Photos

April 14, 2006
After a good day of rest we rent a small 4x4 to make a round trip of the island of Sal. This island of 216 km2 is arid and punt, only 4 small hills exceeds the 100 m in height (Monte Grande 405 m, Morro Sal 309 m, Monte Leste 263 m and Monte Leão 165 m). The capital, Espargos (6' 000 inhabitants) is located at the center close to the airport. We place in the south in the station of Santa Maria. A beautiful sand beach of more than 8 km gives to the enthusiats surfing, kite surfing and windsurfing a ground of ideal exercise. The island is indeed swept by a constant wind.

On the East coast, There is the small village of sinners of Pedra de Lume. But this village is more known for its saltworks. Indeed overhanging the village, there is a crater of an old volcano. The island is of origin volcanic.

This crater is with more than 500 m of the sea. But it has the characteristic which the bottom of the crater is right below the sea level. This combined with the permeability of the volcanic rocks makes that the sea water infiltrates until in the crater. There, it stagnates in a sotre of cauldron for slowly evaporating. There remains nothing any more but salt.

This source of salt was exploited between the 18th and the 20th century in industrial form, and salt was exported. Now it is used only for the local needs. In more it is one of the tourist atractions of the island. To reach it, it is necessary from the village to go up towards the North-West, and to park its vehicle right in front of a small hill. A pedestrian way leads us to the foot of the hill and continuous in a tunnel. The hill is the crown of the crater. The tunnel dug in this crown gives access to the center of the crater. There it is an extraordinary image which arises at you... to see the photograph, it is better than description.

This site should be registered with the inheritance of humanity. The request was ridge there.

Technique: assembly of 11 photographs covering an angle of 180°.