Mythical Islands Appear Every 7 Years
Tales of Myth, Deception, and Intrigue
The island known as Hy Brazil may not ring a bell when it comes to vacation brochures. It resides in the realm of myth and reality, intriguing some with its existence and baffling others with its elusiveness. Throughout history, both travelers' accounts and ancient Irish legends have mentioned this enigmatic island, often considered the Irish counterpart of Atlantis. Hy Brazil, also known by various other names, derives its most famous name from Prisaw, a prominent figure in Celtic folklore. Maps dating back to 1325 have depicted its location, with one placing it west of Ireland and subsequent charts indicating it to be southwest of Galway Bay.
What adds to the mystery are two separate voyagers who claim to have discovered Hy Brazil. Astonishingly, they returned with strikingly similar descriptions of the island, which they christened the "promised land." A Catalan map from around 1480 further validates its existence by positioning the island southwest of Ireland. However, the most bewildering aspect is the depiction of Hy Brazil on maps as a perfect circle with a semi-circular channel at its center. Despite two explorers claiming to have walked its shores in separate instances to determine its boundaries, they failed to find its end. One can only speculate that they were likely caught in a loop, walking in circles even if the island had once existed.
One notable encounter with Hy Brazil occurred in 1674 when British captain John Nesbitt of Killibegs and his crew found themselves dangerously close to the island after sailing through an unexpected fog. After anchoring their ship nearby, four crew members ventured ashore and spent an entire day on Hy Brazil. They even returned with silver and gold given to them by an old man residing on the island. Legend has it that another sighting occurred years later when a fellow encountered an old man who claimed to have been to Hy Brazil himself. It remains a possibility that this old man could be the same person from the previous account. He reminisced about spending a couple of days relaxing on the island and glimpsing familiar sights from the west coast of Ireland.
In 1872, yet another adventurer embarked on a journey to find this elusive island. He adamantly insisted on having witnessed Hy Brazil right before his eyes. However, as quickly as it appeared, the island vanished into thin air. The debate about the island's authenticity remains unresolved, but the abundance of stories and legends surrounding it certainly ignites curiosity.
Moving on to another fictitious island, let's explore the tale of Sandy Island. This island caused quite a stir when it was discovered in 2012 that it was nothing more than a figment of our collective imagination. Despite appearing on maps, including Google Earth, Sandy Island had never been found despite years of searching. The island had been recorded by a British ship in 1876 and was even featured on a British map in 1908. However, a group of scientists from the University of Sydney took matters into their own hands to visually confirm its existence but found only open ocean at the supposed location. It is likely that the crew of the British ship had mistaken a pumice raft, a floating rock formation resulting from volcanic activity, for an island. These pumice rafts are known to drift in the area where Sandy Island was believed to be.
Now, let's delve into the story of Robert Perry and his imaginative creation of Crockerland. In an effort to gather funds for an Arctic expedition, Perry fabricated an entire island. He named it Crockerland after his friend George Crocker, who had provided financial support for one of his previous expeditions. Perry claimed to have discovered this island during his 1906 Arctic trip, but it was all a ruse to attract more investments. Surprisingly, many people fell for the hoax, and even other explorers set out in search of this nonexistent island. Maps created between 1910 and 1913 depicted Crockerland, with some circles referring to it as a whole continent. It was even dubbed the "Lost Atlantis of the North." Eventually, Perry's deception was exposed, and the truth about Crockerland was revealed.
Emerald Island, yet another mysterious entity, enjoys playing hide and seek with those who venture near Antarctica. In 1821, a man claimed to have stumbled upon an island close to Antarctica and named it Emerald Island after a ship. However, this island has a whimsical nature, disappearing at will and leaving explorers puzzled and questioning their sanity. Some insist they have seen it firsthand, while others dismiss it as mere myth. Reports vary greatly regarding its appearance, with descriptions ranging from towering mountains and cliffs to lush green forests and rolling hills. One captain even described it as small, rocky, and devoid of landing spots. Interestingly, incidents occurred where explorers believed they had discovered Emerald Island, only to realize they had mistaken an iceberg or a group of clouds for the elusive landmass.
Doherty Island enters the scene with Captain Daniel Doherty's claim of discovery during his 1841 journey from New Zealand to Canada. Several other sailors also attested to having seen the island, confirming its existence. However, when Captain Scott sailed past its supposed location in 1904, he couldn't find it anywhere. The final blow to Doherty Island's credibility came in 1931 when a joint British, Australian, and New Zealand expedition sailed to its location and failed to locate it. The commanding officer noted the absence of any island within a considerable radius, and thus, Doherty Island was removed from British maps in 1937 as if it had never existed.
These captivating tales of mythical islands remind us of the mysterious and intriguing aspects of our world. Although some islands turned out to be mere figments of the imagination, the stories and legends surrounding them continue to pique our curiosity. As we navigate through the vast ocean of information, it's always fascinating to encounter these intriguing narratives, even if they exist solely in the realm of myth and wonder.
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