Ant Atoll
Ant Atoll is a small atoll lying off the west coast of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. Along with the nearby Pakin Atoll, these islands constitute the Senyavin group of islands.[1]
When the larger-than-life hero Isokelekel voyaged to Pohnpei, intent on overthrowing the rulers of Nan Madol, he came first to Ahnd and lived there for some time, learning about Pohnpeian customs from its inhabitants. In modern times, the entire atoll became the property of a single Pohnpeian family — the descendents of Henry Nanpei, who lived from 1862 to 1928. Nanpei’s shrewd business sense and knack for manipulating local power politics enabled him to acquire the atoll and amass a great deal of other land.
Today Ahnd has a few human residents, the biosphere rangers who make sure people do not fish within the protected area. There is also resort run by the Nanpei family located on the island of Pasa.
Ant's first European visitor was Álvaro de Saavedra on 14 September 1529 shortly before his death, in his second attempt to return from Tidore to New Spain.[2][3] It was later visited by Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, commanding the Spanish ship San Jeronimo on 23 December 1595. Fernandez de Quirós had assumed the command of the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña after his death [4] Etienne DeCroissant briefly sailed by the islands on her exploration trip to the region.
Ant is a popular site with tourists for diving and snorkelling, and is the site of several colonies of seabirds, notably black noddys. There is a small settlement on the atoll that is inhabited part-time.
There is evidence of an ancient civilization on the island, which might have been built by the same people who built the nearby Nan Madol.
See also[]
- Desert island
- List of islands
References[]
- ^ Bendure, G. & Friary, N. (1988) Micronesia:A travel survival kit. South Yarra, VIC: Lonely Planet
- ^ Brand, Donald D. The Pacific Basin: A History of its Geographical Explorations The American Geographical Society, New York, 1967, p.122
- ^ Sharp, Andrew The discovery of the Pacific Islands, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1960, p.20,23
- ^ Coello, Francisco "Conflicto hispano-alemán" Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid, t.XIX. 2º semestre 1885, Madrid, p.296
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- Atolls of the Federated States of Micronesia
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- Uninhabited islands of the Federated States of Micronesia