Alpha Six - Isla San Lucas environmental project

Tara and JC are our castaway crew on Isla San Lucas

Washing up on a deserted island could be your best dream – or your worst nightmare. Sunny Isla San Lucas is the base of our final environmental project, run by the impossibly bubbly, blonde and occasionally slightly boisterous PM double act of Princess Tara and John (AKA JC). Back for a second consecutive stint as PM, our beloved fashionista (Tara) may be tempted to leave her high heels behind as she, computer genius and all-round-good-guy JC, and their castaway team all set sail into the Golfo Dulce sunset for three weeks of sun, sand and... the supernatural.

San Lucas, you may have gathered, has had somewhat of a chequered history. The island was actually an Alcatraz-style prison until just twenty years ago - perhaps the most notorious in the whole of Costa Rica. One of its inhabitants, jailed for thieving an important relic from a church, wrote a book about his experience which has since become one of the most important Costa Rican novels of the twentieth century. José León Sánchez’s 'Isla de los Hombres Solos' (Island of Lonely Men) was also published as 'God was looking the other way' in 1973. On top of this, the island is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of prisoners that perished here – and was recently featured by the somewhat sensationalised Ghost Hunters International.

So, you’re probably wondering why we’ve sent the good folk of Alpha Six to this remote outpost. Well, after the prison was decommissioned, a legal battle for control of the island ensued between the Ministry of Environment and the municipality of Puntarenas. The Municipality wished to turn it into a hotel and casino complex but due to the cultural and biological importance of the island the Ministry of Environment fought hard and eventually won the case. Today, San Lucas is Costa Rica’s newest wildlife reserve and it is hope that the bird and mammal populations can be restocked so visitors can catch a glimpse of deer, agoutis, peccaries, monkey and sloths.

Whilst the prisoners were on the island they cut trails through the forests, the remains of which exist to this day. Many were consumed by the forest during the legal battles, so Alpha Six will be equipping themselves with path clearing kit and blazing new trails over the island proving access for visitor to enjoy the natural treasure here and ancient archaeological sites. If that wasn’t enough, we’ll be aiding renovations of the existing buildings to accommodate rangers permanently on the island and provide facilities for visitors.

First though, Alpha Six will be hard at work building their jungle camp. Once they've negotiated the boat ride from Puntarenas, the team will be relying on all their resources and survival skills during their three-week castaway experience. With limited fresh water, the blazing heat of the tropical sun and plenty of biting critters, perhaps the biggest part of this challenge will be looking after each other. Did I mention the ghosts?

Let’s hope that for Alpha Six, this turns out to be a castaway dream come true. Desert island discs anyone?

For a taste of paradise, check out JC and Tara's Bristolian-themed recee trip below:

Tomorrow: we're off to Nicaragua to visit Alpha Seven in Los Tololos!