Description
The island of Alto Velo is the smallest of the large outer islands of the Dominican Republic, it is located in the southern tip of the country. It is 120 nautical miles (220 kms) from Santo Domingo in a westerly direction and 40 nautical miles (74 kms) from the town of Pedernales. With its 1,050 meters wide and 1,400 meters long, it is 1.02 km². The island is a rock covered with green vegetation and from a geological point of view, it is one of the peaks emerging from the Cordillera Underwater of Beata.
The island was discovered in 1494 by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage. He called it Alto Velo because its silhouette from afar looks like a ship with its wings outstretched. It has been the scene of great conflicts over the exploitation rights of guano, bird droppings, found on its banks, and is very popular on the international market. During the 19th century, the Dominican government granted permission to American and French companies to exploit this natural resource. These exploitations were done in an abusive way as the flora and fauna, in particular the presence of birds was strongly affected and weakened. However, during the twentieth century the island was declared a nature reserve and the natural resources since been legally protected.
An excursion to the island of Alto Velo promises to be full of excitement and adventure, the strong winds called trade winds that run from east to west across the island make sailing its shores an adventure that can be tiring. However to reach the island is a rewarding experience. Its rocky coasts with high cliffs and huge caves. In areas where the sea calms down by the low incidence of the wind, you can see the rocky bottom through the crystal clear waters and see the rich marine life consisting mainly of fish.
The greatest natural spectacle of the island of Alto Velo is the diversity of the birds that nest and live on the island. On the esplanade which makes its nest on the northeast coast each year 20,000 copies of the sooty tern, constituting the largest breeding colony of this bird in the country. Other species of birds that have been observed in the area are guaraguo, the golondrina, among many others.
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