{"id":1203,"date":"2024-12-07T18:15:52","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T18:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/?page_id=1203"},"modified":"2024-12-07T18:15:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T18:15:54","slug":"robinson-crusoe-island","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/robinson-crusoe-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Robinson Crusoe Island"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Robinson Crusoe Island<\/strong> (Spanish<\/a>: Isla R\u00f3binson Crusoe<\/em>, pronounced [\u02c8isla\u02c8ro\u03b2inso\u014b k\u027eu\u02c8so]<\/a>) is the second largest of the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez Islands<\/a>, situated 670 km (362 nmi; 416 mi) west of San Antonio<\/a>, Chile<\/a>, in the South Pacific Ocean<\/a>. It is the more populous of the inhabited islands in the archipelago<\/a> (the other being Alejandro Selkirk Island<\/a>), with most of that in the town of San Juan Bautista<\/a> at Cumberland Bay on the island’s north coast.[2]<\/sup> The island was formerly known as M\u00e1s a Tierra<\/strong> (‘Closer to Land’).[3]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 1704 to 1709, the island was home to the marooned<\/a> Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk<\/a>, who at least partially inspired novelist Daniel Defoe<\/a>‘s fictional Robinson Crusoe<\/a> in his 1719 novel, although the novel is explicitly set in the Caribbean<\/a>.[4]<\/sup> This was just one of several survival stories from the period of which Defoe would have been aware.[5]<\/sup> To reflect the literary lore associated with the island and attract tourists, the Chilean government renamed it Robinson Crusoe Island in 1966.[3]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robinson Crusoe Island has a mountainous and undulating terrain, formed by ancient lava<\/a> flows, which have built up from numerous volcanic<\/a> episodes. The highest point on the island is 915 m (3,002 ft) above sea level at El Yunque. Intense erosion<\/a> has resulted in the formation of steep valleys and ridges. A narrow peninsula is formed in the southwestern part of the island, called Cord\u00f3n Escarpado. The island of Santa Clara is located just off the southwest coast.[1]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robinson Crusoe Island lies to the west of the boundary between the Nazca Plate<\/a> and the South American Plate<\/a>; it rose from the ocean 3.8 \u2013 4.2 million years ago. A volcanic eruption on the island was reported in 1743 from El Yunque, but this event is uncertain. On 20 February 1835, a day-long eruption began from a submarine vent 1.6 kilometres (1.0 mi) north of Punta Bacalao. The event was quite minor\u2014only a Volcanic Explosivity Index<\/a> 1 eruption\u2014but it produced explosions and flames that lit up the island, along with tsunamis<\/a>.[1]<\/sup>[failed verification<\/a><\/em>]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robinson Crusoe has a subtropical<\/a> climate, moderated by the cold Humboldt Current<\/a>, which flows to the east of the island, and the southeast trade winds<\/a>. Temperatures range from 3 \u00b0C (37 \u00b0F) to 28.8 \u00b0C (83.8 \u00b0F), with an annual mean of 15.7 \u00b0C (60.3 \u00b0F). Higher elevations are generally cooler, with occasional frosts. Rainfall is greater in the winter months, and varies with elevation and exposure; elevations above 500 m (1,640 ft) experience almost daily rainfall, while the western, leeward<\/a> side of the island is lower and drier.[6]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flora and fauna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Fernandezian region<\/a> is a floristic region<\/a> which includes the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez Islands<\/a> archipelago<\/a>. It is in the Antarctic floristic kingdom<\/a>, but often also included within the Neotropical kingdom<\/a>. As World Biosphere Reserves<\/a> since 1977, these islands have been considered of maximum scientific importance because of the endemic<\/a> plant families<\/a>, genera<\/a>, and species<\/a> of flora and fauna. Out of 211 native plant species, 132 (63%) are endemic, as well as more than 230 species of insects.[10]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robinson Crusoe Island has one endemic plant family, Lactoridaceae<\/a>. The Magellanic penguin<\/a> is also found there.