Cape Correntes
Encyclopedia
Cape Correntes (Port.
: "Cabo das Correntes") is a cape
or headland
in the Inhambane Province
in Mozambique
. It sits at the southern entry of the Mozambique Channel
.•23°55′36"S 35°31′48"E
Cape Correntes was historically regarded as one of the most terrifying obstacles facing sailing ships in the Indian Ocean
. It is named after the exceptionally fast southward current that passes here, part of the Mozambique Current
, with a tendency to form eddies
at this cape. It is also a confluence point of winds, with the capacity to produce unpredictably violent gusts and whirlwinds.
Medieval dhow
s of the Kilwa Sultanate
rarely (if ever) sailed below it, thereby making Cape Correntes the southern boundary of the Swahili Coast
and cultural zone
. Local legends said the cape was inhabited by mermaid
s that lured unfortunate sailors to their deaths.
In the 16th C., Portuguese ships on the 'India Run
' that charted an entry into the Mozambique Channel
too near to the coast often had difficulty surpassing Cape Correntes, and were sometimes pushed backwards by the fast contrary current and complicated winds (most famously, Vasco da Gama
, in January, 1498, the first European captain to attempt to surpass it from below, was forced backwards to Inharrime
.) Sailing in the other direction was even more dangerous, as the velocity of the current at the cape could easily throw a ship headlong into the numerous shoals and protruding rocks that characterize this stretch of coast. It is estimated that 30% of the ships lost in the yearly Portuguese India Armadas
in the 16th-17th C. capsized around Cape Correntes, more than any other location. As a result, for much of the 16th C., captains returning from India to Portugal with heavy-laden (and thus less-maneouverable) ships were forbidden from sailing into the Mozambique Channel
and were required to chart a course via the 'outer route', that is, east of Madagascar
island, through the Mascarenes, coming back under the island, thereby avoiding the treacherous and fast waters of Cape Correntes.
The peculiar terrors of Cape Correntes were alleviated with the development of reliable instruments to measure longitude
, allowing ships to avoid sailing near the headland, and chart a more comfortable course through the middle of the Mozambique Channel.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: "Cabo das Correntes") is a cape
Cape (geography)
In geography, a cape or headland is a point or body of land extending into a body of water, usually the sea.A cape usually represents a marked change in trend of the coastline. Their proximity to the coastline makes them prone to natural forms of erosion, mainly tidal actions. This results in capes...
or headland
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
in the Inhambane Province
Inhambane Province
Inhambane is a province of Mozambique located on the coast in the southern part of the country. It has an area of 68,615 km² and a population of 1.412.349 . The provincial capital is also called Inhambane....
in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. It sits at the southern entry of the Mozambique Channel
Mozambique Channel
The Mozambique Channel is a portion of the Indian Ocean located between the island nation of Madagascar and southeast Africa, primarily the country of Mozambique. It was a World War II clashpoint during the Battle of Madagascar...
.•23°55′36"S 35°31′48"E
Cape Correntes was historically regarded as one of the most terrifying obstacles facing sailing ships in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. It is named after the exceptionally fast southward current that passes here, part of the Mozambique Current
Mozambique Current
The Mozambique Current is an ocean current in the Indian Ocean, usually defined as warm surface waters flowing south along the African east coast in the Mozambique Channel, between Mozambique and the island of Madagascar....
, with a tendency to form eddies
Eddy (fluid dynamics)
In fluid dynamics, an eddy is the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle. The moving fluid creates a space devoid of downstream-flowing fluid on the downstream side of the object...
at this cape. It is also a confluence point of winds, with the capacity to produce unpredictably violent gusts and whirlwinds.
Medieval dhow
Dhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
s of the Kilwa Sultanate
Kilwa Sultanate
The Kilwa Sultanate was a Medieval sultanate, centered at Kilwa , whose authority, at its height, stretched over the entire length of the Swahili Coast. It was founded in the 10th century by Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi...
rarely (if ever) sailed below it, thereby making Cape Correntes the southern boundary of the Swahili Coast
Swahili Coast
The Swahili Coast refers to the coast or coastal area of East Africa inhabited by the Swahili people, mainly Kenya, Tanzania, and north Mozambique...
and cultural zone
Swahili culture
Swahili culture is the culture of the Swahili people living on the east coast of Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique as well as on the islands in the area, from Zanzibar to Comoros, who speak Swahili as their native language....
. Local legends said the cape was inhabited by mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
s that lured unfortunate sailors to their deaths.
In the 16th C., Portuguese ships on the 'India Run
Portuguese India Armadas
The Portuguese India armadas were the fleets of ships, organized by the Portuguese crown and dispatched on an annual basis from Portugal to India, principally Goa...
' that charted an entry into the Mozambique Channel
Mozambique Channel
The Mozambique Channel is a portion of the Indian Ocean located between the island nation of Madagascar and southeast Africa, primarily the country of Mozambique. It was a World War II clashpoint during the Battle of Madagascar...
too near to the coast often had difficulty surpassing Cape Correntes, and were sometimes pushed backwards by the fast contrary current and complicated winds (most famously, Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
, in January, 1498, the first European captain to attempt to surpass it from below, was forced backwards to Inharrime
Inharrime
Inharrime is a small town in Inharrime District in southern Mozambique on the shores of some coastal lakes.- Transport :It was once served by an isolated narrow gauge railway from the port of Inhambane. It is now accessible by bus services from the capital of Mozambique Maputo...
.) Sailing in the other direction was even more dangerous, as the velocity of the current at the cape could easily throw a ship headlong into the numerous shoals and protruding rocks that characterize this stretch of coast. It is estimated that 30% of the ships lost in the yearly Portuguese India Armadas
Portuguese India Armadas
The Portuguese India armadas were the fleets of ships, organized by the Portuguese crown and dispatched on an annual basis from Portugal to India, principally Goa...
in the 16th-17th C. capsized around Cape Correntes, more than any other location. As a result, for much of the 16th C., captains returning from India to Portugal with heavy-laden (and thus less-maneouverable) ships were forbidden from sailing into the Mozambique Channel
Mozambique Channel
The Mozambique Channel is a portion of the Indian Ocean located between the island nation of Madagascar and southeast Africa, primarily the country of Mozambique. It was a World War II clashpoint during the Battle of Madagascar...
and were required to chart a course via the 'outer route', that is, east of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
island, through the Mascarenes, coming back under the island, thereby avoiding the treacherous and fast waters of Cape Correntes.
The peculiar terrors of Cape Correntes were alleviated with the development of reliable instruments to measure longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
, allowing ships to avoid sailing near the headland, and chart a more comfortable course through the middle of the Mozambique Channel.