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It seems that an American research team, led by Richard Freund, might possibly have found the lost metropolis Atlantis, legendary city believed drowned by a giant tsunami, ages past, in the southern Spanish mud flats near to Gibraltar.

Even though the site is actually miles inland, the tidal wave in question must have been far more destructive even than that which devastated Japan early in 2011. Freund, professor at Hartford University has been leading this research for over two years now, searching for the lost city.

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He and his team carefully examined satellite images of what appeared to be a sunken city close to Cadiz, Spain, buried in the enormous Dona Ana Park marshlands, an ancient, multi-ringed construction of immense proportions. They, throughout the recent past, combined digital mapping, deep-ground radar and underwater technologies to get a clearer picture of the area in question.

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There is, it appears, a strange series of memorial cities in central Spain that would appear to have been constructed in the Atlantis style, and the team speculated that survivors of the disaster may have been the builders.  It was over 2,500 years ago that Plato described Atlantis as an island located in front of the Pillars of Hercules- of course now known as the Straits of Gibraltar.

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His detailed account served as a map for many researchers, contending that likely sites for the city might be Santorini, in Greece or Sardinia, off the Italian coast, but tsunami activity off Spain is not unknown, Lisbon destroyed by a 100ft tidal wave in 1755. The writings of the Greek philosopher date from around 360BC, and he stated that the fabled city had disappeared in just 24 hours.

Further excavations are now planned, excitement high at the mouth-watering possibilities to be uncovered, if indeed this is the fabled lost city, but it would be inadvisable to get too worked up too soon, because it may be something else altogether, but you cannot help smiling at the thought of what wondrous artifacts lie in wait.

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All images with permission

The ship was designed to carry up to 120 first class passengers, 60 second class and 600 steerage or third class passengers and completed forty voyages across the Atlantic or down to India. When being transferred to the Mediterranean the ship was refitted with larger engines and modifications to the accommodation reduced the first class to 45, left it with no second class and space enough in the third class for 900 bunks.

The ship left Trieste in Italy with stops in Naples, Genoa and Gibraltar before it would have headed across the Atlantic. It carried 880 people, with 59 of that number being crew. There were normally 7 lifeboats on the ship that could carry 460 people, one of these lifeboats however was missing.

On approaching Gibraltar and heading for its usual anchorage the captain realized two Royal Navy battleships were occupying that space. In a later statement from the captain he stated that he was blinded by the lights from the Anson in the evening darkness. He attempted to steer his ship ahead of Anson’s bow, instead the vessel was holed by the Anson as they came together, the battleships hull being much the stronger tore hole measuring some 5 metres across below the waterline of the Utopia, the lower decks were quickly flooded.

Engine power was almost immediately lost and the order was given to use the lifeboats and abandon the crippled ship. As the lifeboats were being lowered the ship listed and crushed the lifeboats. Those that survived from the lifeboats clung to the side of the ship, many more were trapped inside. Within twenty minutes the ship had sunk with the masts of the ship still protruding above the water, many chose to cling to these until rescue came.

Other ships in the harbour immediately sent rescue teams. In the water was a mass of human beings and wreckage. Two rescuers from HMS Immortalite drowned when their boat hit rocks, by 11pm 562 were dead or missing including nearly half the ships crew.

When divers were sent down to examine the wreckage they found many bodies so closely packed together they had become wedged into a solid mass and it was difficult to separate them. The ships captain was arrested and later found guilty of grave errors of judgment in failing to determine the position of ships within the anchorage and then in attempting to turn his ship across the bows of HMS Anson.

The ships owners were ordered to light up the area around the wreck to alert other ships to the danger. The SS Primula hit the wreck in a later incident claiming they could see the danger but only when it was too late to avoid a collision. The ships owners were deemed not responsible for this and the Port of Gibraltar was deemed to be responsible. The wreck was raised from the shallow water in July 1892 and taken back to Scotland. The owners had planned to repair and reuse the ship, the repairs were never undertaken and the ship was left to rust along the River Clyde close to the shipyard that had built her. She was finally scrapped in 1900.

Corregidor Island is 48km west of Manila. The name Corregidor came from the Spanish word Corregir which means to correct. It was first used by the Spanish as the first line of their defense against any trespassers as Corregidor island lies at the very mouth of the Manila Bay. It served as a checkpoint before any ship could enter Manila. It is also called the Gibraltar of the East.

The Spanish left the Corregidor and the Americans took over the Corregidor Island. This island served as an American military base. They built barracks for their soldiers, headquarters, hospitals, and other recreational buildings. But in the World War II everything was destroyed by the Japanese Army dropping bombs in the island. Since all the building were destroyed from the bombs, the American soldiers moved to the Malinta Tunnell. The Malinta Tunnel was created to use as a storage area for the American supply. But in the World War II it became a quarter for the Philippine President, Office, and was able to hold 1000 hospital beds to cure all the soldiers that were hit.

