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Berkeley Observatory |
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Astronomy in the 21st Century |
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Fuerteventura & The SS American Star |
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In 2002 my wife took me on my first trip to Fuerteventura. This is one of the ’less touristy’ islands in the Canary Island group and is easily accessible from our local airport in Bristol. These islands lie off the North-West coast of Africa. Not only is the island good for astronomy, but has one other interesting feature……. |
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The 26,353 ton SS American Star was built in 1940. In January 1994. She was under tow when she broke free from her tow lines during a storm. The ship grounded off the West Coast of Fuerteventura. Before she could be salvaged the vessel broke in two. The ship was declared a loss.
The ship was launched by Eleanor Roosevelt, as a replacement for the Leviathan as the queen of the American Merchant Marine and entered cruise service for United States Lines as the SS America. Soon after launch she was requisitioned for trooping duty as the USS West Point. As a troop carrier she carried thousands of troops in convoy with the other great liners of the era until end of the war. Immediately following the war, she was assigned the duty of repatriation. Rechristened America, she entered transatlantic service in 1946. In 1952, she was joined by the larger, faster United States. |
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The trip to the SS American Star is a drive along a desolate and tricky ten kilometre dirt road off FV-605 which ends at the Playa de Garcey. The dirt road to the coast is indicated by a red, dotted line. |
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In 1963, ship was sold to Chandris Lines and became the Australis and used for the UK-to-Australia emigrant service. Australis was also occasionally diverted to cruising, and finally retired from the fleet in 1977. She was laid up in New Zealand.
Over the next few years she was sold, resold and renamed. In 1978 She was renamed SS America, in 1979 she became the Italis, then the Noga and finally Alferdoss. She was sold again in 1993 and re-named SS American Star. She was under tow to her new owners in Thailand in 1994 was she was grounded.
Shortly after the grounding, the liner was pillaged by the locals of all fittings, art, brass, and removable wood, and the stern section began a gradual collapse into the sea. The bow section has held on, defying the elements to this day. |