Mocha Island (Spanish: Isla Mocha[ˈislaˈmotʃa]) is a Chilean island located west of the coast of Arauco Province in the Pacific Ocean. It is approximately 48 km2 (19 sq mi) in area, with a chain of mountains running north–south. Mocha Island National Reserve covers approximately 45% of its surface. The island is the location of numerous historic shipwrecks. In Mapuche mythology, the souls of dead people travel west to visit this island.
The Pacific degu (Octodon pacificus), also known as the Mocha Island degu, a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae, is endemic to Mocha Island. The waters off the island are a popular place for recreational sea fishing.
Geologically, the island is made of sedimentary rockstratum of Ranquil Formation, a formation whose main outcrops lie in the continent.[1] The island was permanently uplifted as result of the 2010 Chile earthquake but this uplift was less than in the adjacent coast where Tirúa had the largest uplift of all the coast.[2] The existence of a splay fault called Tirúa-Mocha Fault may explain the different behaviour of Mocha Island relative to the mainland during this earthquake.[2]
Historyedit
Depiction of Isla Mocha during an incursion by a Dutch pirate fleet in 1616. From the book that narrates the adventures of Dutch pirate Joris van Spilbergen.
The island was historically inhabited by an indigenous coastal population of Mapuches known as the Lafkenches. The first European to document Mocha was Juan Bautista Pastene on September 10, 1544, who named it Isla de San Nicolas de Tolentino.
Mocha Island was regularly visited by pirates and privateers from the Netherlands and England. Francis Drake and Olivier van Noort are known to have used the island as a supply base. When Drake was visiting it during his circumnavigation of the globe he was seriously hurt by its Mapuche inhabitants. Richard Hawkins, Drake's cousin, also passed with his ship the Dainty. In 1685, the Mapuche were transported by Governor José de Garro to a reducción on the plain on the right bank of the Bio Bio River called the Valley of Mocha that later became the location of the modern city of Concepción, Chile.
The waters off the island were inhabited by sperm whale, including Mocha Dick, who was depicted by American explorer and author Jeremiah N. Reynolds in his published account, "Mocha Dick: Or The White Whale of the Pacific: A Leaf from a Manuscript Journal" in May, 1839 in The Knickerbocker magazine in New York.[4] Mocha Dick was one of the inspirations for the fictional whale Moby Dick in the 1851 novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.[5]
Carahue coastal area with Mocha Island in the distance
Polynesian contactedit
In December 2007 several human skulls with Polynesian features, such as a pentagonal shape when viewed from behind, were found lying on a shelf in a museum in Concepción. These skulls originated from Mocha Island.[6]
Referencesedit
^García A., Floreal (1968). Ceccioni, Giovanni (ed.). El Terciario de Chile Zona Central (in Spanish). Santiago de Chile: Ediorial Andrés Bello. pp. 25–57.
^ abQuezada, Jorge; Jaque, Edilia; Catalán, Nicole; Belmonte, Arturo; Fernández, Alfonso; Isla, Federico (2020). "Unexpected coseismic surface uplift at Tirúa-Mocha Island area of south Chile before and during the Mw 8.8 Maule 2010 earthquake: a possible upper plate splay fault". Andean Geology. 47 (2). National Geology and Mining Service: 295. doi:10.5027/andgeoV47n2-3057. hdl:11336/128966.
^The Geographical, Natural and Civil History of Chili, Pages 15 and 16, Volume II
^J. N. Reynolds. "Mocha Dick: or the White Whale of the Pacific: A Leaf from a Manuscript Journal," The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. Vol. 13, No. 5, May 1839, pp. 377–392.
^Lawler, Andrew (June 11, 2010). "Beyond Kon-Tiki: Did Polynesians Sail to South America?". Science. 328 (5984): 1344–1347. Bibcode:2010Sci...328.1344L. doi:10.1126/science.328.5984.1344. PMID 20538927.
