Chão (Ilhéu)

The group of small islands called Desertas (Ilhéu Chão, Deserta Grande, and Bugio) lies in the direction from north-northwest to south-southeast with the Ponta de São Lourenço, with Ilhéu Chão being the closest to the said Point. 'Ilheu Chão,' says Dr. A. Rodrigues de Azevedo, 'so called because it is shallow, is the smallest of the three islands; it is a mile or 1852 meters long by a third of a mile or 617 meters at its widest; it has steep rocky coasts; however, it is flat and of good soil; it is separated from Ponta de São Lourenço by a channel of 11 miles or a little over 20 kilometers, through which ships of all sizes transit. Its greatest height is 98 meters. To the south of Ilhéu Chão is Deserta Grande, from which it is separated by a passage or channel, only navigable for small boats. To the north of Ilhéu Chão is the small Ilhéu do Navio, also called Prego do Mar.