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SHARKHUNTERS International
2016 Europe Expedition

Sharkhunters President HARRY  COOPER 1-LIFE-1983 spent much of June on expedition in Germany, Poland and Monte Carlo.  Follow along here and learn.
 

16EurAX2

 

No, this is not James Bond 007.  It is HARRY COOPER 1-LIFE-1983, trying very hard to look like Bond…….or maybe Bond was trying to look like COOPER.  Okay, that sounds more realistic.

There are four parts to this expedition so we will have four photos for you to click on to take you to the four parts of the expedition.  We learned a lot – come along with us.

1.  Meeting with S.E.I.G. Agent Feldwebel SCHULTZ about Antarctica – click on the photo of COOPER on your left to see what they discussed;

2.  Meeting with S.E.I.G. Agent NAVEGADOR about Antarctica;

3.  Meeting with IGOR WITKOWSKI, Member #7412 about Antarctica;

4.  Meeting with ANNET BERGEMANN, Member #8020 about Antarctica;

   

henry_the_Navigator1

 2.  Now we talk about Antarctica with S.E.I.G. Agent NAVEGADOR.

Click on this photo for more information.

We will be uploading photos daily so please check back to see them all. 

SHARKHUNTERS International
2016 Europe Expedition

Sharkhunters President HARRY  COOPER 1-LIFE-1983 spent much of June on expedition in Germany, Poland and Monte Carlo.  Follow along here and learn.

During part of that time in Europe COOPER was with S.E.I.G. Agent FELDWEBEL SCHULTZ and his beautiful niece Fraülein Marzali.  We learned many things, as you will see in the photos and descriptions that follow.

U-Unk-Black%20Boat 

    The Third Boat

Even the most novice student of U-Boat history is aware that two U-Boats surrendered well after the German capitulation which was 5 – 8 May 1945.  These were……..

* U-530 under OTTO WERMUTH, Member #1344 that surrendered at the Argentine Navy Base at Mar del Plata in July 1945;

* U-977 under Heinz Schäffer that surrendered the same place on 17 August 1945.

U-530 was a Type IX-C and did have the range to reach Mar del Plata but U-977 was a Type VII-C that did not have the range even if she had departed her homeport with full tanks but according to Schäffer, he departed his homeport with a 75% fuel load, went to his patrol area off England and when the surrender order was given, he returned to his homeport to disembark the married men and then left for Argentina without taking on any additional fuel……an impossible voyage – and there was a LOT more to this voyage.

Thanks to information obtained by FELDWEBEL SCHULTZ, we now know there was a third U-Boat in southern waters after the war ended…….at least one, maybe more.  We are working to identify this third boat.  Could this be the missing boat?  This is an unidentified U-Boat cruising off the coast of Antarctica.

   
Secret%203Dx 

  Hitler and the Secret Alliance

This book tells all about the fabled ‘66 days underwater‘ of U-977 and much more about both U-530 and U-977 that are not known.

This is the companion book to our Best Seller “Hitler in Argentina“.  Get your copy today.

It was middle afternoon when this meeting took place and to be out of everyone’s way, they selected a totally empty breakfast room.  Since it was 2pm, the room was absolutely and totally empty.  They sat in the very midst of this empty room and after they had been there perhaps five minutes, COOPER noticed a young blond seated right behind him – back to back with him and not two feet apart…..in this big, empty breakfast room of perhaps 150 seats, she chose to sit directly behind COOPER.  As a spy, if indeed she was a spy, she was not very good at it but remembering a time in Austria in middle 2015 when two Austrian secret agents tailed him for a week, COOPER suggested they move to the other end of the breakfast room to be really alone, which they did.

    What Is This?

FELDWEBEL SCHULTZ presented this Google Earth photo of what appears to be a man-made opening into the earth on the Antarctic continent with a metal dome that appears to be in an open position.

He showed us another Google Earth image of this same area but there were what appeared to be artificial computer generated clouds over this area, obscuring this opening and cover as well as the surrounding area.

When we went to the Google Earth coordinates shown here, we got a message that Google could not get us there.  Are they hiding something?

FELDWEBEL SCHULTZ tried to determine if this facility was built by Soviet Russia or America.  His conclusion is that this was Russian built and that at some point in the 1960’s there was a nuclear accident and the workers rushed out for their safety, leaving the dome open as they fled.

He believes that the Russians returned at some point in the 1990’s to retrieve something – who knows what?

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On the left is a sketch of the cold water reactor and its position in the area, hand-drawn by Fraülein Marzali, the niece of FELDWEBEL SCHULTZ.

On the right is an outline of the reactor, also drawn by Fraülein Marzali, showing the position of the reactor inside the tunnel complex and showing the area by an important landmark – the pyramid rock.

 16EurBX3
     
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Photo on the left shows the tunnel in relation to the entrance.

