The Chantinelle Islands
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 5:37 am
photo IslandsColorPHdisco_zpsaacd3ca5.jpg
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((is image-hosting no longer possible here?))
Phaing had a very active Summer in her ship, and this included her discovery of a tiny group of tropical islands to the south of Thallis in the otherwise empty southern sea. The journey can be as short as 3 days if you have a swift ship and the winds are with you... and a week or more if you have neither.
This is an Atoll, the decayed remnant of an ancient volcano that went dormant millions of years ago. There are more reefs than there is land showing above the water, but there is a navigable channel winding through the middle of the Atoll. See the map; the dark blue area is deep enough for any ocean-going ship even at low tide. The other areas range from a bit chancy to the Shallow Sands.
Shallow Sands are those areas that can be waded Human Adults at low tide, and it is possible to wade from one island to the other in some places.
Let's start with the rest of what you can see on the Map;
The best way in & out is the Channel at the Northwest corner next to the 40-acre island. It is straight and deep and all you have to do is run parallel to the shore of the big island and a couple of convenient islets that serve as markers. The channel at the East end is between Reefs, has no marker islands nearby and even lacks an aiming point at one end or the other... the east passage should only be used by people who live there.
The 40-acre island (none of these islands have names yet) is not only easy to reach and can control the West channel, but has the deepest protected anchorage. (Hey, if you are gong to shell out the big bucks, you get some perks) That island is covered mostly by Rain-forest and grassland, and some of the widest beaches in the whole group.
Gong Clock-wise-
The 20-acre island has a nice anchorage suitable for shalllow0draft (10 feet and less) ships and is so close to the smallest listed island that it can be bought together with it for a 23-acre purchase, if so desired. The 20-acre island is half-forested and the 3-acre island is mostly grass.
The 5-acre island is a mangrove swamp... see below for the hazards of that place.
The 12-acre island is one of the most beautiful, covered with Light Forest and surrounded by some of the healthiest coral reefs in the Atoll.
The 15-acre island is also blessed with Light forest, which gives you good air circulation and a soft forest floor. Buliding a maratime dock in the corner on either side will give you a tiny natural harbor suitable for boats.
The 30-acre island was chosen by Phaing for her own [ and yes, she bought & paid for it through the REB, this is part of the Empire, after all ]
photo Phisland_zps1454fd4e.jpg
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The scale is Yards, the contour lines are 100-foot elevation. The rectangular dash in the crook of the island (center left) is her ship.
This island also has a somewhat shallow anchorage, but like every other island in the group it is just 500-yards from where the largest ships can anchor, and easy row in any boat. There is Grass at each end of the island, the rest is either light or Heavy forest. The center of the island is the closest we get to a real jungle in this little group.
Before the Volcano became extinct, it formed several minor blow-holes. Here is where you find the only one that is still above the waves. The small crater gathers just enough rain-water to keep a small stream of fresh-water flowing. At the top of the ridge is exposed rock, grey-black and devilishly hard & sharp.
Aside from the Dock (not shown) nothing has been built there yet.
The 7-acre and 10-acre islands are half forested and unremarkable aside from the easy connection they enjoy thanks to the Shallow Sands.
Halfway back to the big island is the other blow-hole that still exists, situated in the middle of a Reef. Its last eruption left its chamber hollow. Its is now the entrance to a deep, dark, salt-water cavern that has not been explored at this time. A watery nethergloom may exist down there... or perhaps not.
The most central feature here is called Knucklehead rock. This scarred and grey rock is a handy navigation aid and is difficult to reach. It has not worn away because it is basically one large diamond. However, it is impure and badly flawed. Even the toughest Dwarf would have a hellish time trying to hack his way to even a sliver of something that might be gem-quality. Every inch of this ugly rock is exposed to the Sun's rays and the reflection from the water all day long.
Continues....