1st Catalogue Section

A Drop In The Ocean•

Remote Island Travel

•2012/13

Destination Catalogue

• Introduction

• Featured Locations

• Islas Revillagigedo

• Pitcairn Islands

• Jan Mayen

• Prince Edward Islands

• Kermadec Islands

2/3

4/8

9/20

21/32

33/44

45/56

57/68

• Contents

• 01 •

• Remote Island Travel• A Drop In The Ocean

• Introduction

• 03 •



• 1

• 2

• 3

• 05 •

• A Drop In The Ocean • Remote Island Travel

• 4

• 5


• 1

• 2

• 3

1 • Islas Revillagigedo (MEX)

2 • Pitcairn Islands (UK)

3 • Jan Mayen (NOR)

4 • Prince Edward Islands (SA)

5 • Kermadec Islands (NZ)

• 07 •


• 4

• 5

• (1) Islas Revillagigedo • Eastern Pacif ic Ocean

• 09 •

• Map

Clarión

(Pacific Ocean)

20 mi

50 km

SCALE


• 11 •

Isla Socorro

San Benedicto

Roca Partida

• Profile

Title: Islas Revillagigedo

Location: Eastern Pacific Ocean

Type:Volcanic

Jurisdiction: Mexico

Islands: 4 (Isla Socorro, San Benedicto,

Roca Partida & Clarión)

Total Area: 157.84 km2

(Socorro 132.06 km2)

(San Benedicto 5.94km2)

(Roca Partida 0.014km2)

(Clarión 19.80km2)

Discovered: December 28th, 1533

Co-Ordinates: 18°49’N 112°46’W

Proximity To The Mainland:Mexico - 386km North/North East

Time Zone: (-7/8 hours) GMT

Highest Peak: Mount Evermann 1,130m (Socorro)

Population: No permanent population.

(Socorro - 250 staff and famillies &

Clarión - 10 staff due to naval stations)

Otherwise uninhabited.


• 13 •

• Playa Blanca, Isla Socorro (Harmut S.Walter)

• Background

• Northern Forest, Isla Socorro (Harmut S.Walter)


• 15 •

The Revillagigedo Archipelago are a group of four volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, known for their unique ecosystem.

The mysterious islands have been part of Manzanillo municipality of the Mexican state of Colima since 1861, but are nevertheless under Mexican federal jurisdiction, and lie 386 km southwest of Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of Baja California peninsula, and between 720 and 970 km west of Manzanillo itself. The three eastern islands are called the inner islands since Clarión is comparatively far to the west, by more than 200 km in compar-ison with the inner islands. The Revillagigedo Islands are one of three Mexican island groups in the Pacific Ocean that are not on the continental shelf; the others are Guadalupe Island and Rocas Alijos.

San Bendicto and Socorro were the first to be discovered in 1533 respectively and all of the islands were founded by European explorers tracing new routes across the Pacific. No evidence of human habitation exists on the islands before their discovery but since being located they have been visited by several explorers although no permanent population ever manifested. More recently, in 1957 the Mexican navy established a naval base on the largest island - Socorro and has maintained a presence since then. There is also an outpost in the form of a tiny naval garrison on the more remote, western island of Clarión.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Dr. Barton Warren Evermann, director of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, promoted the scientific exploration of the islands. The most comprehensive biological collections were obtained at this time and as a result the volcano on Isla Socorro was renamed in his honor.

The seas surrounding the islands are popular with scuba divers; a wide variety of marine life such as cetaceans, sharks and manta rays can be observed, particularly at Roca Partida,. The smallest island who's name translates as 'Broken Rock', is given increased significance due to it being an excepti-onal dive site. Visitors usually stay aboard the

expedition vessels during their visit to the islands, which is desirable from an ecological standpoint to prevent introduction of further invasive species. Furthermore, the waters around the islands and specifically Roca Partida are often frequented by illegal fisherman which has damaged fish stocks and the populations of whales, dolphins and manta rays which are vulnerable to fishing nets.

All of the islands are of volcanic origin - part of the Pacific ring of fire - but only Mount Everman (Socorro) & Bárcena (San Bendicto) remain active. Remarkably, Bárcena only came to exist from 1952 after erupting from the existing El Boquerón vent on San Benedicto.

The Revillagigedo Islands are home to many endemic plant and animal species, and are some-times called Mexico’s “little Galapagos”. They are recognized as a distinct terrestrial ecoregion, part of the Neotropic ecozone. Isla Socorro is the most diverse in flora, fauna, and topography and as a result, the Mexican Government established the islands as a biosphere reserve on June 4, 1994.In conjunction with this, there is an ongoing effort to remove sheep, cats and rabbits that were introduced accidentally and their populations grew quickly and caused damage to the unique ecology.

