Es Pontàs ("the big bridge" in the Catalan language) is a
natural arch
A natural arch, natural bridge, or (less commonly) rock arch is a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, Cliffed coast, coastal cliffs, Fin (geology), fins or Stack ...
made from
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
in the southeastern part of the island of
Mallorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...
in Spain. The arch is located on the coastline between the Cala Santanyí and
Cala Llombards
Cala Llombards () is a beach and resort on the southeast coast of Majorca, located in Santanyí
Santanyí () is a municipality on the Spain, Spanish island of Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, situated in the westernmost part of the Medite ...
in the municipality of
Santanyí
Santanyí () is a municipality on the Spain, Spanish island of Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, situated in the westernmost part of the Mediterranean Sea.
This municipality in the southeast of Majorca is home to the towns of Santanyí, Cal ...
, and is approximately in height. Es Pontàs is only accessible by boat or by swimming, and is a popular scenic location for tourists to Mallorca (particularly at sunrise and sunset) who view it from the 'Mirador Es Pontas'.
Climbing area
The arch is also a
deep-water soloing
Deep-water soloing (DWS), also known as psicobloc (from "psycho-bouldering"), is a form of free solo climbing where any fall should result in the climber landing safely into deep water below the climbing routes, route. DWS is therefore considere ...
(DWS) climbing area, and the first routes in the guidebook date from circa 2003 with ''Stop Look and Listen'' and ''Treasure Island'' . The area is most noted for
Chris Sharma
Chris Omprakash Sharma (born 23 April 1981) is an American rock climber who is considered one of the greatest and most influential climbers in the history of the sport. He dominated sport climbing for the decade after his 2001 ascent of '' Real ...
's DWS routes, and particularly ''Pontax'' in 2005, and ''
Es Pontàs'' in 2006. ''Es Pontàs'' was the first-ever DWS route at the grade of , and at the time that Sharma made the first ascent, it was one of only a handful of rock climbing routes in the world at that grade.
Sharma's ascent of ''Es Pontàs'' is captured in the 2007 film, ''King Lines''.
See also
*
Azure Window
The Azure Window (), also known as the Dwejra Window (), was a natural arch on the island of Gozo, located just off the shores of Malta. The limestone feature, which was in Dwejra Bay close to the Inland Sea, Gozo, Inland Sea and Fungus Rock, ...
, sea arch in Malta
*
Durdle Door
Durdle Door (sometimes written Durdle Dor) is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, England.West, I.W., 2003.Durdle Door; Geology of the Dorset Coast". Southampton University, UK. Version H.07.09.03. It is ...
, sea arch in England
References
External links
Es Pontas ''Hard Climbs'' (2023)
Es Pontas Rock Climbing ''Mountain Project'' (2023)
''PlanetMountain'' (2021)
Rock formations of Spain
Natural arches
Landforms of the Balearic Islands
Climbing areas of Spain
Limestone formations
Tourist attractions in Mallorca
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