Europa Island

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Europa Island, Mozambique Channel, Cruising Guide

An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to Europa Island in the Mozambique Channel.

GPS: 22°21.91′S, 40°21.71′E

EUROPA ISLAND, Mozambique Channel. (X = possibe anchorages)
File:Europa Island 1.png
Europa Island - Click for larger view

Europa Island Background

Europa Island (French: Île Europa) is a 28 km² low-lying tropical island in the Mozambique Channel, about a third of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique, at 22°22′06″S 40°21′48″E. It has 22.2 kilometres of coastline, but no ports or harbours. Anchorage is possible offshore. The airstrip is 1,500 metres long.

The island is surrounded by coral beaches and a fringing reef and encloses a mangrove lagoon of around 9 km². Its vegetation also consists of dry forest, scrub, euphorbia and the remains of a sisal plantation.

Europa Island is a nature reserve and host to migratory seabirds. It is one of the world's largest nesting sites for green turtles (Chelonia mydas). It is also home to goats introduced by settlers in the late 18th century.

The island takes its name from the British ship Europa, which visited it in 1774. It has been a possession of France since 1897, but is also claimed by Madagascar. Ruins and graves on Europa island attest to several attempts at settlement from the 1860s to the 1920s.

Its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is contiguous with that of Bassas da India, is 127,300 km². The island, garrisoned by a detachment from Réunion, has a meteorological station and is visited by scientists. Europa though uninhabited is formally part of the "Îles Eparses" district (Scattered Islands) of the TAAF (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises) administrative region.

You are welcome to go ashore to the met station (with passports in hand) on the strict understanding that you cannot be supplied with water, food or medicines.

Navigation Charts

  • BA760

Radio Nets

Also see Cruiser's Nets

Europa Island Weather

Local weather conditions?

Sources for Weather forecasts:

Approach and Navigation

Details?

Europa Island Anchorages

  • There is anchorage with shelter from the southerly winds north of the island, off the only visible building ashore (meteoroligical station). Anchor beyond the fringing reef in 5 to 6 meters on sand, among patches of coral. The anchorage is only really comfortable in calm weather.

Things to do

  • Wonderful bird breeding colonies ashore.
  • One of the world's largest turtle nesting grounds.
  • Fantastic diving off the fringing reef - but, sharks abound.
  • The northwest point offers good surfing in good conditions - beware the sharks.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

  • Nil

Routes/Passages To/From

Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

References & Publications

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on the Cruiser Log Forum

External Links

Links to relevant websites.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:


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