Ron Howard's 'In the Heart of the Sea' being filmed on La Gomera

The second smallest Canary Island of La Gomera, off the coast of Africa, has been chosen as the filming location for Ron Howard's new film, 'In the Heart of the Sea'.

The film is based on the true story of a whaling ship named Essex that was preyed upon by a sperm whale in the Pacific Ocean in 1820, leaving the crew stranded for 90 days. In recent weeks the star of the film, Chris Hemsworth, has been spotted filming on the island. He plays the part of Owen Chase, the ship's first mate, who survived the ordeal.

The film is based on the novel written by acclaimed author Jonathon Philbrick, which was published in 2000. That year it won the National Book Award in the US.

Other famous Ron Howard films include Splash, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.