Fuertaventura
Fuerteventura is the oldest island in the Canary Islands dating back 20 million years to a volcanic eruption from the Canary hotspot. The majority of the island was created about 5 million years ago and since then eroded by wind and weather. On the seabed off the west coast of the island rests a block of rock 22 km long and 11 km wide, which appears to have slid off the island largely intact at some point in prehistory, similar to the predicted future collapse of Cumbre Vieja, a geological fault on the neighboring island, La Palma. The last volcanic activity in Fuerteventura was between 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.
The highest point in Fuerteventura is Mount Jandía (807 m) in the southwestern part of the island. Geographical features include Istmo de la Pared which is 5 km wide and is the narrowest part of Fuerteventura. The island is divided into two parts, the northern portion which is Maxorata and the southwestern part called the Jandía peninsula. The island is the least settled in the Canary Islands.
The climate on the island throughout the year is pleasant. The island is also called the island of eternal springs. The sea adjusts the temperature making the hot Sahara winds blow away from the island of Fuerteventura. The island's name in English translates as "strong wind". During the winter months, temperatures average a high of 21 °C and a low of around 15 °C, whereas during the summer a mean high of 27 °C and a low of 20 °C can be expected. Precipitation is about 147 mm per year, most of which falls in the winter. The sandstorm known as the scirocco, Leveche in Spain blows to the southwest from the Sahara desert causing high temperatures and low visibility and drying air. Temperatures during this phenomenon rise by 10 degrees Celsius. The wind brings in fine white sand, visibility drops to about 100 to 200 m or lower, and also African locusts. The local inhabitants call this phenomenon the "Calima".
The first tourist hotel was built here in 1965 followed by the construction of Fuerteventura Airport at El Mattoral, heralding the dawn of a new era for the island. Fuerteventura, with its 3,000 sunshine hours a year, was placed firmly on the world stage as a major European holiday destination.
The summer Trade Winds and winter swells of the Atlantic make this a year-round surfers' paradise. Sailors, scuba divers and big game fishermen are all drawn to these clear blue Atlantic waters where whales, dolphins, marlin and turtles are all common sights.
Much of the interior, with its large plains, lavascapes and volcanic mountains, consists of protected areas which can be best be explored in a 4x4 or (for the more daring) with a cross-country motorbike.
The sites of interest includes Corralejo and El Jable to the north which are made up of fine sand dunes, the south is filled with long beaches and remote bays. The constant winds blowing the beaches make the paradise for windsurfing. Surfing is common in the west and north coast where there are large waves. Windsurfing is common around Corralejo or Playas de Sotavento, wave sailing (windsurfing in waves) at the coast along the northern half of the island.
At Cofete on the western side of Jandía a remote and imposing house - Villa Winter - looks out to sea across wide and generally empty beaches. It was reputedly built by a Herr Winter on land given by Generalissimo Franco.
In January 18, 1994, the SS American Star (former America, USS Westpoint, Australis) was beached in Playa de Garcey during a storm. By 2007, the ship had collapsed to the side and is now almost completely submerged. |
