PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2007-04-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

"An impression of mystery and the unmeasurable power of nature is everywhere.
Other than the corners on the coastline that provide shelter, out of the sea,
all there is are the mysterious and wide hazy valleys that reach up to the glaciers in the mountain range,

the marshes where one sinks and the inaccessible summits.
Everything in Western Patagonia shows excessive grandeur and mystery
in a too overwhelming proportion."

Joseph Emperaire's
Nomads of the Sea

INTRODUCTION

Western Patagonia represents more than one third of the coastline of Chile’s continental territory, and is one of the main distinct features of the Chilean sea, which makes it clearly stand out from the rest of the coast of South America.

Within this region, the stretch that goes between the Golfo de Penas (Gulf of Pains) and the western access of the Magellan Straits is one of the most unknown and uninhabited zones in the World.

Among the most important aspects that determine the condition mentioned above are the countless obstacles the area poses to navigation, the Northern and Southern Ice fields on the East, which make any attempt to reach it by land impossible; a coastline of cliffs consisting of bare granite or covered by tundra and a compact jungle; permanent rain, which makes this territory one of the rainiest in the World; and principally, the violence of the winds, which has made tempests in this region renowned World-wide.

The Transpatagonia Expedition, in collaboration with several institutions that are linked to environmental research and conservation of this section of the Chilean Patagonia, will be devoted, for five months, to the scientific exploration of Western Patagonia's maritime, lacustrian, fluvial, ground and glaciers areas.

By using a voyage kayak as the main means of transport, and resorting to other sporting disciplines, a 2,039 Km. long stretch of territory will be covered, while penetrating uncharted, unexplored and highly difficult access zones.

Together with contributing to the increase of the existing knowledge of those areas, this expedition will collaborate to communicational projects associated to Transpatagonia Expedition. Such communicational projects aim to the diffusion of the knowledge about Western Patagonia, boosting its economic activity and the protection of its ecosystems.

EXPEDITION OBJECTIVES

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Increase of the existing knowledge about Western Patagonia.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1.- Increasing the geographical knowledge of Western Patagonia.
2.- Increasing the historical and anthropological knowledge of Western Patagonia.
3.- Increasing the geological knowledge of Western Patagonia.
4.- Increasing the ecological knowledge of Western Patagonia.

EXPEDITION ACTIVITIES IN ORDER TO REACH THESE OBJECTIVES

According to the first specific objective: Increasing the geographical knowledge of Western Patagonia.

1.- First exploration activities in Western Patagonia.

a.- First ground explorations:

• First exploration and crossing of the isthmus between San Nicolas and Pulpo fjords.
• First exploration and crossing of the isthmus between North Inlet and Adelaida fjord.
• First exploration and crossing of the isthmus between Lamero fjord and Barros Luco bay.
• First exploration of Ofqui isthmus Western bank, a route which was used by the Kaweshkar during thousands of years and by the Wager frigate shipwreck during the first half of the 18th Century.
• First exploration of Ofqui isthmus between the two lakes in front of San Quintín glacier.
• First inland exploration of Javier island.
• First inland exploration of the North and South West bank at Barros Luco bay.
• First exploration of the mountain range between Greve lake East bank and Southern Ice Field.

b.- First lake explorations:

• Greve lake first navigation and first exploration of its East bank.
• First navigation and exploration of the nameless lakes under the front of Benito glacier at Southern Ice Field.
• First navigation of a nameless lake between Exmouth fjord and Captain plateau at Southern Ice Field.
• First latitudinal crossing of Presidente Ríos lake, a route which was used by the Kaweshkar and Wager frigate shipwreck during the first half of the 18th Century. Third navigation and exploration of the lake Drain Inlet, after Juan Augusto Grosse expeditions in 1945 and Francisco Gedda in 1993, in spite of the possible intrusion of cypresses felling at the beginning of the 20th Century, of which no records or reliable evidence are available.

c.- First fluvial explorations:

