I'm in Bonaire NA right now, where we spend most of the winter. The south end of the island is mostly owned by Cargill and they have large multiple evaporation and condensation ponds where they pump sea water into and the near constant trade winds evaporate the water off, then they harvest the salt. Huge piles of salt. Quite an operation to see when they are harvesting a pond. Big conveyor loades it into ships. We dive the 'salt pier' when ships are not docked.
In these shallow (maybe 2 feet deep) warm ponds the brine shrimp thrive. So it is at certain times of the year a flamingo haven, with the flamingos eating brine shrimp to their hearts content. I always kid my wife when she says the sea salt tasts better than mined salt, it is because the flamingo poop gives it that special flavor. She never seems amused at what I think is a great line!
These salt ponds are dedicated to road salt, though we have eaten it. I meet a lot of Canadians in Bonaire!
