Cabo Polonio

Cabo Polonio on the map of Uruguay

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Cabo Polonio is a small fishing resort in the department of Rocha Beach on the Atlantic coast of Uruguay.

Location

The location of Cabo Polonio is situated on a rocky plateau on the Atlantic coast in the southeast of the department of Rocha between the seaside towns Valizas and La Pedrera, located about 260 km from the capital Montevideo. Its distance to the northern border of the neighboring country Brazil is around 60 kilometers. The village lies on the tip of a crescent-shaped island jutting into the Atlantic. Your open-ocean -facing side offers through the surf and waves her excellent opportunities for surfing. The bay on the inner side of the peninsula is a popular seaside resort with its sheltered sandy beaches.

Cabo Polonio is not connected to the road network nor to the public supply of electricity and water. You can reach the place of the 7-km away from the main road Ruta 10 " Juan Díaz de Solís ," on foot, by horse or four-wheel vehicles. The area to be in the future not electrified, so as to preserve their "wild" and original condition.

History

In the area around Cabo Polonio, there are more than 4,000 years old, traces of settlements of Native Americans ( Charrúas, Yaros, Guanaes, Chanaes ). However, the peninsula its name until the 16th century. It was named after Juan Díaz de Solís, of the peninsula discovered during his expedition in search of a western route to India in January of the year in 1516 and gave it the name " Cabo Apolonio " ( "Apollo Cape "). This led to the passage of time the name " Cabo Polonio ". A new participant on this expedition, Francisco de Torres, owe the three upstream " Torres Islands " their name because its caravel sank there in 1516. Francisco de Torres was later one of the few survivors of this expedition, which ended on the Río de la Plata.

The first colonization of the peninsula also goes back to a shipwreck. On January 31, 1753 wrecked at this point the captain and owner Joseph Polonio with his Spanish galleon " Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Senor San Joseph y las Animas " on the way from Cadiz to Buenos Aires. Due to the similarity of names, some sources go now believed that the place was named after this captain. There were 318 people, some of whom remained on the peninsula and began to settle there on board the vessel. During the European colonization of Uruguay in the 19th century, as a result, the last Charrúas were eradicated, especially sealers and fishermen came to Cabo Polonio.

Attractions

One of the biggest attractions of the place include its sheltered beaches, which are framed by large sand dunes. These reach a height of up to 50 m and are among the largest in South America. The hinterland impresses with its pristine hills ( "monte nativo " or "monte Autoctono " ) and its many small wetlands from the previous appearance of the coastal landscape of Uruguay. Visible from afar can be found here also one of the country's symbols - the dioecious Pokeweed - which is referred to in Uruguay as Ombúbaum.

Is which opened in 1881, the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula. Situated on a hill beacon provides for navigation as an important guide in the dangerous by numerous islands and submerged rocks sea area dar. Its range is 21.80 miles. He sends his light signal every 12 seconds. Inspired by this, Jorge Drexler wrote in 2006 the album " 12 seconds of darkness" ( 12 segundos de oscuridad ). In 1976 the lighthouse was declared a National Monument. By the year 1907, the operating company of the lighthouse was also responsible for hunting on the spot where many seal species occurring. One of the world's largest sea lions - colonies located on the coast upstream Torres and Castillo Grande Islands. Likewise, you can visit whales and dolphins here.

National park

The efforts to protect the flora and fauna around Cabo Polonio already have a long history. Thus, the valley of the Arroyo Valizas and Cabo Polonio were declared in September 1942 to " forest reserves " ( " Reserva Forestal "). The shifting sand dunes between the peninsula and Punta del Diablo is declared in July 1966 on " natural monuments " ( " Natural Monument "). The region around Cabo Polonio also belonged to the " Reserva de Biosphere Bañados del Este ", which in the UNESCO 1976 - program "Man and Biosphere" ( " Man and Biosphere " ) was recorded. Finally, in May 1984 declared the region a " wetland of international importance " under the Ramsar Convention. A further decree for Nature Conservation in 1992 included next to the " Laguna de Castillos " and " Aguas Dulces " also Cabo Polonio.

Despite these numerous efforts to protect the cultural landscape and the unique ecosystem could not be prevented, there was a progressive deterioration of flora and fauna by the rapidly expanding tourism and its attendant rampant development, as well as the uncontrolled forestry. During the military dictatorship from 1973 to 1985 great efforts for afforestation of dunes have been made already led to their disappearance in part. Therefore, the area around Cabo Polonio was declared a National Park and in the " National System of Protected Areas" ( " Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas " ) was added by a decree of 20 July 2009.

This protected area includes the three Torres Islands " La Rasa ", " La Encantada " and "El Islote " as well as the islands of the Castillo Grande " Isla Seca " and " Isla del Marco" a coastal waters within five nautical miles. It is bordered to the north by the river Arroyo Valizas and to the west by the Ruta 10. Its about 18 km long coastline extending south to Plot No. 1577, while in the east the five-mile zone forms the National Park boundary.

Population

The inhabitants of the place is consistently small. Mainly live here fishermen, craftsmen and the staff of the lighthouse. In the tourist high season from January to March several restaurants, inns and guesthouses have opened.

Cabo Polonio had in the census in 2011, 95 inhabitants, of which 60 male and 35 female.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay