Pedro Bank

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pedro Bank is a large bank of sand and coral, partially covered with seagrass, about 80 km south and southwest of Jamaica, rising steeply from a seabed of 800 meters depth. It slopes gently from Pedro Cays to the west and north with depths from 13 to 30 meters. The total area of the bank within the 100 meter isobath measures 8 040 km². The area of a depth to 40 meters is triangular, 70 km long east-west, and 43 km wide. 2 400 km² are less than 20 m deep. With its islets, cays and rocks, a total land area of 27 ha, it is the location of one of the two offshore island groups of Jamaica, the other one being the Morant Cays (Jamaica has also nearshore islands like the Port Royal Cays). The bank is centered at 17°06′N 78°20′W.

Pedro Bank is a part of submarine Nicaragua Rise, which stretches from Cabo Gracias a Dios through Rosalind Bank to Jamaica.

[edit] Cays, Rocks and Reefs

Pedro Cays, at 17°00′N 77°50′W, four small, flat (2 to 5 meters high), low-lying and mostly uninhabited cays, lie about midway along the southern edge of the eastern half of Pedro Bank. The sparse land vegetation consists of six species of plants, none of which are endemic. The cays are regionally important seabird nesting and roosting areas (masked boobies, roseate terns and others) and also provide several endangered turtle species such as hawksbills and loggerheads with nesting grounds. The islets yield some guano and coconuts. More importantly, they represent the primary harvesting area for the largest export of Queen Conch from the Caribbean region. They were occupied by the British in 1863 and made part of Jamaica in 1882. They are considered part of the parish of Kingston, for all purposes except taxes.

Northeast Cay (Top Cay), 7.5 ha, at 17°03′N 77°46′W, is covered with brush and has a group of palm trees growing on its northwest side. There is a lighted beacon in the north.
Middle Cay, 4 ha, at 17°01′N 77°47′W is covered with low gras and bushes. A Jamaican Coast Guard station and a fishermen's camp with number of huts and a large shed are in the southeast.
Southwest Cay (Bird Cay), 15.2 ha, at 16°59′N 77°49′W, the largest of the Pedro Cays, is a protected bird sanctuary, with a large tree.
South Cay (Sandy Cay), 0.2 ha, at 16°57′N 77°50′W, consists of coral and shells. This is the southermost point of land of Jamaica.

In a wider sense, some over-water rocks, small outcrops of oolitic limestone over which water breaks, are considered part of the Pedro Cays:

Portland Rock (also called Eastern Pedro Cay), at 17°06′N 77°27′W, lies about 63 km SSW of Portland Point, the southern extremity of Jamaica. The rock consists of two summits that lie in an east-west direction.
Blower Rock, at 17°03′N 77°31′W, lies 8 km southwest of Portland Rock, and is 0.6 m high.
Shannon Rock, at 17°02′N 77°40′W, lies about 15 km WSW of Blower Rock. It is 0.5 m high.

There are several submarine features on Pedro Bank, such as:

Banner Reef, at 16°52′N 78°06′W, awash and 2.4 km long, lies 26 km WSW of South Cay.
Southwest Rock, at 16°48′N 78°11′W, lies about 9 km southwest of Banner Reef.
Willsteed Rock, at 17°08′N 77°37′W, with a depth of 12, lies 13 km northwest of Blower Rock.
Doyle Shoal, at 17°09′N 77°33′W, with a depth of 14 m, lies 13 km NNW of Blower Rock.
Powell Knoll, at 16°47′N 77°43′W, lies 32 km southwest of Shannon Rock, with a least depth of 28.8 m. It is the southermost feature of Jamaica, not counting Alice Shoal, which is claimed by Jamaica but considered part of Colombia.