On the right is an old map of Antarctica, clearly showing the German claimed section known as “Neu Schwabenland” (new Swabia) which we have colored yellow so it may be more easily identified.
              16EurBX6
     Directly below is this area, enlarged for your convenience.

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                        16eurBX12
 

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Left is a copy of a page from an old German book indicating how the Third Reich marked the boundaries of Neu Schwabenland with these markers, called “spears“.  These were dropped every kilometer from the Dornier ‘WAL‘ (Whale) flying boats.  Fraülein Marzali has drawn in what they looked like close up.

On the right, she has drawn in various important places in Neu Schwabenland.

Below – a Dornier ‘WAL‘ Flying Boat

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  Do-WAL1  
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Not to be confused with the Schermacher Oasis, the Bunger Oasis is fairly large and made up of reddish sand with areas of green, growing trees and plants.

As we see in the sketch to the left, this Oasis was used during the 1990’s by American astronauts training for the anticipated landing on the red planet – Mars.

In the sketch to the left, Fraülein Marzali has indicated the position of a small East German facility.  With the collapse of the Soviet Union, this facility was abandoned in the early 1990’s ad today sits empty – we think.

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Dr. Richert, head of the Antarctic/Neu Schwabenland expedition 1938/1939 had plans to return on a second expedition in 1940 and this time, would also carry small planes with skis to bring personnel further inland for more exploration.  Despite some of the stories posted on various Internet sites, this plan was not implemented due to the outbreak of World War Two.
 

S.E.I.G. Agent PETER PARKER added that there were plans to build U-Boat facilities (bunkers???) in Feuerland (southern tip of South America) but only one was built.  S.E.I.G. Agent PIZZARRO gave us photos of that facility some years ago and we posted them at that time.  We have taken the precaution of blotting out the lat./long. position of the facility.

According to PETER PARKER the Third Reich also set up small resupply stations on various sub-Antarctic islands during the war.

At one point in the war, the Reich attempted to recruit Argentine soldiers to fight on the Eastern Front.  As we saw in previous issues of our KTB Magazine, it appears they were making just such preparations.  They were NOT German troops, they were Argentine troops in German uniforms working with German equipment.

  xx14SG6

At this point, conversation shifted to Argentina and the gigantic JU 390-V2

JU390c

 

The JU 390 aircraft, with her six engines, great fuel capacity, huge cargo capacity and great range was sometimes called ‘the Truck‘.  There are a great many stories on the Internet about this plane and a few are correct.  We must remember that the Internet costs nothing and worth exactly what you pay for it.

Did one of these planes actually fly over New York City in the war as we see in this artist painting?

 

Ju390a

HOW MANY JU 390 AIRCRAFT WERE BUILT?

JU390e

 

According to some Internet sources, only one was built but according to others – maybe it was two, no maybe three – some even as many as eleven were constructed.

As previously stated, the Internet is rather flawed in that anyone can post anything and sadly, people believe what they see.

In fact, there were three (more or less) of these aircraft produced.  They were designated V1, V2 and V3.  These designations had nothing to do with the “V” weapons; it was just a way to number them.  Our data on the JU 390 aircraft comes to us from S.E.I.G.. Agent PIZZARRO.

JU 390-V3 was never completed and was destroyed at the end of the war;

JU 390-V1 is the plane that allegedly flew to within 20 miles of New York – but in fact, no such flight ever happened.  She was in Berlin when the war ended and taken over by the Allies;

JU 390-V2 is the one that etched her place in history.  The propellers were removed from JU 390-V1 and installed on JU 390-V2.  V2 was three meters longer than V1 which gave her a substantially larger fuel capacity and therefore much longer range.

 

JU390d

SHARKHUNTERS International
2016 Europe Expedition

Sharkhunters President HARRY  COOPER 1-LIFE-1983 spent much of June on expedition in Germany, Poland and Monte Carlo.  Follow along here and learn.

During part of that time in Europe COOPER was with S.E.I.G. Agent NAVEGADOR.  We learned many things, as you will see in the photos and descriptions that follow but much consisted of verbal discussion and most of that must remain secret for a while.  We will release all data when the time is right.  But now, let’s look at what is available.

16EurCX1 

    German Antarctic Expedition

There is the complete report of this ground-breaking scientific expedition undertaken by Germany in 1938-1939.  The complete report is five volumes, each the size of a big city telephone book.

As we know, the expedition fleet stopped secretly on the island in Trindade after Brazil removed her personnel in 1938.  The German personnel constructed buildings and erected two radio towers of about 80 meters in height.  Photos taken in 1938 by German workers and also photos taken by HARRY COOPER 1-LIFE-1983 when he was on this island with the wonderful assistance from the Navy of Brazil are on our website www.sharkhunters.com then select PREVIOUS TOURS then select SECRET ISLAND BRAZIL.
09Brc15287
           …..or just click on this photo

   
16EurCX2 

  Operation “High Jump
.
Who doesn’t know about this SpecOps in which Admiral Byrd was sent to Antarctica allegedly on a cartographic mission – he went to make maps if we are to believe the official story.  But then one must ask why it was necessary in 1947 to come with a battle group including even a submarine?  There is no official explanation for this; not one that most will believe at any rate.

