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Being there...
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Like a trail of jeweled tears flowing straight into the heart of the Indian Ocean, the island chain forming the Maldives and Lakshadweep arrives at the Chagos - held afloat in the sea like the saphire-blue Hope Diamond ripped from the heart of the Indian sub-continent, it rises.
-anon. 1971
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Being there...
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DGA1 - "Blue Lagoon"
Coconut-eye view across South Basin to 'Turtle Cove' and the barachois.
DGA2 - "Another Day in Paradise"
Limited access lagoonal beach.
DGA3 - "Cultured Chaos"
A wild riot of beach and plantation foliage.
DGA6 - "Whirling and Wheeling above the Breakers"
Surf breaking over algal ridge, Simpson Point.
DGA7 - "A Booby Above"
A masked booby (Sula dactylatra) soars overhead.
DGA11 - "Palatine domesticus: Sentry at the Entry"
Like the loricated Red Knight, a large crab guards its home.
Like the loricated Red Knight, a large crab guards its home.
DGA13 - "United States Navy Support Facility"
Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory - Chagos
Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory - Chagos
Sigmund: 'Though seas of silver and sands of gold thou bade in barter, thy boon were vain! To my hand made, for me destined, I sell no sword to Siggeir ever.'
- The Lay of the Volsungs,
The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun
DGA16 - "Pacific Marlin"
The fisheries patrol vessel for Chagos Archipelago and vicinity.
The fisheries patrol vessel for Chagos Archipelago and vicinity.
About the Chagos and the Chagossians:
In 1968 the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean became independent, no longer a colony of Britain. Though formerly part of Mauritius, the Chagos Archipelago remained in the British Overseas Territories system and was renamed "the British Indian Ocean Territory" (BIOT). In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the inhabitants of the Chagos islands were deported as part of the development of the US Navy base located on the southernmost and largest island in the group, the singularly enclosed atoll of Diego Garcia. On April 1, 2010, with encouragement and approval of a US State Department interested in keeping the islands uninhabited, the creation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) was announced.
DGA19 - "Remains"
Remains of the old plantation dock - supplies arrived, copra shipped, a people deported.
Remains of the old plantation dock - supplies arrived, copra shipped, a people deported.
DGA20 - "Plantation House"
The old plantation administration building, Diego Garcia, Chagos (2004).
The old plantation administration building, Diego Garcia, Chagos (2004).
DGA23 - "Reclamation"
Verdant island vegetation reclaims real-estate unused since the islanders were exiled.
Verdant island vegetation reclaims real-estate unused since the islanders were exiled.
DGA26 - "Rusting Testament"
Stone pillars and rusting posts stand at the plantation, Diego Garcia (2004).
Stone pillars and rusting posts stand at the plantation, Diego Garcia (2004).
DGA29 - "Waiting"
Descendants of domestics left behind linger at the old copra plantation.
“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”
― Bob Marley
