News
In this section I wish to inform everybody about the latest news which may have occur in the Islands (especially in Robinson Crusoe). If someone has additional information or any comments please contact me at: jpberlinger@yahoo.com, everyone is invited to colaborate.
Lobster Webpage
The Robinson Crusoe Islands´ Fisherman Union, who produce about 70% of the Lobsters, has created a Website. Its address is:www.lobster-island.cl. Now you can buy Lobster from anywhere in the world, through Internet!
New Book about Juan Fernández
A new fictional novel, but with true historical background, has been written by Richard Sessions and published by Arch Grove Press. (The author very kindly sent me a copy of this outstanding book).
The book called "ISLAND WOMAN" is the dramatic account of Abbie Spence who unwillingly time travels to 1704. The period and imagery are perfectly depicted, providing an evocative setting for the emotional and intellectual fireworks between Abbie and the people she meets.
This unusual novel defies easy categorization. As author Ann Mavor says,"Somehow Richard Sessions has combined the best part of adventure, romance, mystery, science-fiction, and historical fiction to create a story that is both fun and serious."
More information, please visit:www.richardsessions.com
Rare Meteorological Phenomenon
(Source: U.S. Geological Survey,www.usgs.gov) (Special Thanks to Nicolas Chagnon from Canada, who told me about this site) Here is a rare meteorological phenomenon caught by Landsat 7 on 9/15/1999 (Path 6 Row 83). In the southwest of the scene is Alejandro Selkirk Island (Juan Fernandez Islands, located 130 km west of Robinson Crusoe), a squarish island that rises almost vertically 1 mile above the southern pacific. A boundary layer that sandwiches a saturated, unstable layer of clouds between two more stable layers is broken by the island, causing a formation of vortices known as a Karman Vortex Street.
While Karman Vortex Streets have been created in the laboratory from smoke or Ksoap films, it is rare to view them in nature, and they are seldom this well-defined.
Click here to see larger image.
First Nonstop Helicopter Flight
(Source: Chilean Air Force) An UH-60 "Black Hawk" Helicopter, from the Air Force Group N°9, made a non stop flight to Juan Fernández. The helicopter was fitted with four external fuel tanks (SEE PICTURE, here at the Soccer Field near the School, Cumberland Bay) and was escorted by three other Transport Airplanes (Two DHC-6 "Twin Otter" and a single C-212 "Aviocar"). The airplanes brought an Air Force Medical Team, who used the stay on the Island to fulfill an exhaustive medical checkup of the local population, because there are no doctors or physicians in Juan Fernández
This historical flight of 360 nautical miles to Robinson Crusoe Island took three hours and 21 minutes (March 29, 1999), demostrating the capacity of the Chilean Air Force to operate with this helicopter anywhere in Chile (During January 1999 the same helicopter flew to Antartica (Chile claims a big part of this territory) reaching the South Pole).The Treasure Hunt goes on...
There have been two failed attempts in rescueing the mytical treasure of the "Unicorn", which might be buried in Robinson Crusoe Island, specifically at English Bay (Bahía Inglesa). The US-American Hobby-Archeologist Bernard Keiser started the search again, but he has not found anything, yet. His webpage www.unicorntreasure.com is not working, either. Maybe he does not want to make his discovery public....
425th Anniversary: Discovery of Juan Fernández
On Novembre 22, 1999 a new anniversary of the discovery of the Islands was celebrated. The Islands were discovered by the spanish navigator Juan Fernández in 1574, when he was traveling from El Callao (in Perú) to Valparaíso (in Chile).
For this anniversary the Chilean Navy sent a Transport Ship (The AP-45 "Aquiles") with many important personalities from the continent. There was a big "Asado" (Of course with goat meat and Lobster) for the 500 people who live there and for the 300 Guests from the continent. Ahh, the municipality organized also a great firework display which took place at Cumberland Bay, where the only village (San Juan Bautista) is located.
New Patrol Boat for Juan Fernández
A new Patrol Boat named "Robinson Crusoe" was built at Sitecna Dockyards (located in Puerto Montt, South Chile), for the Chilean National Direction for the Maritime Territory and Merchant Navy (Directemar, part of the Chilean Navy), at a cost of 120 millions Chilean Pesos (about 240,000 US Dollars). PICTURE: Unloading of the patrol boat which arrived on board the "Almirante Viel" in August 2000.
The new boat is especially designed for the nautical conditions which are found in Juan Fernández. It is the first time that the Juan Fernández Maritime Authority has such a craft, because they were using rubber boats to patrol this huge maritime territorry (about 500,000 squaremiles of open sea).
The Patrol Boat was mainly built in aluminium, has a length of 12 meters and a bright of 4 meters. It can displace about 10 metric tons, and a capacity of 4 passengers. it is manned by a crew of 3, the maximal speed is 24 knots and its autonomy is about 250 nautical miles.
