Corisco Island is one of the flattest and most peaceful places in Equatorial Guinea. Unlike the towering volcanic peaks of Bioko, Corisco is barely above sea level, completely flat, and fringed with palm trees and white sand. The island is small enough that you could walk all the way round it in a few hours. A small community of people has lived here for generations, fishing the bay and knowing every reef and sandbank by name.
The bay itself is calm and sheltered because the Muni estuary slows the waves before they reach it. This makes it perfect for all kinds of marine life. Dolphins are seen regularly in the bay, and manatees — large, gentle, slow-moving sea mammals that look a bit like a cross between a seal and a cow — are also spotted here. Manatees eat underwater plants and are very shy.
The beaches of Corisco are made of fine white sand that squeaks when you walk on it. At low tide, shallow rock pools appear full of crabs, small fish, and brightly coloured sea anemones. Children who grow up on the island learn early how to read the tides — when to wade across the sandbanks and when to stay back.
The bay is also an important nursery for many species of fish. The mix of fresh river water from the Muni and salty sea water from the Atlantic creates a brackish zone (a mix of both) where certain fish lay their eggs. Fishermen from the island know the best times and places to cast their nets, knowledge that has been handed down through families for centuries.