Expeditions from different organisations that are engaged in biological conservation of the islands visit the islands for fieldwork on a regular basis. However, no tourism facilities exist on the islands since they have no reliable sources of fresh water of their own. This means that only short stays under co-operation with a conservation expedition or a negotiated day visit is possible.

• Gallery

• Socorro Parula Warbler - Top (Harmut S. Walter)• The Wall, Roca Partida - Opposite (Jason Heller)• Exotic Fish At Roca Partida - Above (Peter Tee)

• Travel Considerations


• 19 •

• 21 •

• Southern Pacif ic Ocean• (2) Pitcairn Islands

• Map

Henderson Island

Pitcairn Island

Oeno

20 mi

50 km

SCALE

• 23 •


Ducie

(Pacific Ocean)

• Profile

Title: Pitcairn Islands

Location: Southern Pacific Ocean

Type:Atoll & Volcanic

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom of Great Britain

& Northern Ireland

Islands: 4 (Henderson Island, Pitcairn Island,

Oeno & Ducie)

Total Area: 62.45 km2

(Henderson Island 37.3km2)

(Pitcairn Island 4.6km2)

(Oeno 16.65km2)*

(Ducie 3.9km2)*

*Including reef flats and lagoon

of the atolls.

Discovered: January 26th, 1606

Co-Ordinates: 25°4'S, 130°6'W

Proximity To The Mainland:Peru - 5467North East

New Zealand - 5582km South West

Time Zone: (-8 hours) GMT

Capital:Adamstown (Pitcairn Island)

Population: 67 (Pitcairn Island)

Otherwise uninhabited

• 25 •


• Sunset Behind Pitcairn (Ultra Panavision)

• Background

• Polynesian Peteroglyphs, Pitcairn (Tony Probst)

• 27 •


Around nine plant species are only found on these islands. Pitcairn is also home to several rare bird species - the Pitcairn Reed-Warbler being endemic and recently placed on the endangered species list. One of five rare Galapogas tortoises is still alive after an interesting introduction to the island bewtween 1937 and 1951.

The Islands were formed by a centre of upwelling magma called the Pitcairn hotspot. The other islands are at a distance of more than 100 km and are not habitable. The fertile soil of the Pitcairn valleys, such as Isaac's Valley on the gentle slopes south-east of Adamstown, produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Pitcairn Island is remarkably productive and its benign climate allows a wide range of tropical and temperate crops to be grown.

The major sources of revenue, until recently, have been the sale of coins and postage stamps to collectors, .pn domain names, and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships, most of which are plying the United Kingdom to New Zealand route via the Panama Canal. Trade is restricted by the jagged geography of the island, which lacks a harbour or airstrip, forcing all trade to be made by longboat to visiting ships.

Occasionally, passengers from expedition type cruise ships will come ashore for a day, weather permitting. Tourism is the main focus for building the future economy focusing on small groups coming by charter vessel and experiencing home stays" with the islanders.

The Pitcairn Islands form a group of four volcanic islands & coral atolls in the remote southern Pacif ic Ocean.

The islands – named Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno – are spread over several hundred miles of ocean and only Pitcairn, the second largest and measuring about 2 miles (3.2 km) across, is in-habited. Since a population peak of 233 in 1937, the island has been suffering from emigration, primarily to New Zealand, leaving some 67 people living on Pitcairn in 2011.

The original settlers of the Pitcairn Islands were Polynesians who appear to have lived on Pitcairn and Henderson for several centuries. Although archaeologists believe that Polynesians were living on Pitcairn as late as the 15th century, the islands were uninhabited when they were discovered by Europeans. Pitcairn Island was sighted on 3 July 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS Swallow, commanded by Captain Philip Carteret. The island was named after the Midshipman Robert Pitcairn, a fifteen-year-old crew member who was the first to sight the island.

The Pitcairn Islands form the southeasternmost extension of the geological archipelago of the Tuamotus of French Polynesia.The only island permanently inhabited is Pitcairn, which is accessible only by boat through Bounty Bay. The islands are best known as home of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers and the Tahitians (or Polynesians) who accompanied them, an event retold in numerous books and films. This history is still apparent in the surnames of the islanders (Christian, Warren, Young, and Brown).

Henderson Island, covering about 86% of the territory's total land area and claims a rich variety of animals in its nearly inaccessible interior, is also capable of supporting a small human population, but access is difficult, owing to its outer shores' being steep limestone cliffs covered by sharp coral. Pitkern (A creale-based language derived from 18th Century Enlish) is spoken alongside standard English by the current 67 Pitcairn islanders.

• Gallery

• 29 •


• Long Beach, Henderson Island - Opposite (Ultra Panavision)• Fairy Tern, Ducie Island - Top (Ultra Panavision)• Hermit Crab, Henderson Island - Above (Ultra Panavision)

• Travel Considerations

• 31 •


1st Catalogue Section

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