Banc du Geysir (also
Banc du Geyser) is a mostly submerged
reef in the
Mozambique Channel's northeastern part, 125 km (78 mi) northeast from
Mayotte, 112 km (70 mi) southwest of the
Îles Glorieuses, and 200 km (124 mi) off the northwestern coast of
Madagascar, at .
The Banc is a dangerous oval-shaped reef 8 km (5 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide that becomes exposed only at low tides, with the exception of some rock formations in the southern part of the reef. The rocks are generally 1.5 to 3 meters (5 to 10 feet) in height; the largest is South Rock, with a height of 8 meters (26 feet), similar to a boat under sail. In the eastern part of the reef there are some sandy cays, 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) in height covered with grass and small bushes. The entrance into the central lagoon is possible from a south-southeastern direction. There is an abundance of
sea birds, and the
cays are covered in tons of
guano.
The Geysir Reef was first known by
Arab sailors around the year 700, and was shown on some navigation-charts dated around 800. Around 1650 the reef was shown on Spanish maps as
Arecife de Santo Antonio. The current name was given on 23 December 1678, when the British vessel
Geysir ran on the reef.
The reef is claimed by France,
Madagascar and the
Comoros alike. From the French point of view, it is part of their
Scattered islands in the......
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