S'Espalmador (, es, Espalmador) is a small, privately owned uninhabited island located in the Balearic Islands.

Features

The island is just to the north of Formentera, from which it is separated by a shallow

sandbar In oceanography, geomorphology, and geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material and rises from the bed of a body of water to near the surface. ...

. During low tide, it is possible to wade between the two islands. The area is visited by canoeists and

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

s heading between Ibiza and Formentera. The island has pristine

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc sh ...

es,

freshwater spring A spring is a point of exit at which groundwater from an aquifer flows out on top of Earth's crust (pedosphere) and becomes surface water. It is a component of the hydrosphere. Springs have long been important for humans as a source of fres ...

s and a mud-bath. To the north of the main island is Illa des Porcs (Pig Island) which was once used as a hideout and stronghold for pig smugglers. The En Pou lighthouse was built on the island in 1861 to mark the southern side of the ''Es Freus'' strait between the island and Ibiza. The island had been owned by the Cinnamond family who bought it for the equivalent of €252 in 1932. In March 2018, despite efforts at purchase by the Formentera government, Catalan architect Norman Cinnamond and his sister Rosy sold the island to two wealthy Belgian businessmen, brothers Christian Cigrang and Jean Cigrang for £16 million (~€18 million).
at The Guardian, 18 March 2018

Gallery

File:IllotsFormentera2.jpg , S'Espalmador is located just north of Formentera File:Illa des Porcs.JPG, En Pou lighthouse, Illa des Porcs

References

Uninhabited islands of Spain Islands of the Balearic Islands {{Balearics-geo-stub