Sabrina Island emerged as a small islet…

Sabrina Island emerged as a small islet in the Azores, a result of a submarine volcanic eruption off Ponta da Ferraria on São Miguel Island.

 

This eruption, occurring in June and July of 1811, was among several seismic events that have shaken the Sete Cidades Massif over time.

 

Between January and February 1811, the settlements in the extreme southeast, particularly the parish of Ginetes, experienced a prolonged period of seismic activity.

 

During this period, gases emanated from the ocean around Ponta da Ferraria, abruptly ceasing by the end of February.

 

However, in May and June, new tremors struck, causing significant destruction to numerous homes.

 

Finally, on June 10, 1811, roughly three nautical miles (five point six kilometers) from the original seismic zones and about two kilometers off the coast, a submarine eruption took place alongside Ponta da Ferraria.

 

This eruption resulted in the loss of many species of fish and the formation of a circular cone, with a perimeter of two kilometers and a height of ninety meters (resembling the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo), featuring an open ring towards the northwest.

 

Debris spewed into the sea from the central ring.

 

The eruption caught the attention of Commander James Tillard aboard the British sloop Sabrina, which was patrolling the Azores. 

 

Mistaking the gray clouds in the area for signs of a naval battle, he sailed towards the location, only to discover a vastly different scene than he had imagined.

 

Determined to stake a claim, he hoisted the Union Jack on the island, asserting sovereignty for Great Britain.

 

A subsequent diplomatic dispute ensued, but the island's eventual sinking back into the depths rendered the matter moot.

 

Commander Tillard penned a detailed account of the eruption and his visit to the island for the esteemed Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.