• First navigation and exploration of a nameless river which flows from the Northern Ice Field to San Esteban gulf.
• First complete navigation and exploration of a nameless river which flows from San Quintín glacier to San Tadeo river.
• First navigation and exploration of Nevado river, which flows from a lake under the front of San Quintín glacier to San Esteban gulf.
• First navigation and exploration of Mañiguales river, which flows from the interior of Taitao peninsula to San Esteban gulf, a route which was used by the Kaweshkar and Wager frigate shipwreck during the first half of the 18th Century.

d.- First glacial explorations:

• First exploration of Brüggen glacier North front.
• First exploration of Benito glacier front at Southern Ice Field.

e.- First ascensions:

• First ascension of Vertical mount.
• First ascension of Abril mount.
• First ascension of a nameless mount on the East bank of Greve lake.
• First ascension of Javier island higher summit.

f.- First spelean explorations:

The expedition will explore the unknown calcareous universe of the North area of Madre de Dios island, covering part of the Southernmost caves system in the World.

The expedition, ascending the coastal cliff, travelling 74 km over the karst, descending its chasms and exploring its net of underground rivers, will show an unexplored part of this huge karstic system.

g.- First submarine exploration:

The expedition will first explore the wreckage of Wager frigate, since the one performed by the Chiloé Major Sergeant in 1744, to rescue part of its artillery and equipments.

h.- First littoral explorations:

The expedition will explore extensive sectors along the shores of the canals and fjords west of Wellington island, north of the Wellington archipelago and east of the gulf of Penas114, all of them of highly difficult access and totally unexplored up to now.

2.- Provision of data for the implementation of linking routes between the Patagonic Archipelago and Southern Ice field.

The expedition will gather information on penetration route feasibility along the Exmouth fjord into the upper sector of the Brüggen glacier and the Captain's plateau of Southern Ice Field.

In relation to the second specific objective: To increase the historical and anthropologic knowledge of Western Patagonia.

1.- Provision of data for the knowledge of the naval history of the Patagonic archipelago.

The expedition will reconstruct the history of the Wager frigate shipwreck, which occurred during the first half of the 18th century close to the Guayaneco archipelago.

Based on the narration of midshipman John Byron, and with the support of documents contemporary and subsequent to the shipwreck, the expeditionary team will dive in search of the remains of the ship and will do excursions into the Wager island in order to locate those places described in said narration.

At the lake Presidente Ríos, Policarpo inlet, Javier island and Mañiguales and Presidente Ríos rivers, the expedition will reconstruct the narration by Byron in connection with the events occurred with the survivors to the shipwreck of the Wager frigate, who were rescued an brought in canoes from Wager island to Chiloé by the Kaweshkar.

2.- Provision of data for the knowledge about the first inhabitants of Western Patagonia.

Along the whole itinerary, except for Southern Ice Field, and particularly in those unexplored spaces of the western shore of Wellington island, north of the Wellington archipelago and east of gulf of Penas, the expedition will carry out archaeological survey seeking to locate and take preliminary recordings of archaeological sites of the ancient Kaweshkar.

While moving through the inner part of the Taitao peninsula, the expedition will explore and survey the land, lake and fluvial routes which, according to the narration of midshipman John Byron, were used by the ancient kaweshkar to travel between the gulf of Penas and the archipelago of the Chonos.

Going up the canals and fjords of the east shore of the gulf of Penas, the expedition will explore and survey land and maritime routes which were probably used by the ancient Kaweshkar to travel between the latitudes of the Guayaneco archipelago and the peninsula of Taitao, thus avoiding navigating across the gulf of Penas.

While exploring the Guayaneco archipelago, Policarpo inlet, Javier island and the peninsula of Taitao, the expedition will explore, locate and conduct observations over the sites described in the journey chronicles by Jesuit priest José García Alsué and those of midshipman John Byron -both of them dating from 18th century- in order to determine the geographical contexts in which those anthropological descriptions gathered in said relations took place.

