This week, we will be discussing the many different types of geographical features that the island has to offer.
The definition of an island according to Webster's dictionary is," A tract of land surrounded by water and smaller than a continent". I wanted to clarify this with my readers because the subject of this blog is the hydrology of Bora Bora.
You may not know this but the earth's surface is about 71 percent water, and of that 97.2 percent of that is our oceans. This is all very important because Bora Bora is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean which gives it a unique climate and habitat.
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| This is an aerial view of the island of Bora Bora, showing that the entire island is surrounded by the ocean. |
Rainfall is also a major part of Bora Bora's very tropical climate and a main reason the island has plenty of rainforest and vegetation. Bora Bora receives on average 9 inches of rain per month. With the combination of rainfall and the ocean, and the type of bodies of water it has are called lagoons. Lagoons are described as an area of sea water that is separated from the ocean by a reef or sandbar. Sandbars and reefs are types of landforms that are abundant around the island itself.
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| Lagoon off the coast of Bora Bora, shows the difference between the water in the ocean and the lagoon. Large sandbar helps separate the ocean water from coastal lagoons. |
The main attraction of the island is the gigantic Mt. Otemanu! This beautiful landmark reaches over 7,822 feet at its peak! If you take a close look at the mountain, you can see several types of weathering and rock decay! For example, if you look at the picture below you can see many joints that are separating the rock. Its also very obvious that there is salt decay with all the white spots all over the mountain. The salt I would assume would be coming from the ocean since the island is surrounded by it.
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| Mt. Otemanu is not only eye-candy but it is also a great example of joints and salt decay. |
Thanks for joining me on the geographical exploration and study of the island of Bora Bora!
Until next time y'all,
Peace and Love!
