The island
of Jabuka, which means apple in Croatian, is a 97-meters-tall uninhabited
volcanic island located in the Adriatic Sea; around 52 kilometers west of the
island of Vis. Jabuka, along with Brusnik, are the only two Croatian islands
that are entirely of volcanic origin. Together with Palagruza, that is only
partly of volcanic origin, the three islands form an area called "Adriatic
Volcanic Triangle". Brusnik, Jabuka, as well as some parts of Komiska bay
on the island of Vis and some parts of Palagruza originated from an eruption of
magma due to the breakup of the Pangea prehistoric continent over 200 million
years ago. Jabuka has charismatic properties due to the presence of magnetite,
a naturally happening iron oxide, in the rocks that origin the magnetic needles
of compasses of passing ships to go awry. The island is both a remarkable and
frightening sight during nice weather in summer but in winter, when the winds
blow causing large waves, Jabuka turns into a life-threatening adventure.
Though some
say that ships actively avoid the island because of its magnetic anomaly, truth
is, the island lies far from all sea routes. Therefore, boats can hardly be
seen in the vicinity except those who have made the island their destination.
But getting to “Jabuka” can be really difficult. Moreover, standing alone in
the deep waters, “Jabuka” is exposed to all winds, and since even the fragile
winds cause large waves in the open sea, it takes a lot of skilled maneuvering
and luck to avoid crashing into this volcanic rock. Furthermore the shoreline
is not appropriate for docking, and there’re no bays that could keep your boats
safe from the wind. The steep cliffs make it difficult to build shelter and the
surrounding waters are 200 meters deep and not appropriate for anchoring. In
addition, the rocks are smooth without natural protrusions where the boats
could be tied. The sea surrounding Jabuka, though, is tremendous fishing-ground
that entices several brave fishermen. A very small number of plant and animal
species have also adapted to the rough climate, including two endemic species a
plant called knapweed and an animal species of black lizard. Some 50 years ago,
the island was home to another endemic type of carnation, but is now extinct.
In 1958 the island was declared a geological monument of nature. Moreover, when
there were no motorboats, only the valiant, most enduring fishermen dared go to
the island in order to make available for their families by catching large fish
and trapping valued lobsters.
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