Given the existing similarities between the displacement movements of this expedition and those of the Kaweshkar's, the expedition will emulate the displacement dynamics of the Kaweshkar along the whole itinerary. By doing so data will be gathered in order to inductively reconstruct the routes and displacement dynamics of this canoeist group.

The archaeological surveys will be carried out with the scientific advising from the Department of Anthropology of the Social Sciences Faculty of the University of Chile. The information that is gathered will be used to support various lines of research of said Department. Said information will also be used for the archaeological study on the origins of the maritime adaptations in this zone, which is being developed by the Centre for the Studies on the Austral Man (Patagonia Institute), the Area of Human Settling of the Quaternary Research Centre of Fuego-Patagonia and Chilean Antarctica from the University of Magallanes, and the team belonging to the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS, France) headed by archaeologist Dominique Legoupil.

In relation to the third specific objective: To increase the geological knowledge of Western Patagonia.

1.- Provision of data for the knowledge of the geological history of Western Patagonia.

The expedition will carry out a rocks sampling plan in various sectors of the Patagonian archipelago, in the fjords of the east shore of gulf of Penas and in the vicinity of lakes Greve and Presidente Ríos, in order to obtain information as to the Jurassic-Cretaceous geological history of Western Patagonia.

Under co-ordination of Rodrigo Fernández, geologist (MSC) and scientist responsible for the expedition, the geological samples will be analysed by the Geology Department of Physics and Mathematics Sciences Faculty of the University of Chile. Professor (PhD) Francisco Hervé (Geology Department, University of Chile) and researcher (PhD) Juan P. Lacassie (Geology Department, Rand Afrikaans University, South Africa) will collaborate with the expedition as scientific advisors for these studies.

2.- Provision of data for the knowledge of the climatic history of Western Patagonia.

By means of stratigraphy tools and of glacier and littoral geomorphology, the expedition will gather information about the climatic history of Western Patagonia; particularly as to the climatic evolution of this territory during the Pleistocene high-Holocene period.

The obtained information will be used to support research lines that seek to quantize the human influence in the Global Climatic Change. At present, said research lines are limited due to different uncertainties in relation to the natural origin of this phenomenon, particularly as far as the magnitude and the natural long term climatic change ability patterns is concerned.

The difference between the natural and anthropogenic influences in the Global Climatic Change becomes relevant for the forecasting of this phenomenon's potential effects.

In relation to the fourth specific objective: To increase the ecological knowledge about Western Patagonia.

1.- Provision of data for the ecological history knowledge of Western Patagonia.

The expedition will perform surveys regarding the exploitation of the Cypress of the Guaitecas carried out during the 19th century in the peninsula of Taitao. Information will be gathered about the progress of the exploitation works down to the Presidente Ríos lake shore by locating, positioning and photographic recording of parts of the forest that may have been exploited.

These surveys will be used to support researches on the history of the patagonian forests, which are being conducted by the Area of Ecological History of the Department of Historic Sciences of the University of Chile's Humanities and Philosophy Faculty in conjunction with the Ancient Forest Organisation - Chile.

2.- Provision of data for the knowledge of the maritime ecosystems in Western Patagonia.

Along the whole itinerary the expedition will collect data about the sea mammals population for the region's record on wild life, particularly at Bernardo O'Higgins and San Rafael's lagoon National Parks, and Katalalixar National Reservation.

The information that is gathered will be passed on to the CONAF's Department of Wild Patrimony, which is a governmental office in charge of the records and protection of this region's wild life.

III.- OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNICATIONAL PROJECTS ASSOCIATED TO THE EXPEDITION GENERAL OBJECTIVES

1.- Diffusion of the knowledge on Western Patagonia.
2.- Boosting of the economic activity in Western Patagonia by touristically promoting the zone.
3.- Fostering the protection of Western Patagonia’s ecosystems.

ACTIONS BY THE EXPEDITION AND THOSE ASSOCIATED COMMUNICATIONAL COMPANIES IN ORDER TO ATTAIN SAID OBJECTIVES

In relation to the first objective: Diffusion of the knowledge on Western Patagonia.

