Maskelyne Islands | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 16°30′S167°50′E / 16.500°S 167.833°E | |
Country | Vanuatu |
Province | Malampa Province |
Population (2009) | |
• Total | 1,022 |
Time zone | UTC+11 (VUT) |
The Maskelyne Islands, often abbreviated as the Maskelynes, are a small chain of low islands that forms part of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. Among the islands are Awei, Avock, Leumanang, Uluveo, and Vulai. Uluveo (also called Maskelyne) is the main island in the group and has three villages. [1]
The islands lie at the southeastern end of Malakula, which is the second-largest island in the nation of Vanuatu. They were named by Captain Cook after the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne as he sailed north from Port Resolution on Tanna in HMS Resolution in late 1774. [2]
The Maskelyne islands are relatively well-inhabited, (1,022 by 2009). [3] which is considered to have historical reasons in part that life on the islands provided protection from attacks by mainland tribes which were not good seafarers, and thus had trouble reaching the island chain. However, the island chain also went through a variety of cycles of population and depopulation (causes not given in reference). [4]
The area is rich with fish and sharks, [5] and Lonely Planet describes the Maskelynes as 'just gorgeous' and recommends them for snorkelling and diving opportunities—though warning of strong currents between the islands. [6] However, as of the late 2000s, there was little tourism in the area, being a very remote part of Vanuatu. [7]
The islands have very little modern infrastructure, even for the local Pacific island environment, though the Vanuatu government and various aid agencies have cooperated with locals to assist some smaller local schools and health facilities. [7]
Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is an island country in Melanesia, located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 km (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji.
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The Mamanuca Islands of Fiji are a volcanic archipelago lying to the west of Nadi and to the south of the Yasawa Islands. The group, a popular tourist destination, consists of about 20 islands, but about seven of these are covered by the Pacific Ocean at high tide.
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Bob Halstead, has made significant contributions to the sport of scuba diving in a multitude of capacities: photographer, author of eight diving books, early innovator in the development of dive tourism, pioneer in the dive liveaboard industry, diving instructor and educator, marine-life explorer and influential diving industry commentator. An ardent diver since 1968, Halstead has over 10,000 logged dives.
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Varo is a small uninhabited island in the Malampa Province of Vanuatu.
Uluveo Island is a small, inhabited island in Malampa Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. Uluveo is a part of the Maskelyne Islands archipelago.
Vulaï is a small inhabited island in Malampa Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. It is a part of the Maskelyne Islands archipelago. The island is also known as Harper Island.
Awei is a small uninhabited island in Malampa Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. It is a part of the Maskelyne Islands archipelago.
Leumanang is a small uninhabited island in the Malampa Province of Vanuatu. Leumanang is a part of the Maskelyne group off south Malekula.
Dany Island is a tropical island in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean.The island is privately owned and run as a tourist resort for snorkeling, scuba diving, beach bar and grill, surfing, and deep-sea fishing.
The Malakula languages are a group of Central Vanuatu languages spoken on Malakula Island in central Vanuatu. Unlike some earlier classifications, linguist and Oceanic languages specialist John Lynch (2016) considered the Malakula languages to form a coherent group.
Naval Advance Base Espiritu Santo or Naval Base Espiritu Santo, most often just called Espiritu Santo, was a major advance Naval base that the U.S. Navy Seabees built during World War II to support the Allied effort in the Pacific. The base was located on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. The base also supported the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and US Marine Corps. It was the first large advance base built in the Pacific. By the end of the war it had become the second-largest base in the theater. To keep ships tactically available there was a demand for bases that could repair and resupply the fleet at advance locations, rather than return them to the United States. Prior to December 7th, Pearl Harbor was the U.S. fleet's largest advance base in the Pacific. Espiritu became capable of all aspects necessary to support the Fleet's operations from fleet logistics in fuel, food, and ammunition, to transport embarkation for combat operations or returning to the continental United States. The ship repair facilities and drydocks were capable of attending to most damage and routine maintenance. Had it not existed, ships would have had to return to Pearl Harbor, Brisbane, or Sydney for major repairs and resupply. The base became a major R and R destination for the fleet.