General Douglas McArthur escaped thru a secret passage and was not noticed by the Japanese troops and he went to Australia to wait for his superiors command to return to Manila. Corregidor then was occupied by the Japanese in 1945. General McArthur was given his command to return to the Philippines and he landed in Leyte to fulfill his promised return. The American troops conquered the island with the use of the parachute which the Japanese troops thought impossible. The Japanese detonated the tunnell killing about two thousand of their soldiers and many more American troops who were inside that tunnell.

Corregidor has become a tourist attraction here in the Philippines to anyone who are interested in the World War II. They will be able to see the remains of the devastated headquarters and barracks, gun batteries and heavy armaments. There were also many monuments. During the tour you will be able to see, touch the ruins of General Douglas McArthurs headquarter, the mile long barrack, gun batteries and the Spanish lighthouse which gives a good view of the Manila Bay. You will also be able to see the light and sound show which is inside the Malinta Tunnell. For overnight stays, you may also want to join the sunset tour which takes you the another gun battery with a good view of the sunset, the hospital tour and inside the malinta tunnell.

Corregidor Inn is the only hotel you will find in Corregidor. They have many airconditioned room and they have a restaurant that served good meals. But if you are on a tight budget, you can also eat at the McArthur’s lodge. They also have a campsite if you want to experience staying outdoors with your tent. For more information about this Corregidor tour, you can book with Sun Cruises at

www.corregidorphilippines.com

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The “Jet-man” is none other than Yves Rossy from Switzerland who ditched into the sea after setting off on his daring and epic voyage from high above a city in Morocco. He was rescued quickly after.

According to organisers helping the attempt, Rossy deployed his parachute after it was reported his wing had malfunctioned. It is assumed the failure was caused by an engine fault.

The Swiss dare-devil is aged 50 and previously to this attempt he was the first man to fly solo using his super jet-powered wing when he crossed the English Channel in September 2008.

His attempt to fly across the Strait of Gibraltar was the first crossing of its kind over the north Atlantic between Africa and Europe. According to organisers the attempt was going smoothly as the jet-man launched himself from a small plane approximately 1,950 metres (6,500ft) above Tangier, Morocco.

Is it a bird? Is it a Plane? No it’s Jet-man!

Mr. Rossy is a former fighter pilot, was expected to deploy his parachute at the end of the estimated fifteen minute flight, cut his engines and land in Atlanterra which is in Southern Spain. However all was not well only a few minutes into his journey and the flier ditched into the sea.

The pilot was not hurt but as a precaution he was airlifted by helicopter and then taken to a hospital to be checked over. Stuart Sterzal is a spokesman for Webtel.mobi and he told reporters that Rossy was fine and gave the “thumbs up” through the door of the rescue helicopter.

According to sources Mr. Rossy will attempt the crossing again sometime in the new year.

Rossy had highlighted that the main dangers he faced during his dare devil fast flight was losing control of the wing or engine failure.

The Spanish coast guard were to retrieve the wing and Rossy’s life-saving parachute from the sea. The craft Rossy was flying was made of carbon-fibre, was jet-propelled and had a wing span of over 2 metres (6ft 6in) and could reach speeds of 220 km/h (138 mph).

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For several hundred years Great Britain was a major player in the World economy due to it’s vast Empire.  Nowadays Britain’s has lost it’s manufacturing capacity and survives mainly on its service industry choosing to import many of the goods that were either produced here, or imported from its vassals, no longer able to rely on the vast wealth generated from far off shores perhaps it’s time we dropped the ‘Great’ and just stuck to Britain. Today only a few nations consider themselves part of Britain.  Here are the last bastions of the British Empire:

Ascension, Saint Helena and Tristan da Cunha

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean with a population of 7637 Ascension is primarily a site for British and American military, satellite tracking, and communication activities. It is the only island of the three (St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha) with an airport and regularly receives military planes from England, the United States, the Falkland Islands, and Recife, Brazil. 

Ascension Island

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In 1659, Saint Helena was permanently settled by the English East India Company. Prior to the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, St. Helena was an important stop for water and refit for ships sailing in the South Atlantic.  Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to Saint Helena in 1815 and remained there until his death. The British had garrisoned the island back in the 17th century, but quickly took over the neighbouring islands Ascension and Tristan da Cunha to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon.

Saint Helena

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Tristan da Cunha, often called the world’s loneliest island, was brought to the world’s attention as recently as 1961 when smoke began pouring out of a volcano near Edinburgh, the island’s only village . Ships were diverted to the island for emergency evacuation of the 300 islanders. 

