UNESCO Reunion #2 - Piton des Neiges, najwyższy szczyt Oceanu Indyjskiego

#Reunion #Piton #Mountains Most people can name the highest peak in Poland, Europe, or the world without batting an eye. And it's no wonder, as such "classifications" have always aroused interest – and not just among travelers. So we have the longest rivers, the most populous cities, the largest islands, and the highest mountains. During our July trip to the Mascarene Archipelago, somewhat by accident – ​​as we hadn't planned it at all – we climbed the highest peak in the Indian Ocean. If I asked you its name now, I probably wouldn't get a correct answer; and that's no surprise, since just two months ago I hadn't even heard of it myself. Are you curious? The Indian Ocean is the third largest of our planet's five oceans (the others are the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Southern/Antarctic). It covers 20 percent of the total surface area of ​​the world's oceans – depending on how the boundaries are defined, its surface area is equivalent to between 212 and 228 times the area of ​​Poland. The Indian Ocean, however, isn't a vast void filled only with seawater – it is dotted with thousands of islands. These islands range from smaller to larger, and many form entire complex archipelagos. Each of these islands has its own peak… and this begs the question: which of the island peaks scattered across the ocean is the highest? I'll first mention a few of the lowest. The highest peak of the Cocos Islands – an archipelago belonging to Australia – is a mere 4.9 meters high. However, this isn't a record, as the Ashmore and Cartier Islands protrude from the ocean by a mere 3 meters. And you might think that no one will ever break this "record" – but if you think so, you're wrong: the well-known (at least by name) Maldives is... two meters high at its highest point. Now that we know which end of the scale is lower, it's time to answer a more important question: what is the highest mountain in the Indian Ocean? This mountain – actually an impressive, almost vertical rock, the remnant of a massive volcano – is the Piton des Neiges, located in the Mascarene archipelago. The Mascarene Islands are an archipelago of several islands located east of Madagascar. Most of you might feel lost here, but I'm here to help you sort out this geographical confusion – in fact, you've probably heard of the Mascarene Islands: they include the ocean star Mauritius and its older brother, Réunion. The Mascarene archipelago emerged from the waters of the Indian Ocean several million years ago. This occurred, of course, as a result of underwater volcanic activity, which first pushed the ocean floor to the surface and then contributed to sinking most of the newly formed land back into the depths. After these turbulent times, Mauritius and Réunion are what remained – once a single island, which broke apart, and today the two islands are separated by a distance of 180 kilometers. The Piton des Neiges peak lies in the middle of the archipelago's largest island, Réunion. According to the latest measurements, its height is 3,070.5 meters; while not the most impressive, it is certainly sufficient to proudly hold the title of the highest peak in the Indian Ocean. Its rivals, Maromokotro (Madagascar), at 2,876 meters, and Pidurutalagala (Sri Lanka) at 2,524 meters. Climbing the highest peak in the Indian Ocean is relatively easy. Although at first glance the vertical cliffs rising from the floor of the volcanic crater seem impenetrable, at least three well-prepared trails lead to the summit. The one we chose began near the town of Cilaos and was about ten kilometers long (one way). The trail is very well marked and maintained, with an elevation difference of 1,690 meters between its start and the summit. Its course can be divided into two stages: the first is an arduous hike through primeval jungle, to an altitude of approximately 2,400 meters. Here, we reach the top of a volcanic ridge and ascend to a vast plateau dominated by the summit proper. The hike is arduous, but don't worry – it follows a marked trail carved into the mountainside; the only difficulty is having to overcome a rather significant elevation change. The hardships of this section are certainly rewarded by contact with wildlife – and I mean that literally, as you remember, we're in the middle of the Indian Ocean! Palm-sized spiders are not uncommon here. You can find more on the blog: https://40latidopiachu.pl/2023/09/20/...