Cape Boujdour (Boujdour)

Western Sahara / Bu Jaydur / Boujdour
 cape (geography), invisible
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رأس بوجادور‎ (?)= "Abu Khatar"= "the father of danger", Cape Al Bodz = كيب البودز رقم ب = Cape of fear
Cape Boujdour, Ras Bechidour, Tuerf Boichiri

Portuguese name: "Cabo Bojador"

The cape is not prominent on maps. But the discovery of a passable route around Cape Bojador, in 1434, by the Portuguese mariner Gil Eanes was considered a major breakthrough for European explorers and traders en route to Africa and later to India.

Cape Bojador and its surrounding coast extends into the sea in the form of an underwater reef, and, when the waves break after crashing into unseen gullies, the water spouts furiously into high foamy clouds that look like steam, even on calm days. The sea next to the Cape, and for approximately 3 miles seaward from the coast, is no more than two metres deep. Fish are abundant in the area, and shoals of sardines rise to the surface during the feeding times of larger fish. When this happens, the sea seems to bubble violently as if boiling, and, observed from a distance, the hissing sound produced by the fish flicking their tails on the water's surface adds to the impression. The stifling air wafted westerly on lazy breezes from the desert heightens the impression of extreme temperature, while the desert dust helps to create a mysterious darkness. Worse, the ferrous rocks make compass needles whirl erratically. Given the real dangers, it is no wonder mariners of old, many of whom also claimed to know some seasoned sea-dog who had sighted an imaginary sea creature at this very location, were afraid to approach this infamous cape.


www.panoramio.com/photo/2881460 /49163948
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Coordinates:   26°7'31"N   14°29'56"W

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  • I9LIM ATTAHADI BOUJDOUR
This article was last modified 9 years ago