1.- Production of a documentary.

In order to promote Western Patagonia the production of a 50 minute documentary is considered.

The documentary will be done during the two first stages of the expedition which, by covering Patagonia’s western territory transversally, will allow to reconstruct a total portrait of the geographic diversity of this territory, whose general features replicate along its uniform shape.

Together with offering a total portrait of the zone, the expedition will experience a close interaction with the natural phenomena in the area due to the special modes it will use for travelling, which will also allow a deep portrait of Western Patagonia.

This audio-visual project associated to the expedition will be developed by Nueva Imagen S.A. Audio-visual Producer.

2.- Construction of a website.

Also, as a communicational project associated to the expedition the creation of a website is considered. The developments of the expedition will be immediately published at this website, in English and Spanish. The expedition will send daily reports and photographs, via satellital e-mail, on the events through the journey throughout the itinerary.

The team in charge of the website will publish the material the expedition sends to the site; and information related to the moments and contingency of the expedition such as: maps of the area being visited currently, weather and hydrographic information, flora and fauna and the historic events occurred in the zone, plus other details concerning the current progress of the itinerary.

Once the expedition is over, the website will constitute a space to divulge the research developed by this expedition or supported by it.

The design, construction, management and financing of said website will be carried out and conducted by communicational consulting company Coffee Break Limitada.

3.- Exhibitions, conferences and publications

The outcomes of this expedition will have ample diffusion through specialised magazines, newspapers reports, travelling exhibitions and conferences.

The final report on the researches carried out by the expedition will be published and distributed, free of cost, among the members of the national scientific community and different national libraries and libraries abroad.

In relation to the second general objective: Boosting of the economic activity in Western Patagonia by touristically promoting the zone.

1.- Production of instruments to boost tourism in the area.

By providing a deep and total vision of Western Patagonia, the different mass media used by the expedition will also become efficient instruments to boost tourism in the zone, both domestically and abroad, and will help show Western Patagonia as an integral and unitary concept, a place where tourism is a unique form of experiencing nature as opposed to showing information about one to go to.

An impulse in the touristic activity in Western Patagonia will be directly beneficial for the Kaweshkar community living in Puerto Edén -a must for the development of any activity in the zone- and will allow these people to develop a sustainable activity, both economically and environmentally, in the long run.

2.- Publication of a collection of charts for voyage kayaking in the Patagonian Archipelago.

The Chilean Patagonia has extraordinary conditions for voyage kayaking. Its fabulous scenic beauty, remote and untouched, make it a privileged place to develop this activity.
In order to provide an efficient instrument to foster voyage kayaking in our territory, this project considers the creation of a collection of charts for navigation thus contributing with relevant information for those wanting to do this sport in Western Patagonia.

The course which will be titled "THE KAWESHKAR ROUTE", will allow the tourism-adventure operators in the austral fjords, and to all those wanting to take an adventure trip along the austral fjords and channels, to adequately plan a voyage in a sea-kayak from Puerto Edén following the itinerary of this expedition.

The fostering voyage kayaking in Western Patagonia intends that it becomes an instrument for development for the Kaweshkar community of Puerto Edén, which is capable of repositioning canoeing as a component of their cultural identity.

In relation to the third general objective: Fostering the protection of Western Patagonia’s ecosystems.

1.- Fostering of Tourism.

By highlighting the enormous touristic potential of Western Patagonia, this project will contribute to create awareness regarding the importance of protecting its ecosystems and to prevent it becomes polluted.

2.- Minimum impact on the environment during the development of the expedition.

The expedition will try to cause the minimum impact on the spaces and ecosystems existing along its itinerary by preventing any action that may mean to pollute them or interfere with them in whatever form.

The spreading of this conservationist discipline will contribute to foster an appropriate environmentalist ethics which is favourable for the protection of those spaces and ecosystems.

INCOGNITO PATAGONIA

PROJECT DESCRIPTION