Île Sainte-Marie

Location of Île Sainte-Marie in north-eastern Madagascar

Nosy Boraha [ˈnuʃ buˈrahə̥], previously known as Île Sainte-Marie (and still popularly known by travellers as such), is an island off the east coast of Madagascar, to which it belongs. The main town is Ambodifotatra. The island forms an administrative district within Analanjirofo Region, and covers an area of 222 km2. It had a population estimated at 26,547 in 2013.[1]

Government

The island is organized as the city (commune urbaine) and district of Nosy Boraha in Analanjirofo Region, and is part of the nation of Madagascar.

The population has changed over the centuries. Originally it was Austronesian, as on the larger islands of Madagascar and then reverted to pirate control, however most inhabitants now are similar to the rest of the northeast coast of Madagascar.

Geography

This island is 60 kilometres (37 miles) long and less than 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) wide.

Whale watching

Humpback whale near Sainte-Marie, July 2013

The channel between Nosy Boraha and Madagascar is a hot spot for whale watching. Substantial groups of humpback whales (Megaptera) migrate from the Antarctic to this idyllic breeding place. These quiet giants find conditions here that are favourable for the growth of their young and well suited to their courtship and acrobatic games before their big return toward the cold seas. Although very little in numbers, some southern right whales,[2][3][4][5] as a part of recolonizations to their former ranges, are known to appear along the coasts from time to time.

Pirates

The cemetery of past pirates at Île Ste-Marie (St. Mary's Island)

Ile Sainte-Marie, or St. Mary's Island as it is known in English, became a popular base for pirates, starting with Adam Baldridge in 1685, in the 17th and 18th centuries due to several reasons: it was not far from the maritime routes along which ships returning from the East Indies sailed in transit, their holds overflowing with wealth; it was provided with bays and inlets protected from storms; and finally, it had abundant fruit and was situated in quiet waters. Legendary pirates including William Kidd, Robert Culliford, Olivier Levasseur, Henry Every, Abraham Samuel and Thomas Tew lived in the île aux Forbans, an island located in the bay of Sainte Marie's main town, Ambodifotatra. Many of them would found a family line. Numerous vestiges of this history remain on Nosy Boraha, but at this time the remains have not been yet identified.

The utopian pirate republic of Libertalia was also rumored to exist in this area, although the republic's existence, let alone its location, has never been proven.

Diving

Safe from sharks, the lagoon of the island is endowed with significant coralline growth. Its underwater fauna is preserved as a natural heritage and first-class diving site in the Indian Ocean.

On 7 May 2015, a large 55 kg (121 lb) silver ingot, which was believed to be Captain Kidd's treasure, was found off the coast of the island.[6] However, after further analysis, UNESCO, a branch of the United Nations, determined that the large piece of silver believed to be Captain Kidd's was actually 95% lead, and believed the piece to be "a broken part of the Sainte-Marie port constructions."[7]

Traditions

On Nosy Boraha, the inhabitants are attached to traditions. The social or family events are faithfully linked to practices invoking the ancestors' spirits. The wealth and variety of these rituals underline the authenticity and depth of the "Saint-marien" cultural identity.

The island is the setting for the fourth Uncharted game, which was released for the PlayStation 4.[8] In the game, the main characters explore the island while on a quest to discover the rumored pirate utopia of Libertalia and the fictitious bounty of the famed pirate Henry Avery.

Fauna and flora

The insular character of the place and the particularities of the coralline soil encouraged various adaptations, as much on animal as on plant structure, leading to unique interrelations. Thus, Sainte Marie is endowed with a very rich fauna and flora. You can meet here among other species several types of lemurs as well as a multitude of orchids, among which is the magnificent Queen of Madagascar (Eulophiella roempleriana). The island was the only place where the magnificent Delalande's coua, a non-parasitic cuckoo, was known to occur; this species became extinct in the late 19th century, probably due to predation by feral cats.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique, Madagascar.
  2. ↑ http://brogio-a-mada.over-blog.com/article-22645763.html
  3. ↑ http://elodiemarie.blogspot.jp/2013/09/sainte-marie-madagascar-partie-3.html
  4. ↑ http://wanaloo.pagesperso-orange.fr/AAPStGilles/baleine2009.htm
  5. ↑ http://passionoceans.unblog.fr/2012/03/04/juste-magnifique/
  6. ↑ Maranzani, Barbara. "Has Captain Kidd’s Treasure Been Found?". History Channel. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "UN dismisses Captain Kidd 'treasure' find in Madagascar". BBC News. BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Uncharted 4 Teaser video".

Coordinates: 16°55′S 49°54′E / 16.917°S 49.900°E / -16.917; 49.900

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