Category Archives: Divers and Sundry

NOT THAT JAMES BOND. THE OTHER JAMES BOND. AND THE OTHER TYPE OF BIRD…

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NOT THAT JAMES BOND. THE OTHER JAMES BOND. AND THE OTHER TYPE OF BIRD…

I usually try to avoid regurgitating previous posts, but today I feel it is justified. I posted the article below nearly a year ago. As it happens, tomorrow is the 60th Anniversary of the publication by Jonathan Cape of Ian Fleming’s first book in the extensive Bond franchise, ‘Casino Royale’. So it makes some sense to revisit the background to the naming of literature’s iconic special agent. I promise not to repeat this annually for ‘Live and Let Die’, ‘Moonraker’, ‘Diamonds are Forever’ and all the rest of them.

First, a quick plot reminder: “James Bond is sent to play against and bankrupt Le Chiffre, the paymaster for a SMERSH-controlled trade union, in a high-stakes baccarat game in France. With help from CIA agent Felix Leiter, Bond wins the game, but is betrayed by Vesper Lynd, a double agent (Ursula Andress in the 1967 caper; Eva Green in the 2006 remake). Lynd falls in love with Bond and, instead of betraying him, commits suicide.”  (Source: I can’t reveal it, obviously. You can’t catch me out that way…)

First, mix a cool Vesper Cocktail (“shaken, not stirred”) HERE. Now read on…

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“THE NAME’S BOND. JAMES BOND. LICENSED TO WATCH BIRDS…”

JAMES BOND – THE ORNITHOLOGIST WHO LENT HIS NAME TO A FICTION LEGEND

Jamaica, 1952. The night was hot, too hot. Fleming cursed as he made his way up the steps to his neighbour’s verandah. He heard the clink of ice from within the house, and guessed that the rum punch was being mixed just the way he liked it. Stirred, not shaken. As he passed a low table on the verandah his eyes were drawn to a small book lying on it. Fleming paused, taking in the information, his senses suddenly alive. Bond. James Bond. A bird book about the avian species of the West Indies. Suddenly, it all made sense. Fleming knew now the direction he had to take, and with a thin smile he flicked back the insolent comma of dark hair that had fallen across his face and strode into the house towards the sound of the ice…

James Bond, ornithologist (1900 – 1989) was an expert on the birdlife of the Caribbean and wrote the seminal Birds of the West Indies, first published in 1936 and republished in varying formats ever since.

Ian Fleming lived in Jamaica and was a keen birdwatcher. The story goes that one evening, visiting friends, he saw ornithologist James Bond’s Birds of the West Indies on a table, and borrowed that short, punchy name for his fictional hero 007 for Casino Royale, published in 1953. He later said he wanted a name that sounded ‘as ordinary as possible’. In an interview, Fleming said “I wanted the simplest, dullest, plainest-sounding name I could find, and ‘James Bond’ was much better than something more interesting, like ‘Peregrine Carruthers.’ Exotic things would happen to and around him, but he would be a neutral figure — an anonymous, blunt instrument wielded by a government department.” Fleming wrote to the real James Bond’s wife “It struck me that this brief, unromantic, Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed, and so a second James Bond was born.” He also contacted the real James Bond about using his name in the books and Bond replied that he was “fine with it.” At some point during one of Fleming’s visits to Jamaica he met the real Bond and his wife. The meeting was recorded for a documentary.

FACT, FICTION & IN-JOKES

In Dr No Fleming referenced Bond’s work by basing a large Ornithological Sanctuary on Dr No’s island in the Bahamas. In 1964, Fleming gave Bond a first edition copy of You Only Live Twice signed “To the real James Bond, from the thief of his identity”. In the 2002 Bond film Die Another Day the fictional Bond can be seen examining Birds of the West Indies in an early scene that takes place in Havana. However the author’s name (James Bond) on the front cover is obscured. In the same film, when Bond first meets Jinx, he introduces himself as an ornithologist.

Ian Fleming Lived Here in Jamaica **

I had been planning to research the history of the various editions of Birds of the West Indies, the locus classicus for Caribbean species. Then I started to look into it and found that someone – Jack Holloway – had already done it so thoroughly that I would be wasting my time. So I contacted Jack for use permission, and I am very grateful to him for granting it by return. This next part is all thanks to him. I recommend a visit to his very good online bird resource website at AVIAN3

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THE HISTORY OF BIRDS OF THE WEST INDIES BY JAMES BOND
1936 (The Original)
This is the alpha of the “Birds of the West Indies” books by James Bond. Its longer subtitle is “An Account with full descriptions of all the birds known to occur or to have occurred on the West Indian Islands“. Published just shy of two years after Peterson’s A Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies, this book was the first field guide to cover all the birds of the West Indies (outside of Cory’s annotated book of 1889).
 
Somewhat in contrast to what is stated in the later 1961 version as the “First American Edition”, this 1936 book was published by The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (at which Bond worked) and was printed by Waverly Press, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland.This book is certainly quite scarce and typically commands a price ranging from $500 – $1,500 depending on its condition and the presence of a dustjacket.
 
Ultimately, one may ask, “What’s the difference between this first book and the subsequent versions?” Here is the answer in the form of a table (see below)
  
1947 (The Next Version)
This 1947 version is often advertised or assumed to be the first edition. This may be due in part to the rarity of the original 1936 edition and/or to the presence of “First Printing” printed on the backside of the Title Page in the 1947 book (see image below). This “first printing” refers only to the second book. For the true, original book, you must go back another 11 years to 1936.
 
Despite the notation of “First American Edition” in the 1961 version, this 1947 book was published by the MacMillan Company of New York and was printed in the United States. The 1936 edition was also US published and printed.
 
