Cayos Arcas facts for kids
The Cayos Arcas are a group of three small sandy islands, called cays, and a surrounding coral reef system. They are located in the Gulf of Mexico, about 128 kilometers (80 miles) from the mainland coast of Campeche, Mexico. These islands are part of the municipality of Campeche in the state of Campeche.
The total land area of the Cayos Arcas islands is about 22.8 hectares (56 acres). The largest island is Cayo del Centro, covering 13.7 hectares (34 acres). It has some grass, bushes, and a few palm trees. There are also two lighted beacons on Cayo del Centro that help ships navigate.
Cayo del Este is another island, about 5.2 hectares (13 acres) in size and 3 meters (10 feet) high. It sits on a separate reef southeast of Cayo del Centro. Cayo del Oeste is the smallest of the three main islands, about 3.9 hectares (9.6 acres) in area and 2 meters (7 feet) high. It is located west of Cayo del Centro.
No one lives on the Cayos Arcas islands. Besides the beacons, there are no other buildings. The plants on the islands are mostly sand shrubs and grasses. The islands are important as a marker for ships. South of the islands, there is a large group of oil platforms called the Cayos Arcas Terminal. These platforms are a major source of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
In the 1800s, the Cayos Arcas islands were sometimes used for military purposes. During the American Civil War, a famous ship called the CSS Alabama used these remote islands as a meeting point to get supplies while it was operating in the Gulf.
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Geography of Cayos Arcas
The Cayos Arcas islands are formed by coral growing around what might have been an old volcano. Each island has unique features.
Cayo del Centro
Cayo del Centro is the biggest island, with a total area of about 0.137 square kilometers (34 acres). Most of this land stays above water all the time. If you look at the island on a map, you can see some small buildings. There are also signs that people might have lived there in the past. The island has at least six sandy areas that appear and disappear with the tides. These tidal islands are very small and have no plants growing on them.
Cayo del Este
Cayo del Este is located to the east of Cayo del Centro. This island has at least two types of plants. There is also a small islet nearby, which is about 20 meters (66 feet) long and 8 meters (26 feet) wide. On its western side, Cayo del Este has a long sandy strip that leads to a shallow, calm area like a lagoon.
Cayo del Oeste
Cayo del Oeste is the smallest of the main islands and is further away from the other two. It is shaped like a triangle and is connected to a sandy strip. There are only a few plants in the middle of this island. While Cayo del Oeste does not have any nearby islets, it does have a shallow coastal strip that goes southwest from its eastern edge.
About one-third of the way between Cayo del Centro and Cayo del Oeste, there is a shallow area and a small island. This island is 16 meters (52 feet) long and only 5 meters (16 feet) wide. Even though it's small, it has a large shallow area around it, so boats need to be careful. Further north, there is another shallow reef that doesn't break the surface of the water. It is about 70 meters (230 feet) wide and less than 6 meters (20 feet) deep. Some parts of the reef are very shallow and dangerous for boats.
The safest ways for boats to enter the areas around the islands are from the northwest-west for Cayo del Centro, the south-southwest for Cayo del Este, and the west for Cayo del Oeste.
In Spanish: Cayos Arcas para niños
