Weird Geographical Information

[zeebo]

...It is a swinging place!  It has  four pubs, multiple houses of ill repute and of course the corresponding pharmacy to help beat back the clap. 

Plus five Starbucks.

[Taaroa]

Gardiners Island
Located off the coast of east Long Island is the 3,318 acres Gardiners Island. It was first settled in 1636 by Lion Gardiner who purchased it from the Montaukett, and it has been owned by the family since then (378 years).





In 1699 Captain Kidd buried treasure after stopping there on his way to Boston while charged with piracy. This treasure was ordered to be dug up and turned over as evidence in Kidd's trial.





The island was raided by and host to British forces during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Julia Gardiner who became First Lady after marrying John Tyler was also born on the island.



Today a number of buildings from the 17th century still remain (along with the Gardiner ownership), which includes the oldest surviving wood-frame structure in New York state.
Shortly before the death of Robert Gardiner (who claimed the title "16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner's Island") he said in an interview:

We have always married into wealth. We've covered all our bets. We were on both sides of the Revolution, and both sides of the Civil War. The Gardiner family always came out on top.

[Walks_At_Night]

Turnip Rock is a neat little rock formation near Pointe Aux Barques, Michigan

[Walks_At_Night]

Seems like today has been a particularly nasty one on Bellgab so I thought I'd dust off the old geography thread.  When reviewing Atlas maps I often wondered why a small island in the Southern Pacific Ocean has a Russian name.   Here is why............

Vostok Island is a small island in the South Pacific that probably has never been inhabited.  It was discovered in 1820 by a Prussian Russian named Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen who named the island after his ship the Vostok which took part in the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe. 

The island was claimed by the US after the passage of the Guano Act but was never mined.  As such the virgin tracts of Pisonia trees remain there as they have always been.
The US relinquished the claim to Vostok Island in the Treaty of Tarawa in 1979 and the island was turned over to Kiribati.

Vostok Island


von Bellinghausen


Pisonia Trees on Vostok

[Taaroa]

[zeebo]

^^ Great map ... my fave designation is "Incongruous Commonwealth".

[zeebo]

Though Mt. Everest lays claim to the highest altitude, due to the bulge of the Earth at the equator, Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is the closest to the moon.

[K_Dubb]

^^ Great map ... my fave designation is "Incongruous Commonwealth".

I was having fun imagining a Theatrical Insurgency.  Barricades and singing, like Les Miserables.

[Taaroa]

Okinoshima - 沖ノ島

Okinoshima is a small Japanese island between Korea and Japan which was added somewhat controversially to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2017. The island covers area of 97 ha (240 acres) and has maximum elevation of 244 m (801 ft).





The island is considered sacred in Shinto as the site of worship and enshrinement of deities, but once was used as a place to pray for safety of oceangoing vessels and sailors.
During the Russo-Japanese War a priest serving on the island witnessed the start and end of the infamous Battle of Tsushima, which resulted decisively in Japanese victory and effectively ended the war in their favour.
During WW2 the island was garrisoned and fortified due to the strategic location.



The island only allows visitors on a single day every year, 27 May, and ancient rules are still observed. The number of visitors is restricted to 200. They must perform ablution rites in the sea, and must be male. Before setting foot on the island, men must take off their clothes and undergo a cleansing ritual. When they leave they are not allowed to take away any souvenirs, or disclose details of their visit.





The nomination of the island for the World Heritage List caused a lot of controversy. From feminists, they were angry about it because they island is male only. For the priests and others though they were concerned that the nomination would cause more people to visit their sacred island.
As a result of the successful application, the head priest has indicated that they will put an end to the 200 person limit from 2018, and instead refuse all visitors except researchers going forwards.

[ZaZa]

Okinoshima - 沖ノ島

Okinoshima is a small Japanese island between Korea and Japan which was added somewhat controversially to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2017. The island covers area of 97 ha (240 acres) and has maximum elevation of 244 m (801 ft).





The island is considered sacred in Shinto as the site of worship and enshrinement of deities, but once was used as a place to pray for safety of oceangoing vessels and sailors.
During the Russo-Japanese War a priest serving on the island witnessed the start and end of the infamous Battle of Tsushima, which resulted decisively in Japanese victory and effectively ended the war in their favour.
During WW2 the island was garrisoned and fortified due to the strategic location.



The island only allows visitors on a single day every year, 27 May, and ancient rules are still observed. The number of visitors is restricted to 200. They must perform ablution rites in the sea, and must be male. Before setting foot on the island, men must take off their clothes and undergo a cleansing ritual. When they leave they are not allowed to take away any souvenirs, or disclose details of their visit.





The nomination of the island for the World Heritage List caused a lot of controversy. From feminists, they were angry about it because they island is male only. For the priests and others though they were concerned that the nomination would cause more people to visit their sacred island.
As a result of the successful application, the head priest has indicated that they will put an end to the 200 person limit from 2018, and instead refuse all visitors except researchers going forwards.

Hmmm.... very interesting stuff