As an obscure note, the title of the book printed on the dustjacket does not match the title printed on the book itself. The cover reads, “Field Guide of Birds…” while the book reads, “Field Guide to Birds…”. Also, it is likely this is the version owned by Ian Fleming which inspired the naming of his charismatic spy (see below)
 
Depending on the condition of this book and the presence of a dustjacket, this 1947 version ranges in price between $30 and $100.
 
  
STOP PRESS  As a guideline, I bought a copy of this edition on eBay for $80, in very good condition with good dust jacket. Elsewhere, on a first edition, I beat the seller down from $2250 to $1600, but it was in poor condition and I left it at that…
                             James Bond Birds 1947 ed f:c                        James Bond Birds F:P 1947 ed
1961 (“1st American Edition”)
Just as a note of interest — or irony — this 1961 version is labeled as the “First America Edition”. Keep in mind the 1936 and 1947 books were both published and printed in the US. Additionally, just beneath the statement of “First American Edition”, you will see “Printed in Great Britain”. Completing the picture, this book was published by the Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston; thus, the American connection (I guess).
 
  
1970s
 
1971 1971 1974
  
1980s
 
1980 1980 1985 1986 (?)
1990s (the adoption by the Peterson series)
 
1993 1995 1999
  
2000s
 
2002 (?)
OTHER COVERS
 
1960s?
ADDENDUM
 
1966

Needless to say, the name James Bond has a familiarity beyond just the birding world. Several myths and slight distortions have grown related to how this name has been transmogrified from ornithologist to international spy.

In 1966, Mrs James (Mary Wickham) Bond wrote a 62-page book How 007 Got His Name that outlined the circumstances which led to the use of Mr Bond’s name in the series of books written by Ian Fleming.

As noted on pp. 16-17, Dr. Bond first became aware of his new recognition in 1961. This was after seven spy thrillers had already been published and were just becoming popular in the US.

Mrs Bond wrote a light-hearted letter to Mr Fleming on February 01, 1961 to make note that he had “…brazenly taken the name of a real human being for your rascal!” (p.18). A return letter by Mr Fleming was most gracious and apologetic.

In this reply, (contained in full in Mrs Bond’s book), Mr Fleming wrote, “I will confess at once that your husband has every reason to sue me in every possible position and for practically every kind of libel in the book, for I will now confess the damnable truth.” (p.21).

He then provided an explanation of how he selected his character’s name for the first book in 1953: “…I was determined that my secret agent should be as anonymous a personality as possible…At this time one of my bibles was, and still is, Birds of the West Indies by James Bond, and it struck me that this name, brief, unromantic and yet very masculine, was just what I needed and so James Bond II was born…”

Mimicking Mrs Bond’s light-hearted approach, Mr Fleming continued his reply with this unique offer: “In return I can only offer your James Bond unlimited use of the name Ian Fleming for any purpose he may think fit. Perhaps one day he will discover some particularly horrible species of bird which he would like to christen in an insulting fashion.” (p.22).

Mr Fleming also offered the Bonds an open invitation to visit his residence in Jamaica and to visit the birthplace of the second James Bond.

Iam Fleming and the real James Bond met only once, which was February 5th, 1964. This was in Jamaica, six months before the death of Mr. Fleming.

This short book by Mrs Bond is a nice, quick read. I appreciate it for the first-hand accounts of the historical beginnings of Bond vs Bond as opposed to the hearsay and myths created over time. The book also offers entertaining stories of how James Bond dealt with his new popularity and the avid “fans” upon their discovery of his name. (RH note: copies occasionally appear on eBay, Am@z@n, & ABE)

Comparison Table of the Books’ Contents over the Years
** ”THE FLEMING VILLA” (SHOWN ABOVE) – THE FACTS
  • Once rented by Noel Coward
  • Sting wrote ”Every Breath you Take” here
  • Princess Margaret, while a guest, broke a toe on one of the beds (rum punch alert!)
  • Ian Fleming himself designed the house, and wrote all the Bond books here
  • It has 5 bedrooms, and was built by a former donkey track bought by Fleming in 1946
  • You can rent it (and its full-time staff) for £3500 (including breakfast). Per night…
  • It is part of the ‘Goldeneye’ Estate (and no, there isn’t a ‘Thunderball’ Estate)
  • Other guests: Errol Flynn, Katharine Hepburn, Lucian Freud, Truman Capote & Evelyn Waugh

(Source credits: The Quarterly, Wiki & kin; Feeble Intro Pastiche:  RH)

VACATION FEVER HITS ROLLING HARBOUR: OUTBREAK OF HUMOUR

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DCB Pineapple Crop

VACATION FEVER HITS ROLLING HARBOUR: OUTBREAK OF PICTORIAL HUMOUR

Is humour permissible around here? I think so! With an imminent trip to Abaco and the thought of being out on the Marls this time next week, there’s a jovial atmosphere in the immediate vicinity of my keyboard. So I’m going to unleash some sea creature-based fun from the imaginative JASON ISLEY at SCUBA ZOO  via the enjoyable website SEAMONSTER. SCUBAZOO 1 SCUBAZOO 2 SCUBAZOO 3 SCUBAZOO 4 SCUBAZOO 5 SCUBAZOO 6SCUBAZOO 7SCUBA ZOO 9SCUBAZOO 8

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR: RH GOING TO THE DOGS?

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NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR: RH GOING TO THE DOGS?

En route from London to New York yesterday we had to take a northerly route over Greenland (we were in a plane, obviously) to avoid Nemo. I took the pics below from 36k feet from the galley window. The landscape was simply a vast wilderness of mountain, forest, snow and frozen lakes & rivers. No idea how they will look in Blogland. I’ll tidy this up – or bin it – next week when I can use something bigger than an iPhone to post with.

