Travel across the globe with us to discover unique and beautiful lands dotted across oceans and waterways

WORDSSCOTT DUTFIELD

THE SPINNING ‘EYE’

Within Argentina’s Paraná Delta is a curious floating island called El Ojo, meaning ‘the eye’. Around 120 metres in diameter, the circular island seems to float on crystal-clear waters and move independently of its surroundings. The island, which is almost exclusively made of plant matter, appears to spin in a clockwise direction, which scientists have suggested is driven by a current that circles around the body of water it floats on. While it continually rotates, the island scrapes along the surrounding banks, eroding them into an almost-perfect circle. The water that encompasses the floating disc is uncharacteristically cold, the cause of which remains a mystery. Satellite imagery of the island shows it has existed for at least 20 years. However, it wasn’t discovered until 2016, when famed filmmaker Sergio Neuspiller travelled to the area while doing research for a documentary on the delta.

© Google Earth

ENDEMIC SPECIES PARADISE

Did you know?

There are around 670,00 islands in the world In the Indian Ocean, around 210 miles from the coast of southwest Yemen, is an archipelago of four islands and two rocky islets which extend the Horn of Africa. The largest of the islands is called Socotra, otherwise known as the ‘jewel of Arabia’. Socotra is known for its unique landscapes, spanning across 1,400 square miles, and its endemic wild residents. Mountains occupy most of its interior and include deep valleys, extensive limestone caves and sandy beaches. There are 825 species across the archipelago, some of which are quite peculiar, including the dragon blood tree. The branches of these umbrellashaped trees have the appearance of roots that are growing the wrong way around, and the sap of the tree is red and has been used to make dyes and medicines. The island is also a haven for almost 700 species not found anywhere else in the world, including 90 per cent of the island’s reptile species – which are only found on Socotra – including the Socotran chameleon.