Île Sainte-Marie
Encyclopedia
Île Sainte-Marie, known (more formally) as Nosy Boraha ˈnuʃ buˈrahə̥, is an island
off the east coast of Madagascar
. The main town is Ambodifotatra. The city covers an area of 222 km2, and had a population estimated at 16,325 in 2001.
Region.
Mayor: Désiré Tsivatou.
. 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.
Ile Sainte-Marie, or St. Mary's Island as it is known in English, became a popular base for pirates throughout 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 like 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 at Sainte Marie. For example, several authentic pirate vessels still lie within a few meters of the surface in the Baie des Forbans. One of these has been tentatively identified as Captain Condent
's ship, the Fiery Dragon.
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.
s 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.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
off the east coast of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The main town is Ambodifotatra. The city covers an area of 222 km2, and had a population estimated at 16,325 in 2001.
City
The island is organized as The City of Île Sainte-Marie (commune urbaine) in AnalanjirofoAnalanjirofo
Analanjirofo is a region in northeastern Madagascar. Until 2009 it belonged to Toamasina Province. It borders Sava Region in north, Sofia in west, Alaotra-Mangoro in southwest and Atsinanana in south.Analanjirofo is divided into six districts:...
Region.
Mayor: Désiré Tsivatou.
Humpback whales
The channel between Sainte-Marie island and Madagascar is a hot spot for whale watchingWhale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and other cetaceans in their natural habitat. Whales are watched most commonly for recreation but the activity can also serve scientific or educational purposes. A 2009 study, prepared for IFAW, estimated that 13 million people went 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.
Pirates
William Kidd
William "Captain" Kidd was a Scottish sailor remembered for his trial and execution for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean. Some modern historians deem his piratical reputation unjust, as there is evidence that Kidd acted only as a privateer...
, Robert Culliford
Robert Culliford
Robert Culliford was an English pirate from Cornwall who is best remembered for repeatedly checking the designs of Captain William Kidd.-Early career and capture:...
, Olivier Levasseur
Olivier Levasseur
Olivier Levasseur , was a pirate, nicknamed La Buse or La Bouche in his early days, called thus because of the speed and ruthlessness with which he always attacked his enemies.-History:...
, Henry Every
Henry Every
Henry Every, also Avery or Avary, , sometimes given as John Avery, was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the mid-1690s. He likely used several aliases throughout his career, including Benjamin Bridgeman, and was known as Long Ben to his crewmen and associates...
, Abraham Samuel
Abraham Samuel
Abraham Samuel, also known as "Tolinar Rex," born in Martinique , was a mulatto pirate of the Indian Ocean in the days of the Pirate Round in the late-1690s...
and Thomas Tew
Thomas Tew
Thomas Tew , also known as the Rhode Island Pirate, was a 17th century English privateer-turned-pirate. Although he embarked on only two major piratical voyages, and met a bloody death on the latter journey, Tew pioneered the route which became known as the Pirate Round. Many other famous pirates,...
, 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 at Sainte Marie. For example, several authentic pirate vessels still lie within a few meters of the surface in the Baie des Forbans. One of these has been tentatively identified as Captain Condent
Christopher Condent
Christopher Condent , born in Plymouth in Devon, was an English pirate who led the return to the Eastern Seas. He and his crew fled New Providence in 1718, when Woodes Rogers became governor of the island....
's ship, the Fiery Dragon.
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 Sainte Marie 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.Traditions
At Sainte Marie, 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.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 lemurLemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s 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
Delalande's Coua
Delalande's Coua , also known as Snail-eating Coua and Delalande's Coucal, is an extinct species of non-parasitic cuckoo from Madagascar. It only was known to science as an extant bird for a very short time in the early 19th century...
, a non-parasitic cuckoo
Cuckoo
The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos . Some zoologists and taxonomists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, but its taxonomy remains in dispute...
, was known to occur; this species became extinct in the late 19th century, probably due to predation by feral cats.