Inhaca

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Location of Inhaca Island in southern Mozambique

Inhaca is a settlement in Mozambique, on the subtropical Inhaca Island (Ilha da Inhaca in Portuguese) off the East African coast. Inhaca settlement is centered on a missionary station located about 32km east of Maputo. The 52km² island is situated at 26°S, 33°E, and separates Maputo Bay (Baía de Maputo) to the west from the Indian Ocean off its eastern shores. The island's irregular coastline approaches mainland Machangulo Peninsula at Ponta Torres where a 500m-wide tidal race separates the two headlands. In administrative terms Inhaca is a municipal district of the municipality of Maputo, while the Machangulo peninsula is included under the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area and is part of the district of Matutuíne, Maputo Province.

1 Economy
2 History
3 Lodging and access
4 See also
5 References and external links

[edit] Economy

Maputo Bay from space in January 1990. Inhaca Island and Machangulo Peninsula are clearly visible at the bottom left edge of the bay.

A population of 2,000 people subsist on fishing and agriculture. At low tide women harvest crabs, oysters and fish from the western shallows. At high tide fishing boats leave the island for deeper sea fishing. During the winter months a lot of tourists from south africa visit the island.

[edit] History

Tsonga chief Nhaca, a protector of early shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, lends his name to the later settlement. Later 16th century Portuguese traders established an Inhaca Island base to ply the Bay of the Lagoon's (Baía da Lagoa) rivers in search of ivory. A 1747 map by Emanuel Bowen shows 'Inhaqua' settlement on the mainland peninsula and refers to the island as 'I. S. Maria'.

The first light house dates from 1894, and was upgraded in the 1920's. A marine biological station (the 'MBS') was built in 1951 and some of the shores were declared nature reserves in 1976. Of late the biological station came under administration of the Eduardo Mondlane University.

[edit] Lodging and access

Travellers have a choice of two lodges, Inhacazul Lodge or the Pestana Hotel, from where different excursions are arranged, including scuba diving and snorkelling outings. Backpackers can also stay in a catering camping area within walking distance of the landing jetty. Backpackers are required to take bottled water and own tents. It's a 5 minute drive to the village and there are 2 restaurants there, 2 bars, a grocery store and a marketplace.

The lodges can be reached by booking return flights. These depart from Maputo airport and reach the island airstrip in ten minutes. A voyage by ferry or boat from Maputo takes two to three hours. Travellers depart from Maputo's ferry terminal and can reach the island's landing jetty at high tide, but have to wade some sandy shallows at low tide. Charges vary from 300 Meticais (about 70 Rand) per person by government ferry and R250 by private ferry return - to R500 per person by boat (2006).