Thanks to people who have commented / asked Qs (including the person from Newfoundland who wants to know about flamingos). Replies shelved until next week. It’s raining heavily in NYC today, which should see off the remains of quite a heavy snow dump (later note: it didn’t!).Newfoundland : Labrador aerial view 2Newfoundland : Labrador aerial view 1Newfoundland : Labrador aerial view 3  Newfoundland : Labrador aerial view 6Newfoundland : Labrador aerial view 4Newfoundland : Labrador aerial view 7This last close-up image looks almost surreal, with a frozen river appearing to cross over itself…

ABACO HISTORY: SHIPS, MAPS & HOLE-IN-THE-WALL

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Schooner (Wiki)

I have posted several times about Hole-in-the-Wall, the geological feature and historic nautical landmark at the southern tip of Abaco. I’ve covered the frankly concerning 15-mile trip to reach it and the eponymous lighthouse;  its history in both maps and pictures; and its destruction by Hurricane Sandy last October. A full index of the related Hole-in-the Wall posts can be found at the foot of this page (most recent first). I am returning to one specific early picture of HitW because of interesting information supplied by Capt Rick Guest.

THE PICTURE The lovely aquatint below is by J. Wells, based on a sketch by a naval officer (“Half-Pay”), published in the 1803 NAVAL CHRONICLE by founder J.Gold of Shoe Lane, London. It’s quite small picture, measuring 5½” x 9″. As I said in the original post, “you may be looking at a screen clip of a scan of the book plate of the earliest surviving depiction of Hole-in-the Wall. If anyone knows of an older one, please get in touch. And can anyone identify what kind of sailing vessels these are (I wouldn’t know a brigantine from a clipper…)?”.

THE SHIPS I am now better informed about historic ships (though no wiser). I am very grateful to Rick Guest for his various contributions, including his ID of the ships in the aquatint: “The vessel on the left (west) is a Topsail (‘tops’l’) SCHOONER. Because of the angle on the other vessel, my guess is it’s a BRIG. Brigs have 2 masts, usually with a large ‘Spanker’ (aft sail).” The schooner is flying the Union Jack. The two rowing boats setting off from the ships seem from the detail to be heading towards land – perhaps to find fruit or other provisions.

hole-in-the-wall-print-1803

THE GEOLOGY Besides showing Hole-in-the-Wall between the 2 ships (as it was until Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012), there is an additional feature that I did not originally remark on. To the right of the aquatint is a single rocky islet. Its left side and the corresponding end of the mainland clearly evidence the previous existence of another longer-arched hole, its roof presumably long gone by 1803. Earlier maps make no reference to a second Hole, though it’s possible the oldest refer to the larger, more significant hole until it collapsed and left the smaller hole to bear the name. At all events, the islet to the right in the aquatint is now largely submerged, though it can be seen from an aerial view. If anyone has a photo of it taken from the sea, with the promontory and lighthouse behind, please get in touch.

Hole-in-the-Wall aerial view

MAPS

I have found some more images of historic maps of Abaco to add to the earlier collection.

1. Johannes van Keulen 1728  c17/ early c18 Dutch cartographer. The top image of two is from a less well-reproduced edition, possibly an early one. The HitW area is uncompromisingly called ‘Hole Rok’. This is a rare instance of another ‘Hole Rok’ being marked of the south-west tip of Abaco. The main island itself is often described at this time as I. Lucaj(y)onesque, or similar derivative from the word ‘LUCAYA’ (Lucyan people being the early inhabitants of the Bahamas region). Notable here is the use of the word ‘I. Abbaco’ for a cay on the east side rather than the whole island.

van Keulen mod

This second much clearer (and later?) print of the same van Keulen map demonstrates why Hole-in-the-Wall is of such historic importance to the Abacos. It clearly marks the only settlement of any significance known to seafarers and cartographers of the time. Other contemporary maps are the same. It is the only named place on Abaco. Buildings are even shown here, though nowhere else on the island. It may well be fair to conclude that until at least 1800, HitW was the ‘capital’ of Abaco. Nowadays it is simply a functioning lighthouse in urgent need of attention and repair, with the abandoned buildings of the lighthouse station clustered round it (the light was automated in 1995). There is no settlement and there are no dwellings, not even visible ruins.van Keulen 1728

2. Thomas Kitchin 1782 Kitchin was a well-known English c18 cartographer who famously mapped the counties of Britain. He also worked in the Caribbean for a time. The clip below is taken from his map “West Indies according to Best Authorities“. The image doesn’t do the map justice. I own it (thanks, Mrs RH) and had just framed it when someone asked for a quick photo, so it is taken through glass (too lazy to remove it – will try to improve the image later). Great Abaco is now specifically named in its own right as an island, though the Abacos group as a whole retains its historic Lucayan name. Again, ‘The Hole in the Rock’ is the only place-name included. As a side-note, Grand Bahama has progressed from ‘Bahama Eyland’ to ‘Great Bahama’Abaco map

3. B.T.Welch, published F.Lucas Jr 1823 The top map shows the entire West Indies. I have located a clearer version of it and added the clip below it showing the detail of the top left corner Northern Bahamas corner

Abaco Map B.T.Welch published F.Lucas Jr 1823One hundred years on from the van Keulen map, and a few familiar names are starting to appear, especially with the ‘Kays’. ‘Hole of the Rock’, as it was now called, is still almost the only named place on the main island. I can’t make out what the bearing and date under the name means – any suggestions welcome. In passing, I note that ‘Gordo K(ay)’ is named, the earliest mention I have found. It is now of course ‘Disney Island’, and good luck to it… ‘Great Bahama’ has now become. finally, Grand Bahama.Abaco B.T.Welch published F.Lucas Jr 1823

4. George Cram 1898 This map demonstrates how, even in relatively modern times, mapmakers can take their eye off the globe, as it were, and go wrong. True, ‘Hole in the Rock’ is named and its lighthouse (completed 1836) is marked. However, some of the attributed place-names seem surprising – for example, Moore’s Island has strangely been called Moose Isl. And for a map not much more than 100 years old, in the ‘Superior Atlas of the World‘, the general topography of Abaco is way off the mark. Either that or the Crossing Rocks area in the lower quarter of the island below “Cheering Sound” – a slim land-narrow just few metres wide from east to west coast – has been on a crash diet in the intervening century… It’s basically the width of the road with a beach on either side.

