TRIPS TO CHILE: NATIONAL PARK ARCHIPELAGO JUAN FERNANDEZ - Island Robinson Crusoe
Geographic location: Region of Valparaiso is in the V, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to 670 km to the west of the port San Antonio. It is located to 33º 36 ' of South latitude and to 80º 47 ' of west longitude.
Surface: The three main islands altogether have a surface of 147 km ².
Climate: Marine, subtropical rainy, with a high environmental humidity (76.5% of relative humidity). Less frequent rains between the months of October and February.
Temperatures: Annual average of 15,4°C.
Distance of Valparaiso: 834 km
When to go: All the year
What to do: Diving, fishes, kayak of sea, trekking, photographs, observation flora and fauna.
The Archipelago Juan Fernandez is a unique ecological system in the planet, declared National Park in 1935 and World-wide Reserve of the Biosphere in 1977 by UNESCO.
The archipelago includes the islands Robinson Crusoe (ex- More to Earth), Alexander Selkirk (ex- More Outside), the smaller small barren island Santa Clara and small barren islands. Its geologic origin is volcanic. One is enormous rocky mounts that emerge steeply from the marine bottoms towards the surface of the sea.
History: The archipelago was shortage by the Spanish navigator Juan Fernandez, which is presumed happened between years 1563-1574, but it considers like official date the 22 of November of 1574. In centuries XVII and XVIII the islands were visited and used like refuge by pirates and privateers.
In 1707 they searched in the island More to earth (Robinson Crusoe) the English boats Saint George and Cinque Ports. One of the sailors of the Cinque Ports was left in the island without more implementos than a Bible, a knife, a gun, an axe, a little powder, something of tobacco and clothes.
Its name was Alexander Selkirk and remained in the island during 4 years and 4 months. The 12 of February of 1709 the privateering expedition composed by the boats Duke and Duchesse gathered to Selkirk. Its story, when returning to England, inspired to Daniel Defoe to write its famous novel “Robinson Crusoe”. In 1816 patriotic ones of Chilean independence are relegated to the island some, after Desastre de Rancagua.
In 1877, Baron Alfredo Van Rodt arrived at the island, of Swiss origin, that established the population in San Juan Baptist. The government of the time authorized the operation of the natural resources of the island and thus the definitive colonization of the island began Robinson Crusoe.
At more recent time, in 1915, in the bay of Cumberland in view of the English boats Glasgow and Kent, the last boat of the famous German square of admiral Bon Spee was dynamited, “Dresden”, that is sunk 65 ms of depth and del that has rescued some relics.
Flora and fauna: Its rainy climate allows the growth of the most extraordinary vegetal, unique species in the world, like also a most interesting terrestrial, marine fauna and of birds on the brink of madness the extinction. Tourism: The Islands of Juan Fernandez are connected to the continent by means of small boats and by flights of particular companies. They inhabit settlers dedicated to the fishing and the hunting of the famous lobster by his flavor and its unique size in the world.