Tristan da Cunha

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Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Located at a peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus with a population of 15,700 which are mainly Military personnel.  Prior to 1960 Cyprus was a British Colony, after that Cyprus became and Independent Sovereign State, but Britain retained sovereignty of Akrotiri and Dhekelia as Military bases.

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Anguilla

Anguilla is one of the most northerly Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, and is located in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico with a population of 14,436.   English settlers colonised Anguilla in 1650, and it was administered by Britain until the early 1800s. Against the wishes of the locals it was then incorporated into a single British dependency with Saint Kitts and Nevis, but after a revolt in 1969 Anguilla was eventually allowed to break free. In 1980 it formally became a British Dependency in its own right.

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Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent and the worlds most Southern.  Approximately 98% is covered by ice and it is considered a desert due to the lack of precipitation. Explorers first set eyes on this region in 1820. The UK claims sovereignty, but there are overlapping claims from Chile and Argentina. The Antarctic Treaty ensures that all territorial claims remain frozen and the entire continent of Antarctica is used for science.

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Bermuda

Located off the East Coast of the United States in the North Atlantic Ocean.  The territory consists of 138 islands and a land mass of 20.6 square miles. The population estimate for 2009 is 67 837 and it’s economy relies on tourism.  Settled by the British in the early 1600’s the islands have remained British since.  Mostly known for the legends regarding the loss of ships due to the ‘Bermuda triangle’.

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British Indian Ocean Territory

Over 1000 individual islands in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia. The territory comprises the six atolls of the Chagos Archipelago with over 1,000 individual islands.  There are no indigenous inhabitants, but 3000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors live on the island of Diego Garcia.

Originally France claimed this area (also known as the Chagos Islands) as belonging to Mauritius in the 18th century, but in 1810 the UK captured Mauritius and took control of the islands. In 1965 Mauritius and the islands were split and the Chagos Islands were formally named as British Overseas Territory.

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British Virgin Islands

Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico with a population of 24,491.  The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and islets. Approximately fifteen of the islands are inhabited.  The Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 but annexed by the English 24 years later. The US Virgin Islands, which lie to the west, have a larger population, and the economies of the two sets of islands are closely related – the US dollar is the legal currency for both. 

Gibraltar

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The Cayman Islands

Located in the Western Caribbean Sea south of Cuba.  Total population 51 900.  Captured from the Spanish and ceded to Britain in 1670 in the Treaty of Madrid. Today the Islands are a major offshore financial centre. The Cayman Islands historically have been popular as a tax-exempt destination. Legend has it that in 1788 Caymanians rescued the crews of a Jamaican merchant ship convoy which had struck a reef at Gun Bay during a hurricane, and that the Caymanians were rewarded with King George III’s promise to never again impose any tax.

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Falkland Islands

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina with a population of 3140.  The Falkland Islands have been disputed over since the 18th century, with Spain, Argentina and Britain all laying claim. The UK asserted its claim to the islands in 1833 by establishing a naval post there. The islands were then invaded by Argentina in 1982, triggering the Falklands war between Britain and Argentina. After 74 days of violence, Argentina surrendered on 14th June 1982.

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Gibraltar

Gibraltar was captured from the Spanish in 1704.  The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the war, awarded Britain sovereignty over Gibraltar.  Located on the Southern Iberian peninsula close to Spain with a population of 28 000 and a land mass of 2.642 square miles.

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Montserrat

Montserrat became a British territory in 1783 after a long battle with the French.  Located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea east southeast of Puerto Rico and southwest of Antigua. It measures approximately 10 miles long and 7 miles wide.   It’s land mass is 40 square miles and is gradually increasing due to volcanic deposits on the southeast coast of the island.

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The Pitcairn Islands

The Pitcairn’s consist of four islands in the South Pacific, only one of them Pitcairn is populated with less that 50 people.  The Islands were inhabited by the British in 1790, with the territory officially becoming British in 1838. The islands are best known as home of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers. The surnames of many of the islanders are still linked with those mutineers and can be seen in the last nine remaining families.

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South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean with no indigenous population, except a group of scientists from the British Antarctic Survey which based on South Georgia.  The islands have been under British administration since 1908, but became involved in the Falklands dispute in 1982 (they are approximately 1000km east of the Falklands Islands). They were briefly occupied by Argentina that year, but remain British territory.

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Turks and Caicos Islands

Consisting of two sub tropical islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas with a population of 22,942.  In 1655 England seized Jamaica from the Spanish, and the Turks and Caicos Islands were part of the UK’s Jamaican colony until 1962 when they were separated from Jamaica. In 2009 a commission of enquiry set up by the Foreign Office in London found evidence of widespread corruption on the islands, and the British government imposed direct rule from August 2009.

