Spherical Panorama from Bluff at Rodrigues

When we rented a car to do our initial exploration of the island of Rodrigues, we were amazed at the beautiful views from the many volcanic mountain ridges. Not only could you see the deep blue expanse of the Indian Ocean, but the large lagoon surrounded by reefs extending up to four miles from the shoreline is a beautiful sight indeed. One time we accidentally turned down the wrong road leading towards the shore, and the road ended at this rocky cliff bluff which obviously had a great view of the larger southern reef. Later I went to climb the bluff, and it did indeed have a wonderful view. So much so, I went back another day to capture a 360 panorama to give you a real sense of the visual experience. Check out the 360 panorama below (make sure to click the FULLSCREEN option). Below the picture is a description telling more about what you are seeing.

Rodrigues Bluff Reef View in world

The name of the bluff on the local map is “Montagne Cherie” and it is marked as 162.2m in height. I stood on the top of a rock (look down in the 360 to see it), sitting on top of another rock, that was heavily pocked with erosion (almost like limestone rather than the volcanic rock I think it is). You can see the shadow of the rocks. They appear odd until you understand the two rocks are on top of each directly below. If you look down to the east, you can also see how the location is 10-15 meters above the surrounding terrain with the cliffs of the bluff below. The top of the bluff is covered in grass with a few trees and rocks dotted around. The main lagoon you can see is situated to the south of the island. You can see a pass of darker blue water through the reef. This is the passage of deeper water which boats can use to enter through the reef to Port Sud Est (South East), aptly named since it is on the south east coast.