Of 30 July 1789 until 18 September 1794, the Spanish Navy officers Alejandro Malaspina and José de Bustamante y Guerra led a geopolitical expedition around the world sent by the Spanish Crown. The 15 December 2010, part of the Spanish port of Cartagena naval vessel Hesperides, for seven months will return to the world under the heading "Malaspina Expedition 2010". What are the differences between the two expeditions? It's fun to understand the changes from within 217 years after.
The 7 February arrived in Cape Town the ship Hesperides, I took an opportunity to board the brand new Hesperides docked at the Waterfront (Cape Town port). Among the stories I have of the day there, in solidarity with the guild in the world dizzy, I share a first. Do you not on the boat mareáis?, asked a sailor told me that in the Canary Islands passed a temporary force seven, waves representing seven to eight meters (I clarified that I get dizzy doing a cartwheel, literal, what has caused me major complex, I am a lover of the sea, and end a bit to the same lack of understanding of staff looks at you as if you were a softy who loves to stop standing on a speedboat that takes you back to earth pale). “I have found in this issue an infallible remedy: Stugerón. There are some drops that if he had known I would have saved a lot vomiting ", tell me. I look forward to test them. As someone coming from Spain brings me 13 boats and throw me to sea in search of a temporary.
The Hesperides leads a scientific expedition first-world will reveal many of the secrets of the oceans so far unknown to man.
Done this important paragraph in my life, I continue with the differences between the two expeditions. In the eighteenth century, the purpose of the Spanish navy was "to make a study of political and economic situation of the viceroys and build a comprehensive mapping of the same, and a study of the flora, fauna and peoples visited ". In the XXI, study the flora and fauna also, but with the peculiarity of doing more than 4000 meters. Ie, the objective is similar but use a few miles apart up and down arrow. "What we are doing no one has done. They will discover tens of thousands of microorganisms and bacteria unknown ", I explain the scientific Jordi Dachs. I will summarize: the Hesperides leads a scientific expedition of world-class that will reveal many secrets of the oceans so far unknown to man.
And the way? Hence the original Malaspina expedition is an impressive milestone. The Spanish sought the Northwest Passage, Alaska, they should communicate the Atlantic and Pacific; were the first non-British to come and investigate the British colony of Australia; New Zealand made important geological; crossed the Strait of Magellan, Easter Island, Tahití… Now, all that way, shorter, is being done in seven months. Maybe, scientific level, most notable is the study of Indian Ocean, the least studied of all the great seas.
The trouble is that every day they rise at 04:30 Curran and just hours after dark, the ship is not a tourist cruise that Bow tan.
And then there is life on board. He has not had to change everything in this sense both. Sailors of the Hesperides, fun and open group, also take the opportunity to go ashore in the boat stops and have some fun. All topics sailors are applicable to this professional and cheerful group met. So tell that ran over a legend, released by the author of the exploit and corroborated by a colleague, that the previous night had been a triumph in every rule with the local population by the female protagonist's. "I saw", said one, "I made the cover", in recognition of their noble role of secondary. The protagonist, which began timid, finished and released to the extent that he had taken his feat and ended up with a definitive "she attacked me", to the laughter of the staff present. Addition, stories about stowaways had vetoed, table tennis games on deck at night (I recognized that a scientist had hidden a table), senior cabin where films are, a feast of crabs caught in the harbor to those skilled in the engine room ... Anyway, I really felt like getting on the boat and go sailing with them, I found very nice people (with my new drops). The trouble is that every day they rise at 04:30 Curran and just hours after dark, the ship is not a tourist cruise that Bow tan.
Finally, I will say that there was a reception for diplomats, political, Spanish colony and journalists covering. Serrano ham, Rioja omelette and were part of a menu that tasted glory. The Hesperides is a floating embassy, companies in which they are presented with ham Iberian pieces at each stop to be served at no cost. Their commander, Juan Aguilar, a cultured and charming, We opened all the doors of which is "home". a joy. I hope it does not end like Alejandro Malaspina, was received in Spain as a great hero, but his reformist ideas brought from the trip will cost be sentenced to 10 years in prison after facing Prime Minister Manuel Godoy. He ended up exiled in Italy, where he died in 1810. One can not help but think that would be of this expedition and the captain if they had been British. Spain has been unable to care for their heroes never, as shown by the figures of Pizarro, Cortes ... What gives envy in London to see how they treat their pirates.