[11]<\/sup> The Juan Fern\u00e1ndez firecrown<\/a> is an endemic and critically endangered red hummingbird<\/a>, which is best known for its needle-fine black beak and silken feather coverage. The Masatierra petrel<\/a> is named after the island’s former name.[10]<\/sup> The island (along with neighbouring Santa Clara<\/a>) has been recognised as an Important Bird Area<\/a> (IBA) by BirdLife International<\/a> because it supports populations of Masatierra petrels, pink-footed shearwaters<\/a>, Juan Fernandez firecrowns and Juan Fernandez tit-tyrants<\/a>.[12]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The island was first named Juan Fernandez Island after Juan Fern\u00e1ndez<\/a>, a Spanish sea captain and explorer who was the first to land there in 1574. It was also known as M\u00e1s a Tierra.[3]<\/sup> There is no evidence of an earlier discovery either by Polynesians<\/a>, despite the proximity to Easter Island<\/a>, or by Native Americans<\/a>.[14]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 1681 to 1684, a Miskito<\/a> man known as Will<\/a> was marooned<\/a> on the island. Twenty years later, in 1704, the sailor Alexander Selkirk<\/a> was also marooned there, living in solitude<\/a> for four years and four months. Selkirk had been gravely concerned about the seaworthiness of his ship, Cinque Ports<\/em><\/a> (which ended up sinking very shortly after), and declared his wish to be left on the island during a mid-voyage restocking stop. His captain, Thomas Stradling, a colleague on the voyage of privateer and explorer William Dampier<\/a>, was tired of his dissent and obliged. All Selkirk had left with him was a musket, gunpowder, carpenter’s tools, a knife, a Bible, and some clothing.[15]<\/sup> The story of Selkirk’s rescue is included in the 1712 book A Voyage to the South Sea, and Round the World<\/a><\/em> by Edward Cooke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an 1840 narrative, Two Years Before the Mast<\/a><\/em>, Richard Henry Dana Jr.<\/a>described the port of Juan Fernandez as a young prison colony.[16]<\/sup> The penal institution was soon abandoned and the island again uninhabited[17]<\/sup> before a permanent colony was eventually established in the latter part of the 19th century. Joshua Slocum<\/a> visited the island between 26 April and 5 May 1896, during his solo global circumnavigation on the sloop Spray<\/em>. The island and its 45 inhabitants are referred to in detail in Slocum’s memoir, Sailing Alone Around the World<\/a><\/em>.[18]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

World War I<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During World War I<\/a>, German Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee<\/a>‘s East Asia Squadron<\/a> stopped and re-coaled at the island 26\u201328 October 1914, four days before the Battle of Coronel<\/a>. While at the island, the admiral was unexpectedly rejoined by the armed merchant cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich<\/a><\/em>, which he had earlier detached to attack Allied shipping in Australian waters. On 9 March 1915 SMS Dresden<\/em><\/a>, the last surviving cruiser of von Spee’s squadron after his death at the Battle of the Falklands<\/a>, returned to the island’s Cumberland Bay, hoping to be interned by the Chilean authorities. Caught and fired upon by a British squadron at the Battle of M\u00e1s a Tierra<\/a> on 14 March, the ship was scuttled by its crew.[19]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2010 tsunami<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On 27 February 2010 Robinson Crusoe Island was hit by a tsunami following a magnitude 8.8 earthquake<\/a>. The tsunami was about 3 m (10 ft) high when it reached the island.[20]<\/sup> Sixteen people were killed and most of the coastal village of San Juan Bautista was washed away.[21]<\/sup> The only warning the islanders had came from 12-year-old girl Martina Maturana,[22]<\/sup> who noticed the sudden drawback<\/a> of the sea that forewarns of the arrival of a tsunami wave and saved many of her neighbours from harm.[21]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Society<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robinson Crusoe had an estimated population of 843 in 2012. Most of the island’s inhabitants live in the village of San Juan Bautista<\/a> on the north coast at Cumberland Bay.