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Mapping the Unknown: Early Nineteenth Century Hydrographic Surveys in the Archipelago of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina (Western Caribbean)- A GIS Cartographic Assessment

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Abstract

In the early nineteenth century, the Western Caribbean, particularly the Archipelago of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina, became the focal point of ambitious hydrographic surveys. Despite the region's rich maritime heritage, challenges posed by complex geomorphology, frequent hurricanes, and cold fronts led to historical charting inadequacies, turning the Archipelago into a perilous ship trap. This study delves into the Spanish Armada (1804–05) and the Royal Navy (1833–36) hydrographic surveys to interpret the Maritime Cultural Landscape (MCL) of the archipelago. The importance of the archipelago as a link between South America, the Isthmus of Panama, Havana (Cuba), and Europe highlights the significance of these surveys. A comparative analysis of the Spanish and British methods offers insights into their strategies amid the perilous survey environment. While integration of Spanish nautical information into the British survey is evident, it culminated in the wreck of HMS Jackdaw, illustrating mapping expedition complexities. This paper also evaluates the accuracy of British cartography using Geographic Information System (GIS) methodologies. By overlaying the 1835 Old Providence Island chart onto contemporary 2021 cartography, we showcase the standards and precision of British surveys through an analysis of coastline and hydrographic soundings. Personal memoirs, official records, and descriptive accounts weave the narrative of the rich MCL, emphasizing its historical importance, the region's maritime identity, and the intertwining of environmental factors and cultural heritage.

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Data Availability

All data are available from the corresponding author on request.

Change history

  • 24 January 2024

    The original article has been updated due to the missing links in the reference citations Anderson 2019:49, Herrera y Tordesillas 1601, Valverde de Mercad 1607, De Córdoba 1792, Nautical Magazine 1834:179, 1839:267, 731–733, 735, 1844:669–671, 1849:179, Owen 1838:104-105, Nautical Memoir 1838, On the Island of Old Providence (1837), Domínguez et al. 2012.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their deepest gratitude to the anonymous referees for their insightful and valuable comments, which have helped us significantly improve the quality of this article.

Funding

This research was funded by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea, grant number: NRF-2018S1A6A3A01081098.

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  1. Barcelona, Spain

    William Gomez Pretel

  2. Exploraciones Oceánicas de Colombia (EXOCOL), Cartagena, Colombia

    Carlos Alberto Andrade Amaya

  3. Division of Navigation Convergence, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, Korea

    Moon-Soo Jeong

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Gomez Pretel, W., Andrade Amaya, C.A. & Jeong, MS. Mapping the Unknown: Early Nineteenth Century Hydrographic Surveys in the Archipelago of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina (Western Caribbean)- A GIS Cartographic Assessment. Int J Histor Archaeol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10761-023-00717-3

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