Abaco 1898 George Cram

LIST OF PREVIOUS HitW POSTS

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, ABACO: THE ‘HOLE’ THAT’S NO LONGER A WHOLE December 9, 2012

HOLE-IN-THE WALL ABACO: “MIND THE GAP” – A NEW ISLET IS BORN November 8, 2012

ABACO’S ‘HOLE-IN-THE-WALL’ BEFORE SANDY DEMOLITION: FIRST & LAST EVER IMAGES November 5, 2012

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL TO GAP-IN-THE-WALL: HURRICANE SANDY SMASHES ABACO LANDMARK November 3, 2012

 HOLE-IN-THE-WALL ABACO: HISTORIC 1803 DESCRIPTION & AQUATINT May 23, 2012

 ABACO & HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, BAHAMAS: A SHORT HISTORY IN MAPS April 8, 2012

 “TO THE LIGHTHOUSE…” A TRIP TO HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, ABACO May 25, 2011

 

FAREWELL 2012… WELL HELLO, 2013, HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID!

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DCB GBG Cover Logo dolphin

FAREWELL 2012… WELL HELLO, 2013, HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID!

It’s sunset time for 2012, with all its ups, downs and vaguely sideways sways. Conveniently, by way of illustration, here is a not-untypical sunset taken from the balcony of the Delphi Club as the sun sinks down towards the horizon of coppice and pine forest. A moment of metaphorical magic… (& no Ph*t*sh*p)Sunset Delphi

However (Mayan calendar permitting), there is always a new day a few hours away. And with it, an extended (indeed, horribly overstretched) metaphor for the New Year. This photo was taken from our balcony on the other side of the building at around 6.30 a.m. The seagull on the right was not an intentional inclusion, though I may as well that pretend that it was… And yes, the sea on the east side of Abaco really does tilt slightly downhill to the south; the effect is caused by submarine reef vortices as the ocean floor deepens. Oh. Maybe not. It’s photographer error – I forgot to straighten the image.Sunrise DelphiDuring 2013 you will find much the same going on at Rolling Harbour as before. There’s some housework to be done on the blog, I notice. There will be the usual 10 or so posts a month on much the same themes – birds, fish, marine mammals, plants, shells, conservation and so forth, with photos to match. Maybe some more ill-conceived attempts at humour. The occasional ground-breaking scoop. 100,000 hits is now well within my sights (from being a distant dream)… so please don’t desert now!

For those with iPhones or iPads may I re-recommend the new app “Click242 Nature” (available FREE on iTunes), which is a Bahamas-based portal to all the types of thing this blog deals with, and the organisations that deal with them. For details click HERE (I shyly add that this blog features in the section ‘Science Blogs’).

So, Happy New Year, Good Luck in 2013, and see you around, I hope…

MOUNT EVEREST (29,029 ft ASL) versus ABACO (134 ft ASL)…

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MOUNT EVEREST (29,029 ft ASL) versus ABACO (134 ft ASL)…

I only occasionally go completely off-piste and post something that has nothing whatsoever to do with Abaco, the Bahamas or indeed with wildlife in any of its many forms. This is one such occasion. The Guardian newspaper (online) has put up the most amazing interactive image of Mount Everest, which can be zoomed, panorama’d and 360˚’d. The highest point on Abaco is 134 feet above sea level, so best prepare for altitude sickness. I found this really fascinating, especially zooming in on the little pile of apparent litter – actually a base camp. Normal service will be resumed after Christmas…

CLICK  MOUNT EVEREST 

A still of the interactive Mount Everest gizmo (Credit: Guardian)Mount Everest : Guardian

The soaring foothills of Abaco (c. 75 ft asl)                   Abaco Pine Forest Fire Regeneration 5

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, ABACO: THE ‘HOLE’ THAT’S NO LONGER A WHOLE

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DCB GBG Cover Logo curly

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, ABACO: THE ‘HOLE’ THAT’S NO LONGER A WHOLE

I recently posted 3 items from different perspectives about Hole-in-the-Wall, the destruction of its “roof” by Hurricane Sandy, and the consequent creation of a small islet (provisional names suggested include ‘Holey Isle’ & ‘Sandy Isle’). I also showed what were apparently the last images of the Hole with its roof on (Jack Bowers); and the first of the new post-Sandy geology taken on November 6th (John Haestad) CLICK HERE. It now transpires that some excellent photos were in fact taken a the previous day, November 5th, when Tara Lavalle and her family went to HitW for an outing and to investigate the reports about the Hole. So the pictures below taken by Tara and Luc (to whom many thanks for use permission) now stand as the first post-Sandy images of the ‘Gap’. Unless anyone knows better…

The lighthouse and outbuildings looking back from the Hole-in-the-Wall routeHOLE-IN-THE-WALL LIGHTHOUSE ABACO post Sandy

OMG! Surveying the new scenery           HOLE-IN-THE-WALL ABACO post Sandy 2

The  water still boils through as before…HOLE-IN-THE-WALL ABACO post Sandy 1

The northern end of the new islet, showing the bright new rock-face. Beyond, Nassau… HOLE-IN-THE-WALL ABACO post Sandy 3

A MAP OF HURRICANES WORLDWIDE SINCE 1851: THE PLANET’S HOT-SPOTS

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HURRICANE PATHS ON PLANET EARTH

Hurricanes. Extreme weather events that can strike anywhere in the world’s vulnerable zones. But where are these to be found? And in those zones, is there any historical evidence demonstrating that particular areas of the world are more vulnerable than others? A recent post on the very informative ABACO SCIENTIST website includes a comprehensive map of all hurricanes recorded since 1851. This map gives a clear picture of the hot-spots and danger areas. 

