"Filfla Islet" a Filfla Travel Page by Trillian2005

...but instead after filfel = pilpel = pepper. Nobody knows why. It's a lonely islet about 5 km off the southern coast of Malta. You can see it from the Blue Grotto area. Filfla's 60 m high cliffs form a plateau. The sea around that little island is a divers paradise because the water is very clear and the visibility usually is 10 - 30 meters. Unfortunately, Filfla was used as a shooting target by the British Army in World War II and there are remains of ammunition and shells galore, on the island itself and also in the sea surrounding it, which can make diving a little less pleasant. Since I don't dive, I wasn't an immediate candidate for paradise. I have never heard of shells exploding via telekinesis by staring at the island from a distance, but then again, who knows. So maybe I did come close to paradise, but I was lucky enough not having to enter it.

A small chapel dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady (aha! Speaking of paradise) was built inside a small cave in 1343. Every Sunday mass was held for the 2.5 fishermen and their families that lived around Filfla. It must have been around because I have never heard of anybody living on Filfla, at least not for a lengthy time period. Sadly, the chapel was destroyed by an earthquake in 1856, so there's nothing left. I didn't know there were earthquakes in Malta, but why not?

Isolated from the mainland, Filfla has developed a unique eco-system. A number of endemics, both in flora and fauna, thrive on the islet. No trees grow on Filfla, which makes the island a paradise for sunbathers, if they weren't prohibited from practising their hobby. Instead (of the trees, not the sunbathers) a variety of shrubs and plants manage to make a living there. Suaeda vera is the dominant plant as well as a myseterious Allium species. Capers and other salt-resistant plants complete the flora of the island, all in all delicious ingredients for a mixed salad.

Due to its isolation an interesting variety of animal species can be encountered on Filfa. They are all very friendly. The more common ones are spiders and scorpions. A Filfla native is the wall lizard (Podarcis filfolensis), which wears an elegant black outfit with various blue and green spots. Since there are no walls in Filfla (especially not of buildings), the Filfla wall lizard ought to be a real cliff hanger.

The most important animal group found on Filfla belongs to the avian family, particularly the seabirds. No less than four species have been found breeding on Filfla. The largest is the yellow legged gull (Larus cachinnans), making its home on the top of the island. Then there's the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), the Levantine shearwater, and the storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), living on the other floors.
The most important bird on Filfla is the storm petrel ("Kangu ta' Filfla" in Maltese). Who knows why. In the not so distant past it was believed that it only occurred only on Filfla, but alas - in the late 1990's a small colony was discovered on the island of Gozo, probably expatriates of the original Filfla storm petrels. Maybe they got tired of all the storms and decided to live in a less windy place. Or perhaps they were offered a well-paid job in Gozo, there really isn't all that much to do on Filfla as you can imagine. The island still is in its pre-industrialist, pre-revolutionary, and pre-modern condition, which does, however, have certain advantages.

In a nutshell: Filfla is an exciting place because it is nature reserve and landing on the islet is not permitted. That's what makes it particularly alluring to human curiosity. Obviously permission has been granted to our four legged, six legged, eight legged as well as winged friends. As far as two legged creatures of the non avian species go, permission to land is granted to scientists and wannabe scientists only, so if you're creative enough (either as a scientist or with your explanation of being or becoming one), you may be lucky to get a landing permit and have the chance to experience the mysteries of this little island on your own little feet and with your own two eyes with or without glasses. It may be well worth it. I have a feeling it is.

It is said that Filfla was Enid Blyton's inspiration to write "The Island of Adventure", the first book of the adventure series, featuring Philip, Jack, Dinah, Lucy-Ann, and Kiki The Talking Parrot. The following books are:
- The Castle of Adventure
- The Valley of Adventure
- The Sea of Adventure
- The Mountain of Adventure
- The Ship of Adventure
- The Circus of Adventure
- The River of Adventure

If you don't have a chance to get a Filfla landing permit, read the books. They are almost as adventurous as visiting Filfa with a real or fake scientist visa.