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Descubierta and Atrevida

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Descubierta and Atrevida were twin corvettes of the Spanish Navy , custom-designed as identical special exploration and scientific research vessels. They were built at the same time for the Malaspina Expedition . Under the command of Alejandro Malaspina ( Descubierta ) and José de Bustamante y Guerra ( Atrevida ) the two vessels sailed from Spain to the Pacific Ocean, conducting a thorough examination of the internal politics of the American Spanish Empire and the Philippines . They explored the coast of Alaska and worked to reinforce Spain's claim to the Pacific Northwest in the aftermath of the Nootka Crisis . After crossing the Pacific Ocean, the colonial government in the Philippines was examined. Exploration and diplomatic reconnaissance followed, with stops in Qing dynasty -era China, New Zealand , Australia , and Tonga .

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36-575: Under Malaspina's supervision and according to his specifications, the Descubierta and Atrevida were constructed at the La Carraca shipyard in Cadiz by the shipbuilder Tómas Muñoz . Both vessels were 33.3 m (109 ft) long with a beam of 8.7 m (29 ft), a depth of hold of 4.3 m (14 ft), and a tonnage of 306 toneladas . The complement of both the Descubierta and

72-483: A city, Nova Jerusalem, and appointed municipal officers. In early June, with provisions running low, they left the bay to explore the neighbouring coastline. Queirós' lead ship became separated, and, whether through adverse weather or mutiny, was unable to make anchor in the bay. The almirante (second-in-command, and captain of the second ship), Luis Váez de Torres , searched the coast for signs of shipwreck but found none. He remained until late June, then sailed to

108-431: A large part in their lives, regardless of their religion. The chief system continues strongly in most areas. The people of Santo face some health problems, especially malaria and tuberculosis . Although there is a hospital, most local people consult either their own witch doctor or medical clinics set up by western missionaries. Kava is the popular drug of the island, although alcohol is becoming more prevalent. With

144-535: A month. Relations with the British colonists were warm and friendly. The Spanish conducted scientific experiments, including astronomical and hydrographic observations, and the collection of many specimens of flora, fauna, and minerals. They also observed the British settlement, taking special note of any potential threat to Spanish interests in the Pacific. Malaspina was concerned that the increasing British presence in

180-464: A subgroup of the North Vanuatu languages . Espiritu Santo, with many wrecks and reefs to be explored, is a very popular tourist destination for divers. Champagne Beach draws tourists with its white sand and clear waters. The "Western Side" of the island contains many caves which can be explored, and cruise ships often stop in at Luganville . The local people make their living by supporting

216-467: Is about five km east of the center of Luganville . Numerous rivers run to the coastline from the mountains of the island. The Sarakata River is the largest one, and it runs through Luganville . Many people on Espiritu Santo still rely on subsistence farming for their food. The villages on the island are mostly self-sufficient with their own vegetable gardens, chickens, and pigs. Taros and yams are commonly grown in these gardens, and these are mainstays of

252-653: Is home to all of Vanuatu's endemic birds , including the Santo mountain starling , a species restricted entirely to Espiritu Santo. Two protected areas have been established to safeguard the island's biodiversity; the Loru Conservation Area on the east coast and the Vatthe Conservation area near Big Bay in the north. The Loru Rainforest Protected Area is situated in the lowland rainforests of Espiritu Santo. Established in 1993 by Chief Caleb Ser,

288-503: Is the 1,879 metre (6,165 foot) Mount Tabwemasana in west-central Espiritu Santo. A Spanish expedition of three ships, led by Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós , landed in 1606 at Big Bay on the north side of the island. Queirós named the land La Austrialia [ sic ] del Espíritu Santo in acknowledgment of the Spanish king's descent from the royal House of Austria , and believing he had arrived in

324-546: Is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu , with an area of 3,955.5 km (1,527.2 sq mi) and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia . It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu. The town of Luganville , on Espiritu Santo's southeast coast, is Vanuatu's second-largest settlement and

360-483: The Atrevida was 104. Their armament consisted of fourteen 6-pounder and two 4-pounder cannons. They were launched together on 8 April 1789. Malaspina's expedition was the most important voyage of discovery dispatched by Spain in the 18th century. It had two primary goals, the first being to increase geographic and scientific knowledge in general, the second to check on the status of Spain's vast empire, especially along

396-523: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , the island was used by American naval and air forces as a large military supply and support base, naval harbor, and airfield. Luganville Airfield , also called Bomber Field #3, was a large airfield built by the Seabees of the 40th Naval Construction Battalion in 1943. Also built on the island was Bomber Field No.2 which became Santo-Pekoa International Airport after

