When Johnny Depp Honored Heath Ledger by Dedicating a Beach After Him, Named It 'Heath's Place'
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of drug overdose and death that some readers may find distressing.
Heath Ledger was one of Hollywood's most brilliant and gifted actors. From playing a bad-boy heartthrob in 10 Things I Hate About You to playing the psychotic and megalomaniac Joker in The Dark Night, Ledger could do it all. Unfortunately, his untimely death - a result of an accidental drug overdose - left a massive void in the hearts of his fandom and colleagues in the entertainment industry. From among his plethora of well-wishers, Johnny Depp paid a rather special tribute to this extraordinary actor in a profound and grand yet humble gesture. An article from Vanity Fair back in 2009 revealed that Douglas Brinkley - a contributing editor for the magazine - was offered a golden opportunity to account for Johnny Depp's tropical and breathtaking gateway located amid the cerulean blue Carrabian Islands.
Brinkley, along with Depp, was followed by three of the actor's closest friends who took off on Depp's majestic yacht. According to Brinkley, this yacht is an authentic blend of luxury and panache on water. This 156-foot marvel is called 'Vajoliroja' - an amalgam of Depp's then-partner Vanessa Paradis, his children - Lily and Jack, followed by the actor's name as well.
The yacht paid the perfect tribute to his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow from the blockbuster franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean. The entire vessel was decorated with accents of wood and vintage decor and resembled a pirate's cabin. The yacht had set its course to where the island of islands lay - Depp's private paradise for himself, his family, and close members of the family. The haven is known as Little Hall's Pond Cay consisting of 65 tinier islands within its vicinity.
After finally arriving at the island, The Tourist actor emphasized the profound peace he felt on the island. He named the individual islands after his close friends and family and one such beach was named after Heath called Heath's Place. A location solely dedicated to the Oscar-winning actor. The location seemed to reflect the gentle and serene soul that Ledger had.
"I don't think I'd ever seen any place so pure and beautiful. You can feel your pulse rate drop about 20 beats. It's instant freedom," described Depp. He reminisced about the ethereal paradise and appeared to submerge himself into the roots of the place. Brinkley then highlights the fun activities carried out at Heath's Place. They reportedly went snorkeling in the lazy ocean and dived in for a closer view of the vibrant corals. This was followed by swimming alongside Baracuda fish as a group. Depp seemingly swam alongside some friendly nurse sharks with his other friends present at the scene.