Delphi Club Abaco 25 Aug 2011 / Hurricane Irene: Looking south from the balcony

The source is NASA and the article may be found HERE. I reproduce the map and explanation, with acknowledgement to John Nelson and IDV Solutions. Each blue link in the explanation below will take you to a new source of hurricane information, so the article is a valuable resource as a gateway to further hurricane knowledge.

EXPLANATION AND WORLD MAP

“Should you be worried about hurricanes? To find out, it is useful to know where hurricanes have gone in the past. The Earth map shows the path of every hurricane reported since 1851, Although striking, a growing incompleteness exists in the data the further one looks back in time. The Earth map graphically indicates that hurricanes — sometimes called cyclones or typhoons depending on where they form — usually occur over water, which makes sense since evaporating warm water gives them energy. The map also shows that hurricanes never cross — or even occur very near — the Earth’s equator, since the Coriolis effect goes to zero there, and hurricanes need the Coriolis force to circulate. The Coriolis force also causes hurricane paths to arc away from the equator. Although incompleteness fogs long term trends and the prevalence of hurricanes remains a topic of research, evidence is accumulating that hurricanes are, on the average, more common and more powerful in the North Atlantic Ocean over the past 20 years.”

Image Credit & Copyright: John Nelson, IDV Solutions

The eye of Hurricane Irene passes directly over the Delphi Club, Abaco 26 August 2011

The image below was shared on Facebook, but I don’t have the inventor’s name. I’m sorry not to be able to identify the originator of this ingenious hurricane warning. Every home should have one… 

ABACO & HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, BAHAMAS: A SHORT HISTORY IN MAPS

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ABACO & HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, BAHAMAS: A SHORT HISTORY IN MAPS

To begin with, here is a fabulous recent photograph of the actual Hole-in-the-Wall taken by well-known Abaco nature tour guide Ricky Johnson. This picture inspired me to delve into the history of Abaco and its the southernmost extremity, to see how far back it can be traced; and how the island’s recorded history has evolved since the Columbian era.(Photo Credit: Ricky Johnson)

I started by trying to establish the earliest map, and the earliest mention of Hole-in-the-Wall. I don’t have access to written archival material, so I looked instead at historic maps of the Caribbean / Bahamas / Lucayas. The very earliest, from the late c16, simply depict the Bahama Islands / Lucayas as rather random-looking blobs which bear little relation to their actual geographical location or their shape. The islands mostly have quite different names, or variants of familiar spellings. Over the course of 5 centuries, one can trace the progress of place names to those used today – including of Abaco itself. The gradual development of settlements can also been seen – at Little Harbour, Crossing Rocks and ‘Cheeric Sound’, for example, as well as on the ‘Keys’.

The trail starts in the c16. The earliest map I have so far found is the Abraham Ortelius map of 1592, which is a good example of the rather basic map-making of the time. It is quite hard – near impossible – to relate the position of ‘Haraco’ to the other islands depicted.

ADDENDUM I have now uncovered an even earlier and far more ambitious map published in 1550 by the Spanish cartographer Diego Gutiérrez. His incredibly intricate map, for the period, is decorated with volcanos, mermaids, monkeys, and variety of fantastical sea creatures. The first image is a detail of the whole map, showing the Bahamas, a sea monster, and a graphic shipwreck. I have also included an image of the whole map so that the extraordinary range and complexity of this early map can be seen in its entirety.

This colourful and charming 1679 map shows that a very basic style of mapping was still common in the c17

This famous map by A.M.Mallet from 1683, with its enjoyable sea battle vignette, is another good example of the very general nature of the maps, although the design and draftsmanship has advanced considerably

Things become much clearer and more detailed in the c18. The relationship of the islands to each other is shown in geographic reality; and many more details and place names are included. The earliest specific reference to Hole-in-the-Wall (as it now is) that I have so far found is in a 1738 map by Johannes Couvens & Cornelius Mortier. ‘Abaco’ is now spelled as we know it, with ‘Hole in the Rock’ clearly marked. Little Harbour is mentioned, as are 2 ‘Keys’, presumably indicating settlements. 

A 1750 map by Robert of Paris shows the southern tip of Abaco as ‘Trou dans le Roc’. You’ll have to trust me on this – the writing is tiny and impossible to enlarge legibly. The French name is not just because the map maker was French, but probably because it was the name given by French settlers who are believed to have lived in that part of Abaco in the c18 (and quite possibly earlier). Many more settlements are shown, especially on the Cays.

The Cartographer Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, in a 1764 map, also used the french name, though in the plural ‘Trou dans les Roches’, as this much enlarged portion of his ‘Cartes des Isles Lucayes’ shows. Little Harbour – ‘Petit Havre’ – is again included as a distinct settlement, and a few Cays are also named.

John Blair’s map of 1779, below, shows clearly ‘the Hole in the Rock’ – indeed, it is the only named place on Great Abaco. The southern end of Florida looks worryingly fragmented…

For the new century, a map by George Cook dated 1800 shows the first appearance of Little Abaco as a separate entity. Again, Hole in the Rock is the only place on Great Abaco that is marked. Maybe this evidences a continuing significance as a navigation aid.

The good clear map by Thompson dated 1815 provides plenty of excellent detail hitherto lacking in maps of the northern Bahamas. Another name for Hole-in-the-Wall has crept in, shown as ‘Hole of the Rock’. There are some oddities here. A ‘Rocky Point’, usually associated with the south west coast below Sandy Point, is marked on the east coast. Little Harbour is shortened to L.H., indicating perhaps that it had become a familiar enough settlement to warrant abbreviation – unless it stands for Light House, referring to the long-defunct lighthouse there… The word ‘Kay’ is used, a half-way house between the earlier ‘Key’ and the later ‘Cay’. The positions of the Kays seems (now) amusingly off-cay – indeed the relative scales to the main island are quite strange. Green Turtle Cay is some way nor’-nor’-west of Little Abaco…

Harrison’s much simpler map in 1818 also uses ‘Hole of the Rock’, which is the only place shown.                              

