African High Sea

Between southeastern Madagascar and Réunion lies a broad expanse of the western Indian Ocean. Réunion is a volcanic island of the Mascarene group, rising steeply above the sea to the east. Southeast trade winds blow across the intervening waters, while tropical cyclones may travel towards Madagascar. Ships moving between the Malagasy coast and the island crossed this exposed sea, linking two very different shores through the routes of the Indian Ocean.