19th February 2019 Episode 3 9pm ITV Martin Clunes Islands Of America

Week three and Martin Clunes continues his island adventure by going to the American territory of Puerto Rico. A popular holiday destination Puerto Rico, America is the third largest island Puerto Rico is the only island where Spanish is the main language here he embraces the island’s vibrant spirit by learning to salsa Tito Ortos, one of Puerto Rico’s finest salsa teachers, teaches Martin the basic steps of the island’s famous dance. and trying the national drink, pina colada, which was invented there in the 1950s and is now a popular cocktail around the world.

The worst disaster in the island’s history back in 2017 when Hurricane Maria ripped through the island causing widespread damage, flattening forests and houses and worst claiming thousands of lives. Martin sees how the islanders of Puerto Ricans have begun to recover from the disaster and rebuild the island, The local guide Hector Negrón takes Martin to see how nature is also recovering after the devastation around the island after the hurricane. Martin says What a great way to end his time on this exciting island. It’s wonderful to see how nature has recovered from the terrible hurricane the rainforest is regrowing, and the good nature of the people never went away

Before Hurricane María, this was one of the best places in the world to see a fragile but spectacular natural phenomenon called bioluminescence. This is where the water starts to glow a beautiful bright blue and green. The effect is called bioluminescence – a natural phenomenon, algae, or plankton, are bioluminescent - meaning, they glow in the dark. Illuminating. It looks like the amazing northern lights in the water.

Now it is time to leave Leave Puerto Rico, He travels by boat to beautiful Sapelo Island, spending time with the Geechee people of the tiny Hog Hammock community. He helps to pick West African red peas, fishes with the villagers, and learns to weave grass baskets an African way, finishing with a feast of traditional Sapelo dishes. he travels north to the Sea Islands along the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, home to the unique Gullah Geechee people, descendants of African slaves who once worked the plantations on the islands. Thanks to the island remoteness, they were able to hold on to much of their African heritage in ways that mainland slaves could not There are some fascinating stories about the Gullah/Geechee, descendants of slaves who have built a distinct way of life which is increasingly under threat. Chincoteague in Maryland, home of a famous swimming race for wild ponies, Martin attends a unique world famous event on the quiet island backwater of Chincoteague. On the last Wednesday of every July, the island is swamped by tens of thousands of visitors for the annual Chincoteague Pony Swim. 40 local ‘saltwater cowboys as they’re known round up a herd of wild ponies, ready to drive them into the water and across the channel.

The swim takes place off the coast of Virginia, between two parallel islands beginning on Assateague, the ponies’ natural home, and ending on Chincoteague, which gave the wild pony breed their name After the big swim the ponies are auctioned to raise funds for the island’s voluntary fire service. Martin loves horses so is in his element, He travels in a boat with cowboy Roe Terry, so he can see up close how tricky it can be to keep these wild animals all moving in the right direction.

Ponies are naturally good swimmers and he has never been that close to so many all swimming at the same time what a spectacular experience.

After the race they take all the horses through the town of Chincoteague and head to the fair where they are auctioned off this keep the numbers down and raise money

This is my views and notes of tonight's episode

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