As the  c19 progressed, far more sophisticated and detailed map-making – including nautical charts – was undertaken. This extract from a much larger chart by Edmund Blunt from 1827 is the first mapped reference I can find of the name change from ‘Rock’ to ‘Wall’. It is also the earliest I have found Crossing Rocks mentioned on a map, though apparently as a shipping warning rather than an indication of a viable settlement. Walt Disney has yet to visit ‘Key Gorda’.

A new name for the southern extremity entered the scene in 1833 on Thomas Starling’s map of the West Indies. The tip is simply called ‘Light Ho. Pt’, with no reference to Holes, Rocks or Walls – an interesting variation (see below). I have found no other instances of this name.

The interest lies in the fact that the evidence suggests that the Lighthouse at Hole-in-the-Wall was not actually completed until 1836, yet Starling was specifically referencing it 3 years earlier. One could deduce that there was already a basic lighthouse of some description there, soon to be superseded; or perhaps that construction of the Lightstation had already commenced in 1833, and Starling was confident of its eventual completion and wanted to be ahead of the competition… On the left is the notice at the lighthouse station today.

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For a time, maps continued to use ‘Rock’ rather than ‘Wall’ – the 1843 Findlay map has reverted to ‘Hole in the Rock’. Great and Little Abaco are again separately named.

In 1857, a very detailed nautical chart of the area was published. The survey seems to have been carried out by the British Navy for the French, and now detailed depth measurements enter the picture. It seems that new techniques have recently been discovered. I have used only one of the 3 areas mapped, a detail of the southern tip of Abaco. Here, in french, we are back to ‘Wall’ rather than ‘Rock’. For the first time, the lighthouse and associated lightstation buildings have been included, but I haven’t been able to decipher the words in brackets under ‘Phare’.

Mitchell, in a far more basic (pretty border though) 1872 map,reverts to ‘Hole in the Rock’

Two near-identical maps were published in the late c19: the first, by Hardesty, New York, in 1884; the second, by Rand McNally, in 1890. Extracts are shown below, side-by-side. This time, both clearly show ‘Hole in the Wall’. Cay is still spelled ‘Key’. And for the first time I have seen, Cherokee gets a mention as ‘Cheeric’ or ‘Cheerie’ Sound.

      

In the final year of the c19, George Cram of Chicago pubished the most ambitious map of the region so far. By 1899 shipping routes were so well-established that they could be added to maps, increasing their usefulness and therefore sales. He’s back to ‘Hole in the Rock’, though. The names of the Cays are more familiar here, and Pelican Harbor is now included. Cherokee is still in its early form.

The c20 saw the use of the name ‘Hole in the Wall’ becoming predominant, as shown on this Waterlow’s map from 1919. The map also uses the modern-day ‘Cherokee Sound’; and surprisingly this is the first map I came across that names Marsh Harbour (and also Wilson City). The map also marks all Bahamas lighthouses (oddly, although ‘Hole in the Wall’ is marked on a similar map from that period by Harrison & Sons, the red dot for the lighthouse is missing there – presumably in error, since the lighthouse was well-established and functioning at that time). I am left wondering when the hyphens became included in ‘Hole-in-the-Wall’. They are not universal, I have noticed, but seem to be the preferred usage nowadays, making the place a lot more niggly to type!

To end with, a photo of the lighthouse (now automatic) and some of the abandoned buildings. For an account of an intrepid trip to this part of South Abaco CLICK ===>>> ’TO THE LIGHTHOUSE…‘

  • This post is by no means exhaustive, and any suggestions, additions or corrections are welcome by way of the COMMENT box or by email to rollingharbour.delphi@gmail.com
  • Apologies for the very small writing on many of the maps, but in most cases it was not possible to enlarge the image further without also making the written details illegible. 
  • The photos, apart from Ricky’s, are mine. Acknowledgement is given to the variety of sources used for the map extracts, which come mainly from catalogues / sales advertising or open online archives. Any problems? Let me know!

POST SCRIPT: I am very grateful to Marinas.com for permission to download this wonderful aerial image of Hole-in-the-Wall lighthouse and its outbuildings, looking towards the southern tip of Abaco. They have generously enabled a completely cost and watermark-free download. I have added the © detail. Thanks, guys. 

AFTERTHOUGHT I have received a query as to exactly where the eponymous Hole in the Wall, or Rock, can be found in relation to the lighthouse. At the foot of the page is an annotated map which I should no doubt have provided in the first place. The consensus of those who have walked to it (I haven’t yet) is that you’d be well advised to wear walking shoes / boots. Mary Wallace Chamie in a recent POST (check out the link for her VG photos, of which I have included 2 small tasters) says this:

“At first the hike was easy as we followed a cement path through a maze of sea grapes and then hiked further down until we reached the beach.  We took a left at the beach and started hiking across limestone that was full of potholes and sharp edges.  We walked carefully through the maze until we reached a point where we could finally see the Hole in the Wall.

    We then headed back across the limestone craters and up the hill to the lighthouse.  One suggestion I have to any beach comber who takes this hike.  Wear your walking shoes! “ 

To which I can now add this ‘distance shot’ from the sea, which makes it all completely clear. I have contacted the photographer via Panoramia but had no reply. Credit as annotated. If you are the photographer, Hi!. And if you object to its inclusion, please let me know and I’ll remove it…

A NEW LOOK, AN EARLY SPRING CLEAN, & SOME TEETHING PROBLEMS

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I’ve taken the plunge with a new look for the blog. Name change from Lower to Upper Case (no idea why I chose the former – I didn’t really understand  how the thing worked, and thought it had to match the online ID, email etc). Less cluttered. More stylish. Larger images. That’s the idea, anyway. Typically, however, it’s not as straightforward as I optimistically thought it might be. There are some problems to iron out, and I see that in places the original formatting has gone walkabout, or has had “artistic differences” with its successor… and what’s this going on here? Whoa! Most images will need to be resized individually… I think we’ll all get along in the end, with a bit of tolerance and patience on all sides. Thanks for bearing with it.

