Egmont Islands
Encyclopedia
The Egmont Islands or Egmont Atoll, also known as Six Iles, is an uninhabited atoll
under British rule. They are one of the few emerged coral
atolls that make up the Chagos Archipelago
, British Indian Ocean Territory
.
This small atoll
lies less than 10 km south of the southwestern rim of the Great Chagos Bank
submerged coral reef
. The nearest island is Danger Island
on the Great Chagos Bank, less than 30 km due north. Its total size is 29 km², including the lagoon
and the fringing coral reef
. The land area totals about 4 km².
There are two passages into the lagoon
along the Northern Rim, Fausse Passe in the northeast and a wider passage in the northwest. The Egmont Islands are one of the favorite anchoring spots for itinerant yachtsmen passing through the Chagos.
trees.
The individual islands are all on the southern rim of the coral reef. They are, from southeast to northwest:
West of Ile aux Rats there was a small islet known as Ilot aux Rats which has now merged with Ile aux Rats. Ile Cipaye is also spelled 'Sipaille' and 'Cipaille'. Isle Carre Pate is also spelled 'Carpathe'. On some maritime charts Ile Takamaka is spelled as 'Tattamucca'.
Commander Robert Moresby
made a survey of this atoll and charted it in 1838. At that time there was a coconut
plantation on this atoll. A causeway had been built linking the islands and some land reclamation was done. Eventually some of the islands merged with each other.
The Egmont Islands were no longer inhabited in the second half of the 20th century, at the time that the Chagossians or Ilois
were evicted from the Chagos.
In 1972-1973 there was an underwater expedition to the Egmont Islands by the Joint Services (JSEI). Led by Sqn Leader “Dickie” Bird RAF, it was the first expedition of its kind in the Chagos. Cdr Alan Baldwin RN was the Deputy Leader and the scientific work was carried out under the direction of Dr David Bellamy
. Its aim was to study coral reef
formation and growth, as well as the islands' flora and fauna. The expedition members were taken from Gan, Addu Atoll by RFA Gold Ranger to Egmont Atoll and after their survey was completed they were brought back to Gan by RFA Stromness. Following its success, a second expedition was undertaken to Danger Island
the following year.
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
under British rule. They are one of the few emerged coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
atolls that make up the Chagos Archipelago
Chagos Archipelago
The Chagos Archipelago , is a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical islands in the Indian Ocean; situated some due south of the Maldives archipelago. This chain of islands are the southernmost archipelago of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge a long submarine mountain range...
, British Indian Ocean Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
The British Indian Ocean Territory or Chagos Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia...
.
This small atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
lies less than 10 km south of the southwestern rim of the Great Chagos Bank
Great Chagos Bank
The Great Chagos Bank, in the Chagos Archipelago, about South of the Maldives, is the largest atoll structure in the world, with a total area of . The Atoll is administered by the UK through the BIOT.-Islands:...
submerged coral reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
. The nearest island is Danger Island
Danger Island
Danger Island is the westernmost and the southernmost island of the Great Chagos Bank, which is the world's largest coral atoll structure, located in the Chagos Archipelago.-Description:...
on the Great Chagos Bank, less than 30 km due north. Its total size is 29 km², including the lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
and the fringing coral reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
. The land area totals about 4 km².
There are two passages into the lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
along the Northern Rim, Fausse Passe in the northeast and a wider passage in the northwest. The Egmont Islands are one of the favorite anchoring spots for itinerant yachtsmen passing through the Chagos.
Islands
The largest island is "Île Sud-Est" (Eastern Egmont), where the settlement was located, with an area of 1.5 km². While "Île Lubine" is similar in size, the other islets are smaller. All islands are covered with coconutCoconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
trees.
The individual islands are all on the southern rim of the coral reef. They are, from southeast to northwest:
- Île Sud-Est
- Île Takamaka
- Île Carre Pate
- Île Lubine
- Île Cipaye
- Île aux Rats
West of Ile aux Rats there was a small islet known as Ilot aux Rats which has now merged with Ile aux Rats. Ile Cipaye is also spelled 'Sipaille' and 'Cipaille'. Isle Carre Pate is also spelled 'Carpathe'. On some maritime charts Ile Takamaka is spelled as 'Tattamucca'.
History
Ile Sudest, the largest island, was first settled in the last half of the 18th century, at the time when the other atolls of the Chagos were settled by the French.Commander Robert Moresby
Robert Moresby
Robert Moresby was a distinguished captain of the British Royal Navy. He was also an excellent hydrographer, maritime surveyor and draughtsman....
made a survey of this atoll and charted it in 1838. At that time there was a coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
plantation on this atoll. A causeway had been built linking the islands and some land reclamation was done. Eventually some of the islands merged with each other.
The Egmont Islands were no longer inhabited in the second half of the 20th century, at the time that the Chagossians or Ilois
Ilois
The Chagossians are an ethnic group who were the indigenous inhabitants of the Chagos Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory. The Chagossians resided in the islands of Diego Garcia, Peros Banhos, and the Salomon island chain, and had settled in other parts of the Chagos Archipelago, like Egmont...
were evicted from the Chagos.
In 1972-1973 there was an underwater expedition to the Egmont Islands by the Joint Services (JSEI). Led by Sqn Leader “Dickie” Bird RAF, it was the first expedition of its kind in the Chagos. Cdr Alan Baldwin RN was the Deputy Leader and the scientific work was carried out under the direction of Dr David Bellamy
David Bellamy
David James Bellamy OBE is a British author, broadcaster, environmental campaigner and botanist. He has lived in County Durham since 1960.-Career:...
. Its aim was to study coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
formation and growth, as well as the islands' flora and fauna. The expedition members were taken from Gan, Addu Atoll by RFA Gold Ranger to Egmont Atoll and after their survey was completed they were brought back to Gan by RFA Stromness. Following its success, a second expedition was undertaken to Danger Island
Danger Island
Danger Island is the westernmost and the southernmost island of the Great Chagos Bank, which is the world's largest coral atoll structure, located in the Chagos Archipelago.-Description:...
the following year.