Ninety seconds on Es Vedrà
Dusk is when to face Es Vedrà from the beach at Cala d'Hort, as the sky turns gold behind a sheer, bare islet rising 382 metres from the sea. You see it from the shore, or from a boat circling its cliffs.
Es Vedrà is a limestone islet off the west of Ibiza whose summit, Es Picatxo de Migjorn, gives it a jagged ridge and sheer sides. That is the outline you recognise from the shore. Beside it lies Es Vedranell, and the two are protected together as a nature reserve with the smaller Illots de Ponent.
Both islets are bare rock with no soil, open to wind and sea all year. Even so, they are one of the main breeding grounds for seabirds and birds of prey, among them Audouin's gull.
Look closely at the rocks by the water and you may see the Ibiza wall lizard. Each islet has its own local form, differing in size and colour from its neighbour's.
From 1854 to 1860 a Carmelite hermit, Francesc Palau, lived alone on Es Vedrà and later wrote of the visions he had there.
Park on the dirt road just above Cala d'Hort and spend the afternoon on the beach, with Es Vedrà sitting just offshore. The parking fills on summer evenings, so arrive about an hour before sunset if you come only for the view.
The half hour before sunset gives the best light for photographs, as the islet and Es Vedranell darken against the sky. On one of the cliffs above the bay stands Torre des Savinar, an old defence tower facing both islets.
Once the sun has set, the light goes fast. Bring a torch for the walk back to the car along the dirt track.
Seeing Es Vedrà from the water means a boat. You need no permit to sail around the islets.
Boat trips circle them from ports on both sides of Ibiza and usually take three to four hours. The reserve also runs its own activities on the water; ask its office what is on. From the shore, you need no guide at all.
Trainers with grip beat sandals on the tracks around the bay. In summer, bring water and sun protection for the hours on the beach.
On a boat, never drop anchor on the Posidonia seagrass meadows; use sand patches instead. Diving in parts of the marine reserve needs an authorisation, and nothing may be taken from the islets: no plants, animals or archaeological finds.
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