Here’s an image that doesn’t really fit anywhere else, so I’ll use this space for it. Taken just off Elbow Cay on a wet (very) day, but somehow there’s a touch of magic in the colours (nb no rejigging has been done) 

ARTSPLASH! 6th ACS ART SHOW – GREEN TURTLE CAY MARCH 3rd

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A quick ‘heads up’ for the forthcoming Abaco charity event at the Green Turtle Club, GTC in aid of the Abaco Cancer Society. Party for 5 hours in congenial company amidst the artworks, and all in an excellent cause

NEWS & WEATHER REPORT FROM LONDON TO ABACO

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We were due to come out to Abaco next weekend, Feb 11, until I stupidly fell and broke a wrist, cracked ribs etc. Sadly we’ve had to cancel. For now I can’t fish, can’t swim / reef snorkel, can’t take photos. I’m a bit… moody about it.

Quite right. You’re not even faintly interested in ‘poor me’ business. However, imminent plans for these pages have had to be postponed to May. Finding more and different birds, ditto flowers and trees; a beachcombing trip; a trip with Kay at Abaco Above & Below to reef snorkel at Fowl Cay (with improved camera technique this time);  a cays trip; a blue-hole expedition; and – oh goodness, is that the time? We need to pack and fly home, and I haven’t even been out for some bones yet… 

In the meantime, there will plenty of contributions, including from Kasia and other Delphi denizens. Anyone else is welcome to join in with Abaco-related material via the Comment boxes or via email at CONTACT

And the Weather? Well this was what happened overnight, on the edge of central London… not exactly extreme in the Abaconian sense of the word, I know, but enough to throw the nation’s entire transport system out of kilter for a week

BEACHCOMBING ‘CURIOSITY’ ON ABACO: OUT OF THIS WORLD TO THE RED PLANET

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More news about the the space rocket debris washed up on the Delphi Club beach, Abaco. The booster rocket fairing found by Sandy fortunately had a serial number on it. Various inquiries have been made and a definitive explanation of the item has now been given by the NTSB. It turns out that the fairing was not, after all, from the Ariane 5 launch in French Guiana. More exciting than that – it comes from a Mars Program launch to put the Space Rover Curiosity on Mars. There’s an excellent Wikipedia article on the mission to be found at WIKIMARS

NTSB - An Independent Federal AgencyBob Swaim at the NTSB has emailed Sandy to say   “The serial number of the fairing fragment is from a part that was on a Delta V [sic - it was in fact an Atlas V, see comments] rocket launch of November 26, 2011. In August, a new car-sized rover will touch down on Mars and you’ll have something from the mission!”  He has kindly provided a link to the launch – see image below and direct link HERE  He has also given a direct link to the NASA MARS PROGRAM site from which I have taken the screen clip below. You will see an image of the Mars Rover Curiosity, and the time countdown until touch-down at the exact moment I took the shot…

I contacted Bill Ailor, Principal Scientist/Engineer, Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies, The Aerospace Corporation AERO CORP thinking a booster fairing might be of interest for their rocket debris database. He writes

Thanks for the notification (and for your excellent web page – looks like a wonderful spot). On the website, we catalog debris that has reentered from orbit and don’t include payload fairings, solid and first stage rocket boosters, and other “range” debris, since these are suborbital and the launch is designed so that the debris impacts is in known safe areas.  That debris can sometimes float outside of the safe area and wash ashore.I should mention that we recently reentered a small device that might one day float to your beach.  I’ve attached a description.  Let us know if you see that one

Although the device he mentions may have in fact have landed a long distance away (the South Pacific even), best keep an eye out for this…REBR Fact Sheet   By a strange coincidence in a huge world, the Aerospace Database shows that in 1965 reentry debris was recovered from a beach on Abaco:

In early 1965 an object having the appearance of a space fragment was reported washed ashore on Abaco Island in the Bahamas Possibly from the Atlas-Mariner I booster which was destroyed by the range safety officer shortly after launch on 22 July 1962, and landed in the designated ocean impact area

Apologies if I have got sidetracked from normal beachcombing duties – shells and stuff – but wildlife blogging doesn’t get more exciting than this – well, unless they find a colony of Abaco parrots on Mars…

DISCOVER LIFE: AN EXCELLENT NATURAL WORLD ONLINE RESOURCE

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DISCOVER LIFE: AN EXCELLENT NATURAL WORLD ONLINE RESOURCE

I have just come across the website DISCOVER LIFE which could be very helpful with identifying or finding information on particular species. It covers land and sea, animals, birds and plants worldwide, and it looks as though it is constantly updated and expanded. I haven’t done more than scratched the surface, but already I feel that it could be a very useful resource. See what you think…


ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO – SEEN IN A GOOD LIGHT

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Many thanks to Nassau-based  WEBLOG BAHAMAS for giving such a positive recommendation on its eclectic site. Much appreciated. The site, by a small collective of independent bloggers, covers a multitude of mainly Bahamas-related topics including books, current affairs, economy, eduction, environment, food & drink, government, health, media, music, politics, religion and society, sport, and travel. An excellent place to spend some online exploration time…

To reach the rollingharbour review CLICK===>>> REVIEW                                 To reach the Home Page CLICK===>>> WEBLOG BAHAMAS 

THE DELPHI CLUB, ABACO – TROUT & SALMON MAGAZINE ARTICLE

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                   THE DELPHI CLUB, ABACO, BAHAMAS                    TROUT & SALMON MAGAZINE ARTICLE

Trout & Salmon Magazine is essential reading for the freshwater game- fisherman. However, it occasionally spreads its net wider than rivers and lakes, and this month’s issue trails important news for the Delphi Club: an article in the December issue to be published on 24 November 2011 entitled BONEFISH DELPHI STYLE – Michael Shortt finds hard-fighting fish in a Bahamian home from home. I expect further details will appear on the Club website but I mention it in passing before turning to another feature in this month’s T&S issue. For DCB website CLICK ===>>> DELPHI CLUB ABACO

TROUT & SALMON NOV 2011: WATERPROOF CAMERAS REVIEW    You’ll find details of an early version of a cheap and cheerful Kodak underwater camera at the end of the rollingharbour GADGETS page. This straightforward little camera is now into its third version at much the same price, and in due course I will update my original post.

