New Delhi, March 15 (IANS). The world of science is as interesting as it is full of mysteries. One such unique road of France is full of mystery and interest, which is known as ‘Passage du Gois’. This road is visible out of the water for only two hours a day.
The most striking feature of the island of Noirmoutie, off the west coast of France, is the Passage du Gois. It is a natural and tidal causeway that connects the mainland to the island, but the causeway is visible and traversable only for a few hours a day. This unique road is connected to the moon.
Due to the tides affected by the gravitational power of the Moon, this road gets submerged in water at high tide and emerges only at low tide. Noirmoutie is a small tidal island, approximately 20 kilometers long.
According to the American space agency NASA, astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) had photographed the northwestern part of the island. This photo, taken on June 12, 2021, clearly shows open mudflats, saltwater marshes, sand dunes, small settlements and farms at low tide. The Passage du Gois is approximately 4.125 kilometers long. The special thing is that this is the main way to reach the island. It is necessary to cross it at the right time.
A bridge was built in 1971, making travel possible even at high tide, but the Passage du Gois still rises and falls with the tides. At low tide this road is passable by car, bicycle or on foot. Usually the average tidal coefficient (difference between high and low tide) can be exceeded 1.5 hours before and 1.5 hours after low tide, i.e. in about 3 hours. It is told that it depends on the pulling power of the Moon. At high tidal tide the water rises 1.5 to 4 meters.
The open mudflats around the island are rich in shellfish. Oyster farming takes place here on a large scale. Fishing on the coast, local people also collect ‘white gold’ i.e. salt from the swamps. In summer, water evaporates, so salt is extracted from small canals and ponds.
NASA took a photo with a Nikon D5 camera at 1150 mm focal length. Astronauts take such pictures of the Earth for scientists and the common people, which are available free on the Internet. The Passage du Gois is a unique creation of nature, linked to the power of the moon. Tourists come to see it.
–IANS
MT/VC
