still consider it possibly one of the finest things The Sun has ever printed.
There have since been many articles online about this man, including this one in the daily mail.
Richart Sowa
Richie Sowa, now goes by the name of Richart Sowa. I recall the article saying he was from Nottingham and he just up and left one day.
So, this man had left his whole life behind in the UK and had moved to Mexico to start a new life for himself. (er…wait a minute)
Spiral Island
Upon arriving in Mexico and without a fixed address, he began picking up plastic bottles from the side of the road, plastic bottles from the beaches
Essentially, the island was a raft that was built on a grid system of intersecting bamboo (I believe).
At each of the crossing intersections, he had tied sack bags full of trash plastic bottles that had been dumped on the roadsides in and around Mexico.
When he turns the raft upside down and put in the water, it had the beginnings of a floating Island. It was around this time, that the world got wind of this man and more attention and information became available.
The spiral island was originally located in Puerto Aventuras. The island as it floats today is the third manifestation of Richie’s Island, called Joyxee Island. Hurricane Katrina, unfortunately, destroyed the second island, called Spiral Island, anchored off Puerto Aventuras in 2007. He has been working on the third island ever since.
The island is now situated in the harbour of laguna majax located on Isla Mujeres, which translates as ‘Island Of Women’. The locals refer to the island as ‘Isla Botella’, or Bottle Island.
The island did not survive hurricane Emily, even though the nucleus of the island.
A lot of people were concerned that there were plastic bottles strewn all over the place. but because of the intricate nature in which the bags of plastic bottles were attached, the whole body of the island effectively moved in one lump all together.
Joyxee Island
Then Richart Sowa built his island again.
The new island, the third, is called Joyxee Island is located in Isla Mujeres bay, on the island Isla Mujeres, near Cancun. The island is now situated in the harbour of laguna majax located on Isla Mujeres, which translates as ‘Island Of Women’.
The locals who call him Reishee, refer to the island as ‘Isla Botella’, or Bottle Island. Also known as ‘floatante’,
The
The island as it floats today is the third manifestation of Richie’s Island, called Joyxee Island, where he lives with a pet dog, cats and ducks?
As you can imagine, there are a lot of spare bottles everywhere and bottles exposed in the construction, so you can see how the whole thing is put together.
Amenities
- Wave powered washing machine
- solar panels
- internet connection
- kitchen
- sofas
The island has
- two ponds
- solar powered waterfall.
Yes, a waterfall.
He’s also got a few bottles going spare.
He also has rain collection equipment
The solar panels power the washing machine
The government has labeled the island an eco boat and for that reason, it has to comply with boating regulations, so needed things like
- life ring buoys
- fire extinguishers
- emergency kits
I have been beating my gums about this guy since reading this article many years ago, and though I have had many opportunities to see his island for myself, it is only now that I am finally ticking it off my list.
The Bottle Island
Take One
I was only planning to stay on Isla Mujeres for three days and the sole purpose of being here was to see his island. Isla Mujeres is near Cancun, and you can simply take a 20 minute ferry from Cancun to the island.
On the first day, I was there, I decided to walk from my hotel to Richart’s island. The island of Isla Mujeres itself is only 5 miles long and at its narrowest point, you can walk from the north of the island to the south in three minutes.
I don’t know why decided to walk from my hotel to Richie’s Island. Isla Mujeres bay is not far distance-wise from the city, but only if you’re driving. So yeah, I can be a bit dumb like that sometimes.
Seeing as there are plenty of golf carts on the island which are used as the main transport, that would’ve been a more sensible option. Maybe when I go back again, my thinking will be clearer.
Turns out that walking took a long time, especially on gorgeous day in full display of the sun.
Two hours later, I eventually arrive at my destination only to find that Richie was not doing tours of his island on that day.
At the dock to his island, there are handmade signs listing the programmes and media outlets that have featured Richie and his islands over the years. “Reishee” is somewhat a celebrity here. The makeshift boat that he has created to ferry people to and from his island had a leak and thus, there was not going to be any tours that day.
Bugger
I rest up in a hotel complex just over the road from the harbour. This hotel complex/ fancy outdoor restaurant gets most of its business from the day trippers coming over from Cancun. Asleep on a hammock in the shade the several hours the force deciding to get a taxi back.
Take Two
I don’t know why I had this idea in my head, but I really liked the idea of being the only person on this tour, or maybe just a tour that I am on. I have been wanting to meet Richart and see his island for so many years, the thought of sharing the experience with other tourists maybe would’ve tainted it somehow.
The following morning, I arrived at the island bang on 10 AM, in time for the first tour of the day.
And I share the experience with a couple from Sweden.
I’ll take that.
We go over on the mini ferry which is simply pulled along by Richie. We step onto the island what is no bigger than a large garden.
On the island, there are several beaches and a plethora of plants they grow and serve as vegetation to the island. The makeshift home, created by Richie, is simple and services all of his needs. He even has the Internet on there.
The home contains appliances used for cooking, cleaning, washing and he certainly does not want anything. He holds tours up to eight people at a time, each tour is approximately 25 minutes. His home is covered with hand-painted, locally sourced shells and decorated with his own artwork.
Richie went into depth about the inspiration behind the floating Island, he talked about his struggles with each playing islands and how he has had to fight to make them a reality. It was truly inspiring to be sitting opposite him.
The guy is such a character and an inspiration to me, and despite the fact that I paid for the tour like any other tourist, I felt truly humbled and honoured to be there.
Level Up, Pass Go, Collect 200
The Swedish couple how to make their exit early as they had other plans for the rest of the day. Whilst Ritchie ferried them back to the mainland, I talk about the island with his friend Jerry, who was visiting Richie from St Louis. We got talking about life, the universe, all that other stuff when out of the blue came an invitation to lunch. I’m going to have lunch with Richie Sowa and his pal. Literally beyond stoked right now.
When Richie comes back he gets changed, and we jump on Jerry’s golf cart and head to a recommended restaurant on the beach. Richie and I talked about common ground, being from the UK, the fact that we are both living in Mexico and had both experienced heartache to long-distance relationships with American women. We talked about Earthships, sustainable living techniques and inventive ways of being economical with power in the home. In total, I spent nearly 7 hours in the company of someone I have admired the many years, and after we parted, he could not wipe the smile off my face.
Island Tour
The island is about so big. it has three beaches. 3.
By visiting Richie’s floating island and actually meeting Richie himself, I have checked 2 things off my list, but the whole experience felt a lot grander. I had really done something worthwhile for my soul; something that had real value to me. The only downside of the holiday the picture that I got of us together, had the sun behind us so we are simply two silhouettes together. I guess they give me a good enough reason to go back get the new snap.
Possibly one of the best ways to start any New Year
Joyxee Island 2021 Update :
Richies Joyxee Island has been mored somewhere. There were a lot of complaints from the locals about the number of golf carts parked outside his plot, where his island was situated. More and more visitors were turning up, which meant more golf carts. He has since moved the island to a bank and is living OFF the island until he can return*
On his facebook page, he mentions this.