Sourcesedit
Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile, SEGUNDA EDICIÓN CORREGIDA Y AUMENTADA, NUEVA YORK, D. APPLETON Y COMPAÑÍA. 1899. pg. 449–450 Mocha (Isla de)
External linksedit
Media related to Isla Mocha at Wikimedia Commons
Mocha Island travel guide from Wikivoyage
January 01, 1970
mocha, island, spanish, isla, mocha, ˈisla, ˈmotʃa, chilean, island, located, west, coast, arauco, province, pacific, ocean, approximately, area, with, chain, mountains, running, north, south, national, reserve, covers, approximately, surface, island, location. Mocha Island Spanish Isla Mocha ˈisla ˈmotʃa is a Chilean island located west of the coast of Arauco Province in the Pacific Ocean It is approximately 48 km2 19 sq mi in area with a chain of mountains running north south Mocha Island National Reserve covers approximately 45 of its surface The island is the location of numerous historic shipwrecks In Mapuche mythology the souls of dead people travel west to visit this island Mocha IslandNative name Isla MochaAerial view of Mocha IslandMocha IslandGeographyLocationSouth central ChileCoordinates38 21 54 S 73 54 54 W 38 36500 S 73 91500 W 38 36500 73 91500Area48 km2 19 sq mi Highest elevation300 m 1000 ft AdministrationChileRegionBio BioProvinceAraucoComunaLebuDemographicsPopulation 800Ethnic groupsChileans Mapuches The Pacific degu Octodon pacificus also known as the Mocha Island degu a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae is endemic to Mocha Island The waters off the island are a popular place for recreational sea fishing Contents 1 Geology 2 History 3 Polynesian contact 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksGeology editGeologically the island is made of sedimentary rock stratum of Ranquil Formation a formation whose main outcrops lie in the continent 1 The island was permanently uplifted as result of the 2010 Chile earthquake but this uplift was less than in the adjacent coast where Tirua had the largest uplift of all the coast 2 The existence of a splay fault called Tirua Mocha Fault may explain the different behaviour of Mocha Island relative to the mainland during this earthquake 2 History edit nbsp Depiction of Isla Mocha during an incursion by a Dutch pirate fleet in 1616 From the book that narrates the adventures of Dutch pirate Joris van Spilbergen The island was historically inhabited by an indigenous coastal population of Mapuches known as the Lafkenches The first European to document Mocha was Juan Bautista Pastene on September 10 1544 who named it Isla de San Nicolas de Tolentino According to Juan Ignacio Molina the Dutch captain Joris van Spilbergen observed the use of chilihueques a South American camelid by native Mapuches of Mocha Island as plough animals in 1614 3 Mocha Island was regularly visited by pirates and privateers from the Netherlands and England Francis Drake and Olivier van Noort are known to have used the island as a supply base When Drake was visiting it during his circumnavigation of the globe he was seriously hurt by its Mapuche inhabitants Richard Hawkins Drake s cousin also passed with his ship the Dainty In 1685 the Mapuche were transported by Governor Jose de Garro to a reduccion on the plain on the right bank of the Bio Bio River called the Valley of Mocha that later became the location of the modern city of Concepcion Chile The waters off the island were inhabited by sperm whale including Mocha Dick who was depicted by American explorer and author Jeremiah N Reynolds in his published account Mocha Dick Or The White Whale of the Pacific A Leaf from a Manuscript Journal in May 1839 in The Knickerbocker magazine in New York 4 Mocha Dick was one of the inspirations for the fictional whale Moby Dick in the 1851 novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville 5 nbsp Carahue coastal area with Mocha Island in the distancePolynesian contact editIn December 2007 several human skulls with Polynesian features such as a pentagonal shape when viewed from behind were found lying on a shelf in a museum in Concepcion These skulls originated from Mocha Island 6 References edit Garcia A Floreal 1968 Ceccioni Giovanni ed El Terciario de Chile Zona Central in Spanish Santiago de Chile Ediorial Andres Bello pp 25 57 a b Quezada Jorge Jaque Edilia Catalan Nicole Belmonte Arturo Fernandez Alfonso Isla Federico 2020 Unexpected coseismic surface uplift at Tirua Mocha Island area of south Chile before and during the Mw 8 8 Maule 2010 earthquake a possible upper plate splay fault Andean Geology 47 2 National Geology and Mining Service 295 doi 10 5027 andgeoV47n2 3057 hdl 11336 128966 The Geographical Natural and Civil History of Chili Pages 15 and 16 Volume II J N Reynolds Mocha Dick or the White Whale of the Pacific A Leaf from a Manuscript Journal The Knickerbocker or New York Monthly Magazine Vol 13 No 5 May 1839 pp 377 392 Delbanco Andrew Melville His World and Work New York Alfred A Knopf 2005 167 168 ISBN 0 375 40314 0 Lawler Andrew June 11 2010 Beyond Kon Tiki Did Polynesians Sail to South America Science 328 5984 1344 1347 Bibcode 2010Sci 328 1344L doi 10 1126 science 328 5984 1344 PMID 20538927 Sources editFrancisco Solano Asta Buruaga y Cienfuegos Diccionario geografico de la Republica de Chile SEGUNDA EDICIoN CORREGIDA Y AUMENTADA NUEVA YORK D APPLETON Y COMPANIA 1899 pg 449 450 Mocha Isla de External links edit nbsp Media related to Isla Mocha at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Mocha Island travel guide from Wikivoyage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mocha Island amp oldid 1218652156, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
