IJ7A, S Pietro Island IOTA DXpedition, EU 073

The Cheradi Islands are a small archipelago, to the south-west of the basin of Mar Grande of Taranto, in the gulf.The archipelago consists of two islands of St. Peter and St. Paul (respectively, distant from the navigable channel of Taranto 3.5 and 6.25 km), part of the military property, and where it is forbidden the landing and navigation. At one time there was also the islet of San Nicolicchio now disappeared.

Flora and faunaThe largest island of St. Peter may be considered a true wilderness area. While the prohibition of the Navy for landing and navigation has deprived the citizens of an area of ​​great interest for the city, it has preserved the rich ecosystem of the islands. Many species of birds and songbirds find refuge on the island of St. Peter, as the barn owl, the oystercatcher, quail, kingfishers, kestrels, doves, gulls and cormorants, reptiles such as lizards, geckos and tarantulas, including rodents, mice and voles. At various times throughout history, vast areas of the main island were used for planting. During the colonization of the monks there were planted olive trees. After leaving the island by the latter, the vegetation began to grow. In the early eighteenth century was built on the island of St. Peter’s Chapter of the farm, and new areas of the island were used for planting.After leaving the island again in 1842 the farm was leased to a farmer who cried wheat and olive trees and figs. With the advent of the Navy every type of farming was abandoned, there was planted a large pine forest and the wild plants he resumed the upper hand. Today the island’s vegetation is typically Mediterranean, with wide pine forest, oak trees, oaks, sycamores and palm trees, many flowers, asparagus, clover, poppies, daffodils (narcissus), mauve, sage, heather, thistles (Carduus) , capers, oats, clover and garlic.

Features weather and seaThe winds coming from the north often last several days, calm down or decrease in intensity during the night and early morning hours, to blow with violence during other times of the day. The south-west wind causes rough seas, the south wind is violent, especially in winter and during the months of May and June brings rain and mist. In spring, the wind coming from the west (from Calabria) is short if somewhat violent and often quiet during sunset. The winds coming from the South and East leading the fog.There are signs that precede the onset of the winds coming from NE and ENE, as the curtain of clouds that persists in the hills north of the Mar Piccolo blow until those winds.During this regime are clearly visible the coast of Calabria. The external currents are rather weak, affected by the winds, with EW direction. The tides around Cheradi are irrelevant, they are around 30-40 cm.

The islandsSan NicolicchioAt one time there was also the islet of San Nicolicchio, now lost because of industrial renovation and enlargement of the cargo port. The island was called by the fishermen in dialect u ‘squegghie (the rock) and located near the tip Rondinella. In ancient times people of Taranto had built an abbey on the island of greek ritual, dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra.St. PaulThe island of Sao Paulo is the smallest of Cheradi, having an area of ​​5 hectares and is also the second to last among the islands of Puglia in size, after Cretaccio.St. Peter’sThe small island of San Pietro has an area of ​​approximately 117 hectares, has a triangular shape and has three bits called Punta La Forca west, north and Scanno The Punta Punta A Place in the East Coast stretches for 7 km The maximum length of the island from Punta La Punta The Scanno fork is a little over 2 km, maximum width is 1.6 km, the maximum height above sea level is 10 meters. (Punta La Forca).

CuriosityThe surfaces of the islands of St. Peter and St. Paul are respectively of 118 ha and 5 ha, and are also rich in wildlife and marine sponges, such as Petrosia ficiformis, and tunicates, as Phallusia mammillata.On the island of San Pietro is located 120 meter antenna, it was used for the service on 500 kHz of maritime radio aid (no longer operating).Enjoy particular interest to amateur radio are regularly organized expeditions during which you make thousands of connections with other radio amateurs around the world.The ITU prefixes allocated to both islands are characterized by the initials IJ7.