Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Alexander Selkirk's Island

I'm not declaring this a 'bucket list destination', but in the world of out-of-the-way places, it has to be high on the list.


It's located some 674 km (411 miles) from the Chilean mainland in the Pacific Ocean. On this island, Alexander Selkirk (Robinson Crusoe) was marooned in 1705 and lived in absolute solitude for 5 years. His story was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's classic novel, Robinson Crusoe.


Robinson Crusoe Island is one of three islands of the Juan Fernandez archipelago. The archipelago was declared a national park by the nation of Chile in 1935.

San Juan Bautista (the only city) with some 500 inhabitants, engages mainly in fishing for the incerless lobster.

In 1977 these islands were declared by UNESCO as World Biosphere Reserves, have been considered of great scientific importance because of the endemic species of flora and fauna. Of the 146 native species of plants, 101 are endemic.


4 comments:

Opus #6 said...

Sounds like an unspoiled location.

LL said...

Opus, some people take sort of a self-guided tour by visiting this island and then the Galapagos Islands as part of a Southwest Pacific Island journey of personal discovery.

Personally, I think it would be something interesting to do - but I have a penchant toward expeditions. It's a pity that the surface of the planet has been so thoroughly mapped and probed. The lack of a new frontier disturbs my sense personal sense of adventure. (the Indiana Jones in me)

Euripides said...

LL: I understand that many parts of Antarctica are completely untouched. I don't even think Algore's visited there.

Az said...

Would be great to get on a massive yacht and explore...

Hope you're safe where ever you are (what with all the tsunami warnings)

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