Monchique Islet
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Monchique Islet (, ) is a small uninhabited
islet An islet ( ) is generally a small island. Definitions vary, and are not precise, but some suggest that an islet is a very small, often unnamed, island with little or no vegetation to support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/ ...
off the coast of the island of
Flores Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, a group of islands in the eastern half of Indonesia. Administratively, it forms the largest island in the East Nusa Tenggara Province. The area is 14,250 km2. Including Komodo and Rinca islands ...
, west of the village of
Fajã Grande Fajã Grande is a rural civil parish in the municipality of Lajes das Flores in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2021 was 220, in an area of 12.97 km2. Although it is a relatively small population, it is one of the ...
, in the western part of the Portuguese archipelago of the
Azores The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
. It is the westernmost point of
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
and, if considered part of Europe (although it sits on the North American Plate), is Europe's westernmost point as well. Approachable only by boat, the deep bay provides opportunities for
scuba diving Scuba diving is a Diving mode, mode of underwater diving whereby divers use Scuba set, breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scub ...
during the day in the summer. The islet and the waters around it are protected for their rich
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
. Ninety-six species of flora and fauna have been identified congregating in the waters near the islet, including
brown algae Brown algae (: alga) are a large group of multicellular algae comprising the class (biology), class Phaeophyceae. They include many seaweeds located in colder waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the temperate ...
,
limpet Limpets are a group of aquatic snails with a conical gastropod shell, shell shape (patelliform) and a strong, muscular foot. This general category of conical shell is known as "patelliform" (dish-shaped). Existing within the class Gastropoda, ...
s,
barnacle Barnacles are arthropods of the subclass (taxonomy), subclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacean, Crustacea. They are related to crabs and lobsters, with similar Nauplius (larva), nauplius larvae. Barnacles are exclusively marine invertebra ...
s, and
Mediterranean rainbow wrasse The Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (''Coris julis'') is a small, colourful fish in the family Labridae. It can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Sweden to Senegal (though it is a rare wanderer to the souther ...
.


History

Historically, the islet functioned as an astronomical or
celestial Celestial may refer to: Science * Objects or events seen in the sky and the following astronomical terms: ** Astronomical object, a naturally occurring physical entity, association, or structure that exists in the observable universe ** Celest ...
navigational guide and reference mark for mariners, who calibrated their navigational equipment by referencing the islet on long Atlantic crossings. Its unique geological formation also attracted visitors traveling between Europe and America, intersecting here on their way to the ports of Lajes or Santa Cruz on Flores Island. The steep rock slopes of the islet's shoreline served as shelter from strong gales. The islet gave its name to the defunct monthly
newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
''O Monchique'', the last regularly-published newspaper on Flores.


Geography

The islet is located more than north-northwest of the island of Flores, in a bay between ''Ponta de Fenais'' (''Point Fanaes'' or ''Fanais Port'') and Fajã Grande. The islet is located on the North American Plate between the two westernmost Azorean islands of Flores and Corvo. The islet is a solid monolith of black
basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
ic rock consisting of a vertical wall formation, remnants of a coastal volcanic cone eroded by ocean forces. It extends steeply to a height of above sea level. It was formed from irregular lava flows that produced many submarine cavities along the islet's relief, with sand and boulders accumulating around the shoreline over time. The islet is an elevated area that includes two rock outcroppings above the water's surface. A deep channel separates Monchique Islet from Flores, with only a rock shoal called the ''Baixa Raza'' separating it from the Flores shoreline. Since the channel is between and deep, ships are able to anchor in the bay, aiding visits to the area and providing shelter from storms. The deep channel is considered safe for navigation, though ships must navigate with care to avoid surface rocks. The ''Baixa Raza'' rock formation extends over a length of to the west of ''Ponta de Fenais''.


Biome

The maximum depth of water in the coastal channel is , with water temperatures varying between . The islet is the centre of a region of great biodiversity, with 96 identified species, with a Margalef index of 11.0 biodiversity. The flora along its flanks are dominated by an iridescent
brown algae Brown algae (: alga) are a large group of multicellular algae comprising the class (biology), class Phaeophyceae. They include many seaweeds located in colder waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the temperate ...
(''
Dictyota dichotoma ''Dictyota dichotoma'' is a species of Brown algae found in the temperate western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean. Description The thallus of ''Dictyota dichotoma'' grows ...
''), while numerous fauna species including limpets (''
Patella ulyssiponensis ''Patella ulyssiponensis'', common name the rough limpet, or China limpet is a species of sea snail, a true limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Patellidae, one of the families of true limpets. Despite its common name, the China limp ...
'' and ''
Patella aspera The patella (: patellae or patellas), also known as the kneecap, is a flat, rounded triangular bone which articulates with the femur (thigh bone) and covers and protects the anterior articular surface of the knee joint. The patella is found in m ...
''), barnacles (''
Megabalanus azoricus ''Megabalanus'' is a genus of barnacles in the family Balanidae. Members of the genus grow to in length and inhabit the lower intertidal zone. Morphology ''Megabalanus'' is an acorn barnacle, a sessile crustacean that secretes a calcium carbon ...
'' and ''
Megabalanus tintinnabulum ''Megabalanus'' is a genus of barnacles in the family Balanidae. Members of the genus grow to in length and inhabit the lower intertidal zone. Morphology ''Megabalanus'' is an acorn barnacle, a sessile crustacean that secretes a calcium carbon ...
''), and
Mediterranean rainbow wrasse The Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (''Coris julis'') is a small, colourful fish in the family Labridae. It can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Sweden to Senegal (though it is a rare wanderer to the souther ...
(''Coris julis'') are found in the inner straits. Measures to conserve the islet and its waters fall under the ''Plano do Ordenamento da Orla Costeira (POOC) Flores'' (English: ''Organizing the Flores Coastline Plan''), which identifies the islet as part of an area of conservation and preservation for ecological and tourism reasons. The islet itself is identified as "vulnerable" and designated areas have been marked for terrestrial and marine species protection, limiting human use and access to the islet and surrounding waters.


Recreation

Visits to Monchique Islet are considered ideal in late spring or early summer (June and July) when the weather is good and vegetation is green and flowers bloom. The airport nearest the islet is
Flores Airport Flores Airport () is a regional airport on the island of Flores in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It is located along the eastern coast, bisecting the regional capital of Santa Cruz das Flores into two-halves: from the Porto of Sã ...
in
Santa Cruz das Flores Santa Cruz das Flores (; ) is a municipality situated in the north half of the island of Flores, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. Situated in the sparsely populated Western Group, the population in 2021 was 2,020 inhabitants in an a ...
. Locally, the islet is only accessible by boat. The water around the coast is suitable for scuba diving as the underwater visibility is good in the warm, clear, and clean waters. There is an advisory which states diving in these waters should be done only during daylight hours as a precautionary measure to avoid any surprises from sea currents.
Kayak ] A kayak is a small, narrow human-powered watercraft typically propelled by means of a long, double-bladed paddle. The word ''kayak'' originates from the Inuktitut word '' qajaq'' (). In British English, the kayak is also considered to be ...
ers can travel to Monchique Islet from Flores.


External links

* Map View o
Ilhéu de Monchique
a
GeoNames.org


References

{{Azores Islands Flores Island (Azores) Islets of the Azores Uninhabited islands of Portugal Extreme points of Portugal