Open any nineteenth century navigational chart of the Atlantic Ocean and what is immediately apparent is the proliferation of rocks, shoals, islands and other hazards that litter almost every corner of the ocean. Known to seamen as 'vigias', these were dangers whose existence rested on authentic, documented sightings. Yet amazingly none of these supposed hazards had any real existence. What is the story behind these mysterious vigias? Raymond Howgego offers a unique study of this intriguing phenomenon. He identifies more than three hundred such vigias, providing exact locations, details of their original discovery and those who discovered them, as well as Admiralty expeditions despatched to investigate them.
Based upon extensive personal research of every known Atlantic chart, original logs, nautical journals and directories, together with multilingual sources, and with an annotated critical bibliography, the result is a compelling account of an intriguing phenomenon of geographical discovery, maritime history and nautical culture.
By:
Ray Howgego
Imprint: I.B. Tauris
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 244mm,
Width: 172mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 757g
ISBN: 9781784530075
ISBN 10: 1784530077
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 11 June 2016
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Illusory dangers of the Atlantic Ocean The likely causes of deception Units of measurement Coordinate systems Dates and scope of the volume Principal printed sources Origin and history of the word vigia Acknowledgments Encyclopedia of Atlantic vigias Androher Bank (41?????56’ 08” N, 16?41’ W) 1839,1841 . . Diego Alvarez Island (38? S, 10? W) 1505,1732 . . Daedalus Rock (36?30’ N, 9?16’ W) 1813,1821,1839 . . Leontina Breakers (38?27’ N, 37?57’10” W) 1846 . . Saint Helena Nova (15? S, 3? E) 1630, 1652 . . Sevilla Rock (61?28’ S, 23?41’ W) 1928 . . Vankeullen’s Vigia (31?40’ N, 38?10’ W) ca. 1730 . . Woodall’s Rock (43?20’ N, 25?10’W) 1829 Illustrations and Charts Index of sailors, captains and naval officers Index of ships
Ray Howgego is a traveller and writer who has journeyed extensively in Europe, China, the Middle East, Central Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North Africa, East and West Africa, South America (from the Amazon to Cape Horn), Iceland and many oceanic islands. He has been consultant to National Geographic magazine and to a number of TV documentaries and film series. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society his books include The Book of Exploration (2009), the five-volume reference Encyclopedia of Exploration (2013), and he was Consultant Editor for the Illustrated Atlas of Exploration (2011). He is an officer of the Hakluyt Society and principal editor of its journal.