[2]<\/sup> Although the community maintains a rustic serenity dependent on the spiny lobster<\/a> trade, residents employ a few vehicles, a satellite Internet<\/a> connection and televisions. The main airstrip, Robinson Crusoe Airfield<\/a>, is located near the tip of the island’s southwestern peninsula. The flight from Santiago de Chile<\/a> is just under three hours. A ferry runs from the airstrip to San Juan Bautista.[23]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourists number in the hundreds per year. One activity gaining popularity is scuba diving<\/a>,[23]<\/sup> particularly on the wreck of the German light cruiser Dresden<\/em>, which was scuttled in Cumberland Bay during World War I.[19]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maya statue hypothesis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A History Channel<\/a> documentary was filmed on Robinson Crusoe Island. It aired on 3 January 2010 and showed two rock formations that Canadian explorer Jim Turner claimed were badly degraded Mayan<\/a> statues.[24]<\/sup> With no other sign<\/a> of any pre-Columbian<\/a> human presence on the island,[14]<\/sup> however, the program has been criticized as lacking in scientific credibility.[25]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0c<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0d<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0Torres Santib\u00e1\u00f1ez, Hern\u00e1n; Torres Cerda, Marcela (2004).\u00a0Los parques nacionales de Chile: una gu\u00eda para el visitante<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(in Spanish). Editorial Universitaria. p.\u00a049.\u00a0ISBN<\/a>\u00a0978-956-11-1701-3<\/bdi><\/a>.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0c<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0“Censos de poblacion y vivienda”<\/a>. Instituto Nacional de Estad\u00edsticas (2012). Retrieved 2 January 2013.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0c<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0Severin, Tim<\/a>\u00a0(2002).\u00a0In Search of Robinson Crusoe<\/em><\/a>. New York: Basic Books. pp.\u00a023\u201324<\/a>.\u00a0ISBN<\/a>\u00a0978-046-50-7698-7<\/bdi><\/a>.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Severin, Tim (2002).\u00a0In Search of Robinson Crusoe<\/em><\/a>. New York: Basic Books. pp.\u00a017\u201319<\/a>.\u00a0ISBN<\/a>\u00a0978-046-50-7698-7<\/bdi><\/a>.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Little, Becky (28 September 2016).\u00a0“Debunking the Myth of the ‘Real’ Robinson Crusoe”<\/a>.\u00a0National Geographic<\/em>. Archived from\u00a0the original<\/a>\u00a0on 28 September 2016. Retrieved\u00a030 September\u00a02016.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. “Parque Nacional Archipi\u00e9lago de Juan Fern\u00e1ndez”<\/a>\u00a0Corporacion Nacional Forestal de Chile (2010). Retrieved 27 May 2010.\u00a0Archived<\/a>\u00a023 August 2012 at the\u00a0Wayback Machine<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. “Datos Normales y Promedios Hist\u00f3ricos Promedios de 30 a\u00f1os o menos”<\/a>(in Spanish). Direcci\u00f3n Meteorol\u00f3gica de Chile. Archived from\u00a0the original<\/a>on 23 May 2023. Retrieved\u00a023 May\u00a02023.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. “Temperatura Hist\u00f3rica de la Estaci\u00f3n Juan Fern\u00e1ndez, Estaci\u00f3n Meteorol\u00f3gica. (330031)”<\/a>\u00a0(in Spanish). Direcci\u00f3n Meteorol\u00f3gica de Chile.\u00a0Archived<\/a>\u00a0from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved\u00a023 May\u00a02023.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. “World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981\u20132010”<\/a>. World Meteorological Organization. Archived from\u00a0the original<\/a>\u00a0on 9 October 2021. Retrieved\u00a09 October\u00a02021.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0“Forest on Robinson Crusoe Island”<\/a>. Wondermondo (2012). Retrieved 18 October 2012.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Hogan, C. Michael (2008).\u00a0Magellanic Penguin<\/em><\/a>\u00a0Archived<\/a>\u00a07 June 2012 at the\u00a0Wayback Machine<\/a>. GlobalTwitcher. Retrieved 18 October 2012.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. “Islas Robinson Crusoe and Santa Clara”<\/a>.