Capitancillo Island
Capitancillo (historically Islote de Captitoncillo and variously Capitancillo islet) is a small coral island (about 600 hectares in size) near Bogo City, Cebu, Philippines. The island is a protected marine sanctuary, featuring three dive sites and a lighthouse.
Capitancillo Islet, Bogo, Cebu | |
Capitancillo Location within the Philippines Capitancillo Capitancillo (Philippines) | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Visayan Sea |
Coordinates | 10°59′25″N 124°06′14″E |
Archipelago | Central Visayas |
Adjacent bodies of water | Camotes Sea |
Area | 600 ha (1,500 acres) |
Highest elevation | 4.5 m (14.8 ft)[1] |
Administration | |
Province | Cebu |
City | Bogo |
Barangay | Odlot |
Demographics | |
Population | uninhabited |
Location and geography
Capitancillo is a small uninhabited island northeast of Cebu Island in the Camotes Sea. It is 6.1 kilometres (3.8 mi) east of Odlot barangay, Bogo City. Three areas around the island (the Ormoc Shoal, the Nuñez Shoal, and the southwest wall of Capitancillo) are recognized dive sites. Polambato Port, Nailon Wharf, Marangog Cove, and Odlot Hideaway all serve as jumping-off points to the island from Bogo, and the trip takes anywhere from fifteen to 45 minutes. There are no stores nor accommodation available on the island.[2]
Folklore
Legends surrounding the island state that Capitancillo was named after Captain Basillo, the captain of a Spanish trading vessel. According to the legends, Captain Basillo insulted a local datu, named Bugtopasan. Bugtopasan cursed Captain Basillo and put a spell on him, transforming the Captain's galleon into the island.[3]
Lighthouse
The original lighthouse was listed in the Faros Españoles de Ultramar as one of 27 major lighthouses of the Philippines.[4][5] The Capitancillo lighthouse was built in 1905, with the current white steel tower dating from the 1950s. The tower is 83 feet (25 m) high and flashes three white lights every ten seconds [Fl.(3)W.10s]. The lighthouse's designations are • NGA 112-14800 • Admiralty number F 2406 • ARLHS PHI-079.[6]
See also
- Lighthouses in the Philippines
- List of islands in the Philippines
- List of islands
- Desert island
References
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency 2008
- Philippine Daily Inquirer 2011
- "The Legend of Capitancillo". The Bogo Times. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- Sánchez Terry 1992
- Rowlett 2016
- Lighthouse Explorer 2014
Sources
- Lighthouse Explorer (2014). "Capitancillo Island Light". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (2008). Sailing Directions (Enroute) Philippine Islands (PDF) (7th ed.). p. 183. Archived from the original on 2 April 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- Philippine Daily Inquirer (12 August 2011). "Capitancillo: Cebu's new ocean leisure spot". Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2014.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Rowlett, Russ (2016). "Spanish Lighthouses of the Philippines". Archived from the original on 13 June 2017.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Sánchez Terry, Miguel Angel (1992). Faros Españoles de Ultramar. Madrid: Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT). ISBN 978-8474337921.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)