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The enigmatic Es Vedrà: Ibiza’s limestone legend

Blurring the lines between reality, fairy tale and fantasy of the mysterious island.

Es Vedrà, the enigmatic rock full of mystery rising off the South East coast of Cala d’Hort in Ibiza, has a history more storied than the iconic White Isle itself. If that’s possible! No matter your stance surrounding the 382-meter-high marvel and its surplus of subjective sagas… the mesmerizing pyramidal protrusion symbolizes many things to many people, myself included.

Mystery, history and Hollywood

It’s been said, Es Vedrà is the third most magnetic place on earth behind the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle. Geologists say no. Hippies and spiritual sorts say yes. They claim the concentration of high energy and healing properties people experience stem from bursts of positive forces radiating from large amounts of limestone, comparable with that of Easter Island, the Pyramids and Stonehenge. Two more circulating beliefs trace its DNA back to being the tip of the Lost City of Atlantis, and secondly, they say it was the birthplace of Tanit, the Phoenician goddess.

The next mystery arose when all navigational instruments would suddenly go astray whilst in close proximity to the islet and strange flashes of rapidly moving lights – as in UFOs – were repeatedly reported. Although it started happening during the trippy hedonistic era of the 1970s… the theory holds definite credence from countless testimonies by local fisherman and extensive evidence provided from pilots. A case in point is the highly public 1979 Manises UFO Incident when neither the control tower nor military radar could identify a series of red beams hitting a Transportes Aéreos Españoles aircraft, ultimately forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Valencia on the peninsula.

Other more concrete connections exist linking Es Vedrà from historical Greek mythology to Hollywood. First, it was claimed to be home to the mythical sirens luring sailors to their death in Homer’s Odyssey, and “just recently” in 1958, visual shots of the silhouette surfaced in the musical South Pacific where it stood in for the volcanic island Bali Hai.

Es Vedrà’s undeniable link to nature and navigation

Is Es Vedrà magnetic, part of the sunken civilization of Atlantis or a playground for aliens? You decide! What is however wholeheartedly undeniable nowadays is its importance as both a nature reserve zone for animals to roam, and as a popular navigation destination for bon vivants vacationing on their big boats.

Since 2002, it’s been catalogued as a strictly protected biosphere full of authentic natural treasures. Wildlife runs rampant and it’s easy to spot an array of aquatic birds, goats and lizards, including the endemic subspecies of the Ibiza wall lizard. Also abundant are a large array of plant species; up to date, 166 have been identified.

Es Vedrà may flourish the whole year through with fauna and flora, but during summer it’s the surrounding seas that are astoundingly stocked with superyachts and speedboats. Sailboats have also recently joined the scene thanks in part to the Ibiza JoySail Regatta established two years back.

Ibiza JoySail was a vision founded by STP Palma and Marina Ibiza to welcome the sailing world to the hedonist hot-spot dominated by megayachts. Sanctioned by SYRA and ORC, it has become an annual laid-back fun race through the Balearic archipelago with Es Vedrà being a highlight on the windy itinerary. Participation from the professional sailing community continues to grow; this year international competitors including Bliss, Hyperion, Moat and Swan were all on the rooster.

As for those of us non-racers… dropping anchor around Es Vedrà is something that needs to be checked off the “boater bucket list.” Its magical aura is certain to not only touch the horizon, but also your heart. Upon arrival Es Vedrà hypnotizes. Upon departure, it energizes!

Travel tip: As one of my most cherished places on this planet Earth, two personal recommendations besides visiting as a yachting destination day-trip, are reserving a right-side window seat if arriving by plane (for most flights, I can’t guarantee all air travel itineraries) for fabulous views from above, and renting a Jet Ski (from Cala Vadella or Cala d’Hort) to get as close as possible to the monumental must-see mass.

DinaRella

DinaRella is a fastboat aficionado who began her marine journalism career in offshore powerboat racing, before moving on to cover all facets of the high-performance boating industry from turn-key crafts to turbine catamarans. Always in discovery mode as a global explorer pursuing that next passport stamp, Dina equally adores composing yachting lifestyle and international destination features on where the magic happens. When disconnected from the laptop, she’s probably cheering on her favorite Champion’s League soccer team, or immersed in the music scene; as a multi-lingual speaker, she too is most passionate about perfecting her six languages.