The arrival was early morning, before
sunrise. When I awoke and peered outside we were anchored in
Cumberland Bay under huge cliffs. Another desolate location to add to
our collection. A small village (San Juan Bautista) perched on the
waterfront and hillside. A single concrete pier stuck into the bay.
Small buildings of wood lined the few streets and the mouths of caves
dotted the hillside a block up. There were no organized activities or
tours ashore here; no guides, no vendors of local products, no taxi.
In fact, few people appeared at all. The major activity would be to
hike to the caves or hike to the mountain top; a damp prospect today.
Highlights of the island are 1) The
cave of Alejandro Selkirk (Robinson Crusoe), The Patriot Caves (from
), The old Spanish Fort, the Pirate Fort. None of these we saw.
Swells had kicked up which made transferring from ship's boats to the
pier a dangerous endeavor and Captain Roberts decided to halt the
operation. Some friends who had made it ashore earlier reported that
indeed the boarding of the boat for the return was difficult. A small
local freighter which had been unloading at the single pier moved off
and anchored to await a calming of the seas. The conditions did not
improve so many of us did not make it to shore.
This remote island was first recorded
in 1574. In 1704 a pirate Alejandro Selkirk was marooned on this
isle, which inspired the 1719 novel “Robinson Crusoe”by Daniel
Defoe. In 1779 the Spanish built a fort on the island to protect it
from pirates. In 1814 freedom fighters fled to the island after the
disaster of Rancagua during the Chilean independence movement and
lived in what are now known as the Patriot Caves. In 1915 the German
battleship Dresden was sunk in Cumberland Bay where we anchored.
(Many of her sailors are buried on the island.) The highest peak of
the island is 3,000' high.
In 1966 the government changed the name
of the Island from Más a
Tierra, or Aguas Buenas, to Isla Róbinson
Crusoe. In 1935 much of the island was designated a National Park. In
1977 the archipelago was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
At 1630 we pulled our hook and headed
out of the bay. The Captain announced we would circle the island
North and West sides, avoiding the many floats marking lobster pots.
(This island is known for harvesting spiny lobsters.)
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