\u00a0BirdLife Data Zone<\/em>. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved\u00a022 January\u00a02021.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. “Welcome Back HA03\u2014Robinson Crusoe Island”<\/a>\u00a0Archived<\/a>\u00a09 May 2021 at the\u00a0Wayback Machine<\/a>, Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (2014). Retrieved 5 April 2014.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0Anderson, Atholl<\/a>; Haberle, Simon; Rojas, Gloria; Seelenfreund, Andrea; Smith, Ian & Worthy, Trevor (2002).\u00a0An Archeological Exploration of Robinson Crusoe Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile<\/em><\/a>\u00a0Archived<\/a>\u00a012 February 2014 at the\u00a0Wayback Machine<\/a>. New Zealand Archaeological Association.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  15. Rogers, Woodes<\/a>\u00a0(1712).\u00a0A Cruising Voyage Round the World: First to the South-seas, Thence to the East-Indies, and Homewards by the Cape of Good Hope<\/em><\/a>. London: A. Bell and B. Lintot. pp.\u00a0125\u2013126.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  16. Dana, Richard Henry<\/a>\u00a0(1840).\u00a0Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea<\/em><\/a>. New York: Harper & Brothers. pp.\u00a028\u201332.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  17. Coulter, John (1845).\u00a0Adventures in the Pacific: With Observations on the Natural Productions, Manners and Customs of the Natives of the Various Islands<\/em><\/a>. London: Longmans, Brown & Co. pp.\u00a032\u201333.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  18. Slocum, Joshua (2012).\u00a0Sailing Alone Around the World<\/em>. Oxford: Beaufoy Publishing. pp.\u00a077\u201382.\u00a0ISBN<\/a>\u00a0978-190-67-8034-0<\/bdi><\/a>.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  19. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0Delgado, James P. (2004).\u00a0Adventures of a Sea Hunter: In Search of Famous Shipwrecks<\/em><\/a>. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre. pp.\u00a0168\u2013174.\u00a0ISBN<\/a>\u00a0978-1-926685-60-1<\/bdi><\/a>.normal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  20. Ricketts, Colin (17 August 2011).\u00a0“Tsunami warning came too late for Robinson Crusoe Island”<\/a>.\u00a0Earth Times<\/em>. Retrieved 18 October 2012.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  21. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0Bodenham, Patrick (9 December 2010).\u00a0“Adrift on Robinson Crusoe Island, the forgotten few”<\/a>.\u00a0The Independent<\/em>. Retrieved 7 April 2014.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  22. Harrell, Eben (2 March 2010).\u00a0“Chile’s president: Why did tsunami warnings fail?”<\/a>.\u00a0Time Magazine<\/em>. Retrieved 4 March 2010.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  23. ^\u00a0a<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0b<\/strong><\/em><\/sup>\u00a0Gordon, Nick (14 December 2004).\u00a0“Chile: The real Crusoe had it easy”<\/a>.\u00a0The Telegraph<\/em>. Retrieved 18 October 2012.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  24. “Armageddon: Apocalypse Island”<\/a>. A&E Television Networks (2009). Retrieved 18 October 2012.\u00a0Archived<\/a>\u00a013 January 2012 at the\u00a0Wayback Machine<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  25. Lowry, Brian (26 June 2010).\u00a0“Wackadoodle Demo Widens”<\/a>.\u00a0Variety<\/em>. Retrieved 9 February 2014.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Robinson Crusoe Island (Spanish: Isla R\u00f3binson Crusoe, pronounced [\u02c8isla\u02c8ro\u03b2inso\u014b k\u027eu\u02c8so]) is the second largest of the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez Islands, situated 670 km (362 nmi; 416 mi) west of San Antonio, Chile, in the South Pacific Ocean. It is the more populous of the inhabited islands in the archipelago (the other being Alejandro Selkirk Island), with most of that in the town of San Juan Bautista at Cumberland Bay on the island’s north … <\/p>\n

    Continue reading “Robinson Crusoe Island”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1203","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1203"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1204,"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1203\/revisions\/1204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}