Lot's Wife (crag)
Encyclopedia
is a volcanic
, deserted island located in the Philippine Sea
approximately 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) off the coast of Tokyo
, in the southernmost tip of the Izu archipelago
, Japan
.
pillar
with sheer sides, the only visible portion of a submarine volcanic caldera extending 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) south-east at an average depth of 240 m. The above sea-level portion measures approximately 84 meters east-west and 56 meters north-south, with a summit height of 99 metres (324.8 ft). The sides of the island features several geological joints facing the water's surface.
The island lies approximately 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) off the coast of Tokyo and 76 kilometres (47.2 mi) from nearby Torishima, Due to its shape and heavy seas it is almost impossible to disembark on the island, although attempts have been made by rock climbers
successfully in 1972 and 2003 (though several accidents have been registered). The site is also known for the transparency of its surrounding waters and abundance of fish, which makes it a popular scuba diving
spot.
The only vegetation on the island is a few clumps of Poaceae
, and the island attracts a small number of seabird
s for nesting.
sighted what he came to describe as “the most marvellous thing” he had ever set his eyes on, a small island he and the ship’s crew decided to baptize as Lot’s Wife
, referring to the Book of Genesis 19:26
The Japanese name Sōfu Iwa (“The Widow Crag”) is rather freely translated from English. The uninhabited/uninhabitable island was the southernmost Japanese island not occupied by the United States
after the 1952 San Francisco Treaty. It is currently administratively part of Tokyo Metropolis.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, deserted island located in the Philippine Sea
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean...
approximately 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) off the coast of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, in the southernmost tip of the Izu archipelago
Izu Islands
The are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ōshima....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Geography
The island is a basaltBasalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
pillar
Stack (geology)
A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion. Stacks are formed through processes of coastal geomorphology, which are entirely natural. Time, wind and water are the only factors involved in the...
with sheer sides, the only visible portion of a submarine volcanic caldera extending 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) south-east at an average depth of 240 m. The above sea-level portion measures approximately 84 meters east-west and 56 meters north-south, with a summit height of 99 metres (324.8 ft). The sides of the island features several geological joints facing the water's surface.
The island lies approximately 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) off the coast of Tokyo and 76 kilometres (47.2 mi) from nearby Torishima, Due to its shape and heavy seas it is almost impossible to disembark on the island, although attempts have been made by rock climbers
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
successfully in 1972 and 2003 (though several accidents have been registered). The site is also known for the transparency of its surrounding waters and abundance of fish, which makes it a popular scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
spot.
The only vegetation on the island is a few clumps of Poaceae
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
, and the island attracts a small number of seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
s for nesting.
History
On April 9, 1788, British merchant sailor John MearesJohn Meares
John Meares was a navigator, explorer, and maritime fur trader, best known for his role in the Nootka Crisis, which brought Britain and Spain to the brink of war.- Career :...
sighted what he came to describe as “the most marvellous thing” he had ever set his eyes on, a small island he and the ship’s crew decided to baptize as Lot’s Wife
Lot (Bible)
Lot is a man from the Book of Genesis chapters 11-14 and 19, in the Hebrew Bible. Notable episodes in his life include his travels with his uncle Abram ; his flight from the destruction of Sodom, in the course of which Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt; and the seduction by his...
, referring to the Book of Genesis 19:26
The Japanese name Sōfu Iwa (“The Widow Crag”) is rather freely translated from English. The uninhabited/uninhabitable island was the southernmost Japanese island not occupied by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the 1952 San Francisco Treaty. It is currently administratively part of Tokyo Metropolis.