A brand new island has emerged out of the water near Venice, offering a year-round secluded sunbathing spot away from the thronging crowds.
Previously, a small island close to the entrance of the Venice lagoon would emerge during the summer but get eroded by winter storms and high tides.
With the implementation of Venice’s updated flood protection systems, the island has remained intact since 2020 and is now regarded as a permanent part of the lagoon.
Venice locals have visited the spot during summer for years, lounging on the warm sands and bathing in the shallow water.
The island offered a perfect secluded spot away from the city that crawled with tourists – and now Venetians can use it all year round.
The small sand bank is 250 metres long and just 10 metres wide, and it would build up each spring as currents deposited silt.
Since the strip stopped being washed away, the sands have bloomed with life.
A rich array of plants, including samphire, rushes and small native trees called tamarisk, have taken root on the sliver of land.
The plant roots help to hold the structure of the island together, making it more resistant to the tides.
There is also a healthy supply of shellfish populating the island.
According to Giovanni Cecconi, an engineer involved in Venice’s flood protection initiatives, there have been reports of people visiting the island, known as Bacan, and gathering 5 kilograms of razor clams.
The key to the new island, according to Giovanni, is Venice’s flood defence system, named Mose.
He explained: ““The barrier […] accelerates the flow of water into the lagoon when it is open, meaning more sand comes in, helping sustain Bacan.
“And by raising the barrier in winter to stop high waters, the island is protected from the surges that used to erode it.”
The Mose defences installed in 2020 consist of three mobile gates at the entrances to the lagoon that can be raised at high tide to protect the bay.
Bacan has not disappeared underwater since 2020, leading people to make the link.
Some experts, however, have different ideas.
Andrea D’Alpaos, a hydrologist from Padua University, noted that raising the Mose barriers stops silt and sand flooding in – which is vital to topping up sand marshes like Bacan.
He told The Times: “We know 70 per cent of the growth of the marshes is dependent on those storm surges.
“Keeping the salt marshes healthy helps fight climate change since they absorb 30 times as much carbon as a forest.”
D’Alpaos also pointed out that Bacan has been forming since long before 2020, meaning the Mose defence system is only likely to be part of a more complicated story.
The city of Venice has been struggling to cope with the number of tourists that flood into the city each year – usually around 30 million.
The problem has led to a day trip tax being introduced, and limits on the size of groups allowed in.
Italian tourism boards have encouraged visitors to explore parts of the lagoon, to ease the pressure on the main city.
However, locals who enjoy the peace of Bacan will be keen to avoid the island becoming overwhelmed.