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France

How far is Canada from France? 7,000 miles, 5000, miles or 10,000 miles?

Well none of the above is correct. France and Canada are in fact only 17 miles apart, and that’s official. A mere 17 miles south of Newfoundland lie a group of islands collectively known as St Pierre et Miquelon, and they don’t just belong to France, they are France.

The French first got there centuries ago, and since then there has been a bit of a chequered history with tempers flaring between France, USA, Britain and Canada. When the dust settled these little dots in the ocean were flying the French flag as they do to this day.

Although Canada is next door, the inhabitants of St Pierre et Miquelon send a deputy not to Ottawa, but to the Assemblée Nationale (Parliament) in Paris, and one to the French upper house. Letters to and from the islands from mainland France are treated as domestic mail, and charged at the domestic rate. The currency of France, the Euro, is the currency of the islands and the Head of State is Nicholas Sarkozy, the President of France.

During the 1930s the islands became important in the liquor smuggling trade to the USA with the advent of prohibition, but it was the rich fishing stocks in the area that the economy has always relied on. In these days of reduced fish numbers the French government are trying to diversify, particularly into tourism.

And St Pierre et Miquelon aren’t France’s only contribution to the fascinating world of geopolitical farce. French Guyana in South America is not really a country; it is a départment of France, again sending elected representatives to Paris. Like the islands it uses French currency, and enjoys Nicholas Sarkozy as Head of State, and in several referendums the people have overwhelmingly voted to stay with France. The Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe fall into the same category.

Azerbaijan

Poor little Azerbaijan. Not many can find it on the map, not many can spell its name correctly, and not many care. Part of the USSR for decades, it emerged as a nation state on the 1990s only to be plunged into bloody battles along ethnic lines. A large Armenian population wasn’t so happy, and Armenia drives a physical wedge through the small nation cutting off an even smaller exclave called Nakchivan from the main territory.

But Azerbaijan has oil, so some have learnt how to spell its name, some have sought it out on the map, but few still care about it apart from the petrodollars that can be earned from it. A pipeline links the oil reserves in deep water fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, giving the West access to huge quantities of oil and gas. Russia’s not best pleased.

Nakchivan, although an integral entity of Azerbaijan, has an autonomous government, but remains geographically isolated from the rest of the country and more or less from the rest of the world.

Cabinda

The southern African country of Angola throws up our next strange border arrangement. On the Atlantic coast and to the north of the country, the province of Cabinda has become estranged from the mother ship, with a finger of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo Kinshasa or Zaire to those of a certain age) insinuating itself towards the sea.

The other Congo (Brazzaville) lies to the north, and there seems to be a continued struggle by those who live in the province to achieve independence. Attempts to declare the Republic of Cabinda have met with failure but you can’t fault people for trying.

Lesotho

We stay in southern Africa for this next peculiarity as we focus in on the world’s only sovereign state to be completely surrounded by one other state, namely South Africa. But how much sovereignty or independence can a country have when it finds itself having to tow the line to guarantee trade links with the outside world?

Another of Lesotho’s claims to fame is that it is the only independent state to lie more than 1000 metres above sea level in its entirety, and there can be sufficient snow on the higher mountains to attract skiers from South Africa!

The political history is a mess of coups and intrigues and the Kingdom is now described as a constitutional monarchy with a king as figurehead.

Kaliningrad

And so to northern Europe. Kaliningrad is an integral part of Russia, cut off from the huge bulk of the rest of the country by Poland and Lithuania. Russia was (is) especially keen to hold onto this little bit of land because it offers a port on the Baltic, indeed the only port on the Baltic that remains ice-free all year round, a handy place to park your fleet of war ships.

Things went Moscow’s way without a hitch when it controlled the Baltic states, but with the break-up of the USSR Kaliningrad became isolated. Now travellers, civilian and military, have to pass through NATO territory if they wish to get from Kaliningrad to the rest of Russia by land, and special travel arrangements have to be made for locals.

It used to be a Prussian town, did Kaliningrad, and there are moves to restore its pre-Soviet name of Kőnigsberg. One of its claims to fame is that Immanuel Kant was born there, though pure reason would suggest that there might be more to the city than that. It was hoped that Kaliningrad would become the “Hong Kong of the Baltic” for Russia, but crime and corruption have deterred trade and investment so it remains very much a dark, isolated oblast some 200 miles from Russia proper.

Others???

Well there are others a-plenty. Spain enjoys sovereign sway over the cities of Ceuta and Melilla which sit on Moroccan soil, and Britain owns Gibraltar in Spain, but perhaps the strangest of all this geopolitical nonsense is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Why would one island own half of a neighbouring island as well? Why would people as sane and sensible as the British want to govern the Irish? Why indeed?