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432-547: The New Hebrides , then continuing on to southern New Zealand. After a visit to Dusky Sound , previously explored by Cook, the Spaniards explored Doubtful Sound , which no European had visited before. From New Zealand the expedition sailed west to Port Jackson , Australia (today part of Sydney ). They arrived in March 1793, about five years after the British first colonized Australia. The Malaspina expedition stayed for about

468-628: The Río de la Plata , then sailing south along the coast of Patagonia and visiting the Falkland Islands ( Islas Malvinas ). After rounding Cape Horn the expedition stopped at several Chilean ports and surveyed the Juan Fernández Islands . The two corvettes sailed north separately, surveying and mapping the coast between Peru and Mexico, where they arrived at the end of March 1790. In Mexico Malaspina received instructions from

504-732: The Seventh-day Adventist Church , and others. However, in many villages, particularly in Big Bay and South Santo, the people are " heathen ", a term that in Vanuatu has no pejorative connotation — it simply denotes someone who has not embraced Christianity. Customary beliefs of a more modern sort are found among followers of the Nagriamel movement based in Fanafo . For almost all of Espiritu Santo's people, custom plays

540-652: The 20th century. Arsenal de la Carraca Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 258579574 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 11:01:29 GMT Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo ( UK : / ɛ ˌ s p ɪ r ɪ t uː ˈ s æ n t oʊ / , US : /- ˈ s ɑː n t uː , - ˈ s ɑː n t oʊ / ; French: [ɛspiʁity sɑ̃to] )

576-545: The Americans contributed later to the island's tourism in scuba diving , as the Americans dumped most of their used military and naval equipment, and their refuse, at what is now known as "Million Dollar Point". In highly fictionalized form, this was the locale of James Michener 's Tales of the South Pacific , and of the following Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific . Between May and August 1980

612-587: The Espiritu Santo was not visited again by Europeans until 160 years later, by Louis de Bougainville in 1768 and James Cook in 1774. During the time of the British–French Condominium , Hog Harbour , on the northeast coast, was the site of the British district administration, while Segond, near Luganville, was the French district administration. During World War II , particularly after

648-621: The Great Southern Continent, Terra Australis . They entered the bay on the 1st and 2 May: the latter being the day of Saints Philip and James, Queirós named it Bahía de San Felipe y Santiago . The local chief tried to chase the Spanish explorers back to their ships, which led to an exchange of arrows and musket-fire, in which the chief was killed. The ships remained for a month at their anchorage " Puerto de la Vera Cruz ", with armed sailors making incursions inland for provisions. Queirós announced his intention to found

684-687: The Pacific might jeopardize Spanish trade between the Americas and the Philippines, which the Manila galleons had carried out for over two centuries with virtually no outside interference. The Spanish corvettes left Port Jackson on 11 April 1793 and sailed northeast to Tonga , then known as the Friendly Islands. Cook had visited the southern Tongan islands in 1773. Malaspina opted to visit the northern archipelago now known as Vavaʻu . After

720-597: The Spanish king, Carlos IV requiring a change of plans. Instead of sailing to the Hawaiian Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula , Malaspina was to sail to Alaska and survey the coast between Mount Saint Elias and Nootka Sound , on Vancouver Island , in order to prove or disprove the existence of a Northwest Passage supposedly located in that area. Accordingly, the two corvettes sailed from Acapulco on 1 May 1791, and arrived at Yakutat Bay by

756-732: The area, while the ethnographers studied the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) people. Leaving Nootka Sound, Malaspina and Bustamante sailed the Descubierta and Atrevida south to Monterey , Alta California . There Malaspina learned from Juan Carrasco that an inland sea had been discovered near Nootka Sound. It was the Strait of Georgia . Malaspina knew that an exploration voyage had to be dispatched immediately. He gave two of his officers, Dionisio Alcalá Galiano and Cayetano Valdés y Flores , command of two newly constructed goletas ( schooners or brigs ), and instructed them to thoroughly explore

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792-400: The end of June. Staying at Yakutat Bay for about a month, the scientists made detailed ethnographic studies of the local Tlingit people. Surveys along the coast of Alaska revealed no hint of the fabled Northwest Passage. On July 27 Malaspina and Bustamante headed south to Nootka Sound, arriving there on 12 August 1791. They remained at Nootka Sound for about a month. Detailed surveys were made of

828-510: The island was the site of a rebellion during the transfer of power over the colonial New Hebrides from the condominium to the independent Vanuatu. Jimmy Stevens ' Nagriamel movement, in alliance with private French interests and backed by the Phoenix Foundation and American libertarians hoping to establish a tax-free haven, declared the island of Espiritu Santo to be independent of the new government. The " Republic of Vemerana "

864-535: The local diet. Espiritu Santo is home to a number of cattle farms (including the famous Belmol Cattle Project, originally established by French settlers), and the island exports much of its beef to Japan, Australia, and other Pacific countries. Besides beef, tinned fish, and rice bought in town, Espiritu Santo has many foods that locals take for granted, and that tourists enjoy as delicacies. Among these are sweet pineapples, mangoes, island cabbage, flying foxes, and coconut crab , as well as local nuts such as natapoa and

