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History of Juan Fernandez
Everyone has heard of Daniel Defoe’s famous novel Robinson
Crusoe, but less of us known that Defoe’s story is
not a strictly fictitious one. It is based on the real life
experience of Alexander Selkirk, who after an argument
with his ships captain requested to be marooned on the remote
Pacific island of Juan Fernandez, 500 miles east of
the Chilean coast. There he built a home, a boat and a new
life, at the same time managing to avoid the cooking pot of
the tribe of cannibals who became his neighbours for the five
years until he was rescued in 1709.
Noticing its potential for tourism the Chilean government
changed the name of the island to Robinson Crusoe Island in
an attempt to create a "you've read the book, now live
it for real" desert island experience. It has an area
of 40 square miles, predominantly consisting of volcanic rock.
It’s Spanish-speaking population of around 600 make their
livelihoods through fishing lobster, tuna and salmon.
Things to see and do
The obvious and popular destination for enthusiasts is Selkirk’s
original home on the island, a small cave which is located
on a beach 10 miles away from the village of San Juan Bautista
in Cumberland Bay. The cave is only accessible by boat
and if the seas are rough, which they frequently are, it can
be difficult to hire a local boat owner to make the journey.
However, once there it is possible to really step into Selkirk’s
shoes by camping for one or two nights in his cave.
You can also visit Selkirk’s look-out on the island.
After a tricky hike the point is reached where Selkirk gazed
out to the barren sea hoping he’d see something resembling
a ship's sail. The bleak surroundings emphasise how remote
the island is and makes you wonder how Selkirk survived in
such isolation for so many years, even if he did have his
Man Friday for company!
There are other reasons to visit Robinson Crusoe Island apart
from Selkirk’s story. The island itself has spectacular
rugged scenery with mountain ranges up to 3,200 ft. In 1977
it was declared “World Reservation of the Biosphere”
by UNESCO, one of the last places on earth to experience untouched
nature. Horse riding and trekking activities
are offered by experienced guides and this is an excellent
way to see this island.
There is not much in the way of beach swimming as most of
the beaches are rocky and the water cold. However, there is
full diving services and training available on the
island as well as the chance to do some sport fishing for
tuna, dogfish and salmon.
Getting there
The best way to get to the island is by plane from Santiago
de Chile, a two and a half hour flight away. Be warned
that the planes do not stick to a strict timetable. If you
really want to rough it, it is possible to get to the island
by infrequent supply ships. Once there, there are two lodges
which offer comfortable accommodation. One even has a swimming
pool and satellite TV so you don’t have to feel you're
on a remote deserted island, but that would be missing half
the fun. |
