Legend of the Vanishing Island

It's a quiz question often asked on Fuerteventura - how many islands make up the Canary Islands?

The usual answer is seven. But old sages might look at you and ask: "What about San Borondon?"

This is one of the most endearing legends of the Canary Islands - a ghost island that appears out of the sea mists and mysteriously vanishes again. Stories of it still do the rounds and there can hardly be a Canarian who hasn't cast their eyes out to sea on a misty day wondering if ...

Even today, there are hotels and villas in the Canary Islands called San Borondon.

A corruption of the name Saint Brendan or Saint Brandan of Clonfert, he was a monk from Tralee in County Kerry.

After being ordained a priest in 512BC he set sail with a group of other monks across the Atlantic Ocean. At the time, it was quite usual for monks to sail off with no destination in mind but with the sole object of finding heathens to convert to Christianity.

According to an old Irish poem, during his adventures he came across islands made of crystal and fiery demons.

Eventually he landed on an island where they discovered trees and vegetation. Suddenly, the island started to move and sink below the waves - they had landed on the back of a huge sea creature.

During the 15th century as Jean de Bethencourt began conquering Fuerteventura, word spread of an eighth Canary Island to the west of  La Gomera ad El Hierro.

In early treaties, reference was made to sovereignty over the islands of Canaria "discovered or to be discovered ..."

The mysterious island went under various names - The Island of the Seven Cities, Antillia and Aprositus.

Then in the 18th century dozens of witnesses on El Hierro reported seeing the island.

An expedition set off from Tenerife in search of it. But to this day, it has eluded detection.

Myths and legends