Europa Island

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WorldAfricaEast AfricaMozambiqueMadagascarMozambique ChannelEuropa Island
Europa Island
22°21.910'S, 040°21.710'E Chart icon.png
lat=-22.36517 | lon=40.36183 | zoom=12 | y
Europa Island 2.jpg
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Europa Island

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. 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.


Charts

British Admiralty
BA648 – Maputo to Porto de Bartolemeu Dias
BA760 – South coast of Madagascar

Weather

Give local weather conditions or refer to another page (a region or island group) that covers these conditions.

Sources for Weather forecasts:

Passages

List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.

Communication

Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.

Also see World Cruiser's Nets.

Navigation

Any navigation notes here. If this section does not apply, remove it.

Berthing

Ports

None.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Anchorages

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

Amenities

None.

Provisioning

N/A (Not Available).

Eating out

N/A.

Transportation

There is an unpaved airstrip on the island.

Tourism

Places to Visit

  • 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

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

References

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Europa Island and this page's details validated:

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Names: Lighthouse


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