Inhaca

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Inhaca is a settlement in Mozambique, on a subtropical island off the East African coast. The name Inhaca applies also to the island the settlement is on (Ilha da Inhaca in Portuguese). Inhaca settlement is centered on a missionary station and is located about 32km east of Maputo, in Maputo Province, Mozambique. Inhaca Island is situated at 26°S, 33°E, and separates the Maputo Bay (Baia de Maputo) to the west from the Indian Ocean on its eastern side. The island of 52 km² has an irregular coastline and is separated from the mainland Machangulo peninsula by a 500m-wide strait at Ponta Torres. In administrative terms Inhaca is a municipal district of the municipality of Maputo, while the Machangulo peninsula is included under the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area and is part of the district of Matutuíne, Maputo Province.

Maputo Bay from space in January 1990. Inhaca Island and Machangulo Peninsula are clearly visible at the bottom left edge of the bay.

Economy

A population of 2,000 people subsist on fishing and agriculture. At low tide women harvest crabs, oysters and fish from the western shallows. At high tide fishing boats leave the island for deeper sea fishing.

Geographical features

The island's dimentions are approximately 12km (n-s) by 7km (e-w). The highest point above sea level is the 104m Mount Inhaca on the north-eastern shoreline. A peninsula on the south-western side is known as Ponta Punduine. Ponta Torres to the south-east approaches the mainland. Two inland swamps occur at the northerly airstrip and southern Nhaquene respectively. Besides Inhaca settlement on the western shore there are five smaller native settlements including Inguane, Ridjeni and Nhaquene.

History

Tsonga chief Nhaca, a protector of early shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, lends his name to the later settlement. Later 16th century Portuguese traders established an Inhaca Island base to ply the Baía da Lagoa's (Bay of the Lagoon) rivers in search of ivory. A 1747 map by Emanuel Bowen shows 'Inhaqua' settlement on the mainland peninsula and refers to the island as 'I. S. Maria'.

The first light house dates from 1894, and was upgraded in the 1920's. A marine biological station (the 'MBS') was built in 1951 and some of the shores were declared nature reserves in 1976. Of late the biological station came under administration of the Eduardo Mondlane University.

Lodging and access

Travellers have a choice of two lodges, Inhacazul Lodge or the Pestana Hotel, from where different excursions are arranged, including scuba diving and snorkelling outings. Backpackers can also stay in a catering camping area within walking distance of the landing jetty. Backpackers are required to take bottled water and own tents.

The lodges can be reached by booking return flights. These depart from Maputo airport and reach the island airstrip in ten minutes. A voyage by ferry or boat from Maputo takes two to three hours. Travellers depart from Maputo's ferry terminal and can reach the island's landing jetty at high tide, but have to wade some sandy shallows at low tide. Charges vary from 300 Meticais (about 70 Rand) per person by government ferry and R250 by private ferry return - to R500 per person by boat (2006).

The island habitat consists of central cultivated fields, grassy plains to the north and usnea-covered forests along the eastern sand dunes. Extensive exposed mudflats fringe the western and southern shores at low tide. Three undamaged coral reefs flank the island's western perimeters. All are protected marine reserves. Extensive stands of mangroves fringe both the northern shores and southern Saco Bay.

Among 160 coral species are Staghorn and Plate corals. Conspicuous fish are Moray eel, Potato bass, Barracuda and Kingfish. Others present are Brindle bass, Scorpionfish, Butterflyfish, Pufferfish, Parrotfish and Seahorses. Whale sharks and Manta rays visit in summer.

Humpback Whales and Bottlenose dolphins migrate seasonally past these shores. Sea turtles of different species visit the shores in summer to breed.

Inhaca is home to ca 300 bird species, resident and migratory, but suffers from a detrimental House Crow infestation. Bird species of conservation concern are Pink-backed Pelican, Lesser Crested Tern, Crab Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Mongolian Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Mangrove Kingfisher, Grey-rumped Swallow and Spotted Ground-Thrush. The southerly Nhaquene Swamp and Saco Bay are strongholds of the rare Sooty Falcon. Northerly Portuguese Island is a roost for several Tern species. Special birds of limited distribution are Rudd's Apalis, Neergaard's Sunbird and Pink-throated Twinspot.

References and external links

• Reader's Digest Atlas of Southern Africa
• A natural history of Inhaca Island, Mozambique. Margaret Kalk, J de Koning, 1995
• Birds of Inhaca Island, Mozambique. de Boer, WF & Bento, CM, 76pp, 1999.
• [Ornithological trip report, Inhaca Island, Mozambique. Lotz, C & Oschadleus, D, 2003]
• [Mozambique, Islands in the Sun by Keri Harvey] 26 October 2004
• [Destination Mozambique]
• [Dive Mozambique]

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