T&S has now reviewed 3 other waterproof cameras, all in a higher price bracket. They may be of interest for those planning a stay in 2011–12. For a fishing trip on a skiff a waterproof camera is not really a necessity. However, it is highly desirable if you are planning a scuba or snorkelling trip, for example with Kay Politano’s excellent ABACO ABOVE AND BELOW – see FOWL CAY REEF posts.

There’s always the Rolling Harbour beach to investigate at the Delphi Club, where there are areas of sea grass that shelter numerous small species. I haven’t yet used my little Kodak there, but I’ll get the chance in early 2012 – who knows what’s to be found? In theory you (but not me – I don’t get very far out of my depth before turning turtle) could take a Club kayak out to deeper water, which could be very interesting… Anyway, here is the review: © Trout & Salmon Magazine, reproduced without express permission  yet but in the hope that they will approve of the publicity, and not cancel my sub…

AFTERTHOUGHT: if you arrived on this page via a G**gle search for Trout & Salmon Delphi Club / Abaco / Bonefishing, and all you got ‘was a lousy camera review’, bad luck – this is the unruly younger sibling of the main DCB website, to which the correct re-directions are CLICK ===>>> DELPHI CLUB ABACO

PRAYING MANTIS FOUND AT THE DELPHI CLUB, ABACO

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Sandy Walker has emailed with some news in the “Delphi Club Creatures (Non-Guest)” category. It is the first report I have seen / heard of a sighting…

“Just thought that you might like to add the fact that there are praying mantises here on Abaco. There was one on my staircase today. 4 inches long and bright green. I did take pics but they just didn’t work as I was in a rush…”

We’ve all been there with photos and rushes, have we not? So here  is one such below  (Image credit: animals.nationalgeographic.co

                                                     

There isn’t much specific info about these in the Bahamas, let alone on Abaco, other than the fact that Eleuthera is said to resemble one. I think I’d need to have a few Kaliks first. See what you think…

Accordingto the Indolent Bloggers’ Bible (Wiki) Mantodea (or Mantises) is an order of insects with approximately 2,200 species in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats… Technically the term only refers to one family, meaning the other 14 families are not true mantids. Tough on them. The colloquial name ‘praying mantis’ is sometimes misspelled as ‘preying mantis’, since mantises are predatory. They are related to cockroaches & termites; and are not to be confused with stick/leaf insects, cicadas, grasshoppers or crickets. As if! 

GREEN TURTLE CAY, ABACO 6 WEEKS AFTER HURRICANE IRENE

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Michelle, a resident of Green Turtle Cay who contacted me just after Irene had hit, has emailed this update of the situation there. I’m still getting searches from people asking for news on GTC, so I’m posting this now – there may be some images to add in due course. I have a feeling that many people outside Abaco / Bahamas have no idea that the comms are still down over many areas 6 weeks later, and that the great repair and clean up continues

“Thankfully everyone is fine except for the continuous cleaning up and trying to restore the phone service.  I hear BATELNET has been sold by the gov. So there is now one hapless phone line repairman scampering around trying to get all the lines drained of water and serviceable… Irene came in on both sides and on high tide (as usual… remember Floyd?). It would have been good to have been able to receive news in the US while Irene was approaching the chain, but typical that unless it directly concerns [the US], you have to have other news sources. The patience of Bahamians is simply amazing!”

Although I have stood down from temporary hurricane-watch commentary, I will continue to post with news from individual areas for as long as I am getting online queries. All credit to WordPress for the detailed daily stats breakdowns…

 ©rh

BAHAMAS WORLD CUP DARTS 2011 TEAM RESULTS

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Click Board for World Cup Darts 2011 Results

The World Cup is over, with England cleaning up in almost every arrows category. The Bahamas teams were up against the cream of world’s oche-meisters, and although none progressed to the final stages both Robin Albury and his partner got through to the last 32 in the men’s pairs; and Trudy Johnson made the last 32 in the women’s singles.

Overall, the Bahamas men finished at 29 out of 38 participating countries; and the Bahamas women at 18 out of 30. A moment spent looking at the competing countries and simply comparing populations indicates that the Bahamas teams made an excellent showing on the world stage. And let’s hope they all enjoyed the craic while they were in Ireland…

And if you are getting a weird ad for some kind of cosmetic witchery here, apologies. I’ve no idea what it’s doing, and it’s not the usual Google-based blurb… I’m hoping it will just vanish suddenly. Or the whole blog will.

                                                                             

 

WORLD DARTS FEDERATION WORLD CUP: SUPPORT BAHAMAS!

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                                                                                                                   GOOD LUCK TO ROBIN AND THE TEAM 

This post has little – ok, nothing at all – to do with wildlife on Abaco. It’s just a reminder of an imminent international event I posted about a while ago. Robin Albury (renowned and excellent Abaco and Delphi Club fishing guide) and his team-mates will be battling it out at Castlebar, Rep. of Ireland from behind the OCHE for the Darts World Cup between Sept 20 – 24                                                            For  web-link & team details CLICK LOGO===>>>       Continue reading →