900-650: The new discovery. Malaspina himself supervised the final construction and fitting out of the two goletas , called the Sutil and the Mexicana . The Malaspina expedition crossed the Pacific Ocean, from Acapulco to Manila in the Philippines, by way of the Mariana Islands . Coastal surveys were done and a side-trip to Macao was made. Then the two corvettes sailed southwest, landing at Espiritu Santo in

936-413: The provincial capital. Roads run north and west from Luganville, but most of the island is far from the limited road network. Around Espiritu Santo lie a number of small islands and islets; among them are: Dany Island , Araki , Elephant Island , Sakao , Lataroa , Lataro , Thion , Malohu, Malwepe , Malvapevu , Malparavu , Maltinerava , Oyster Island, Tangoa , and Bokissa . Vanuatu's highest peak

972-517: The rising number of adults using alcohol, there is a rising crime rate, especially involving violence toward women, and tribal warfare. In September 1998, Espiritu Santo hosted the Melanesia Cup soccer tournament. Luganville is the only true town on the island; the rest of the island is dotted with small villages. From Luganville , three "main roads" emerge. Main Street leaves the town to

1008-467: The soon-to-be government had hoped. The troops were recalled shortly before independence. Following independence on 31 July 1980, Vanuatu, now governed by the Vanuaku Party with Father Walter Lini as Prime Minister, requested assistance from Papua New Guinea , whose army suppressed the rebellion, keeping Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. Over 30 different local languages are spoken on Espiritu Santo ,

1044-532: The stay in Tonga the expedition sailed to Peru, then back around Cape Horn and on to Spain, arriving in Cadiz on 21 September 1793 after a voyage of over four years. In Spain, Malaspina's involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the government culminated in his arrest, imprisonment, and eventually banishment. Most of the material collected by the expedition was put away and did not see the light of day again until late in

1080-614: The sweet fleshy-fruit called naos in Bislama, or great hog plum in English (a type of Spondias dulcis ). There is a market in Luganville where local food such as yams, sweet potatoes, manioc, taro, cabbage, and other freshly grown island staples are sold. Some local handicrafts are also sold there. Several small supermarkets such as LCM, Unity Shell, and Au bon Marche sell groceries and many packaged goods. The island of Espiritu Santo

1116-675: The tourist trade, by cash-crop farming, mostly copra , but also some cocoa beans and kava , as well as peanuts , or by subsistence farming and fishing. Most of the people are Christians. The largest church groups on the island are the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu , the Roman Catholic Church , and the Church of Melanesia ( Anglican ). Also active are the Apostolic Church , the Church of Christ ,

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1152-436: The war. Palikulo Bay Airfield , also called Bomber Field #1, became part of the main road after the war. Luganville Seaplane Base served the seaplane and Turtle Bay Airfield also called Fighter Field #1 served the fighter planes. The SS President Coolidge was a converted luxury liner that hit a sea mine during the war and was sunk. The shipwreck off Espiritu Santo later became a popular diving spot. The presence of

1188-447: The west and winds along the south coast of the island for about 40 km ending at the village of Tasiriki on the southwest coast. Canal Road runs along the southern and eastern coasts of the island, north through Hog Harbor and Golden Beach, ending at Port Olry . Big Bay Highway splits off from Canal Road near Turtle Bay on the east coast, runs generally west to the mountains, and then it leads north to Big Bay. The international airport

1224-645: The west coast of North America, where the Russians and the British were expanding their influence. Modeled after the voyages of James Cook , the Malaspina expedition was conducted in a highly scientific manner. Numerous scientists from many fields were among the crew. Indigenous peoples, such as the Tlingit and Tongan, were studied by the expedition's ethnographers . The Descubierta and Atrevida sailed from Cadiz on 30 July 1789, stopping first at Montevideo on

1260-423: The west coast with the intention of circumnavigating what he considered to be an island, not a continent. The wind and current were against this aim, so he left the island sailing west, eventually encountering the previously unexplored southern coast of New Guinea . Torres then discovered the strait that bears his name between northern Australia and southern New Guinea. After the departure of Queirós and Torres,

1296-717: Was proclaimed on May 28. France recognized the independence on June 3. On June 5, the tribal chiefs of Santo named the French Ambassador Philippe Allonneau the "King of Vemerana", and Jimmy Stevens became the Prime Minister. Luganville was renamed Allonneaupolis. Next, negotiations with Port-Vila failed, and from July 27 to August 18, British Royal Marines and a unit of the French Garde Mobile were deployed to Vanuatu's capital island, but they did not enter Espiritu Santo as

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