Rumors abound and cover High Jump like a blanket of fresh snow.  Did they find a Third Reich stronghold?  Were there disc-shaped flying objects?  Were there spacecraft that could transit pole to pole in the blink of an eye?  These are just some of the rumors flying around the Internet, which we know is about as reliable as tabloids such as the Weekly World News or the National Enquirer.

This report is four volumes and each one also very thick.

Sharkhunters, with the hard work put in by ANNET BERGEMANN, Member #8020, are trying to put together an expedition to that area to learn the truth or what is…..or is not at the ‘bottom of the world‘.

We will keep you posted on progress in that direction.

 

16EurCX3 16EurCX4 16EurCX5

There are also rumors that three nuclear or thermonuclear devices were detonated in that area and the detonation altitude varied with each rumor.  Is this fact?  One official source confirms that it did happen.  Another official source says absolutely not.  So who do we believe?  It is not uncommon for totally conflicting reports to be issued if for no other reason, the tried and true “Spook” tactic of creating confusion and cloaking the true situation or activity……and it apparently works.
 

16EurCX6 16EurCX7

Left photo is from an old German textbook and it shows the German colonies of a century ago.  Sharkhunters added the red circle around Trindade and the red arrow pointing to a spot on the Patagonian coast of Argentina.

Right photo is from a German school textbook of decades ago showing the various sections of Antarctica and the relative position of that continent to other land masses.  Sharkhunters added the yellow boundary around Neu Schwabenland.

We had planned to mount an expedition this December or January 2017 (summertime down there) but the deliberate sabotage by two alleged scientists threw obstacles in our path that we must postpone until the following year.  We will keep you updated as we move forward.
 

MUCH MORE TO BE POSTED – CHECK BACK TOMORROW

We will be uploading photos daily so please check back to see them all. 

BOOKS DVDs TOURS PREVIOUS
TOURS
 CDs FREE
PHOTOS
 ART
PRINTS
 VETERANS LINKS

SHARKHUNTERS International
2016 Europe Expedition

Sharkhunters President HARRY  COOPER 1-LIFE-1983 spent much of June on expedition in Germany, Poland and Monte Carlo.  Follow along here and learn.

During part of that time in Europe COOPER was with S.E.I.G. Agent NAVEGADOR.  We learned many things, as you will see in the photos and descriptions that follow but much consisted of verbal discussion and most of that must remain secret for a while.  We will release all data when the time is right.  But now, let’s look at what is available.

16EurCX1 

    German Antarctic Expedition

There is the complete report of this ground-breaking scientific expedition undertaken by Germany in 1938-1939.  The complete report is five volumes, each the size of a big city telephone book.

As we know, the expedition fleet stopped secretly on the island in Trindade after Brazil removed her personnel in 1938.  The German personnel constructed buildings and erected two radio towers of about 80 meters in height.  Photos taken in 1938 by German workers and also photos taken by HARRY COOPER 1-LIFE-1983 when he was on this island with the wonderful assistance from the Navy of Brazil are on our website www.sharkhunters.com then select PREVIOUS TOURS then select SECRET ISLAND BRAZIL.
09Brc15287
           …..or just click on this photo

   
16EurCX2 

  Operation “High Jump
.
Who doesn’t know about this SpecOps in which Admiral Byrd was sent to Antarctica allegedly on a cartographic mission – he went to make maps if we are to believe the official story.  But then one must ask why it was necessary in 1947 to come with a battle group including even a submarine?  There is no official explanation for this; not one that most will believe at any rate.

Rumors abound and cover High Jump like a blanket of fresh snow.  Did they find a Third Reich stronghold?  Were there disc-shaped flying objects?  Were there spacecraft that could transit pole to pole in the blink of an eye?  These are just some of the rumors flying around the Internet, which we know is about as reliable as tabloids such as the Weekly World News or the National Enquirer.

This report is four volumes and each one also very thick.

Sharkhunters, with the hard work put in by ANNET BERGEMANN, Member #8020, are trying to put together an expedition to that area to learn the truth or what is…..or is not at the ‘bottom of the world‘.

We will keep you posted on progress in that direction.

 

16EurCX3 16EurCX4 16EurCX5

There are also rumors that three nuclear or thermonuclear devices were detonated in that area and the detonation altitude varied with each rumor.  Is this fact?  One official source confirms that it did happen.  Another official source says absolutely not.  So who do we believe?  It is not uncommon for totally conflicting reports to be issued if for no other reason, the tried and true “Spook” tactic of creating confusion and cloaking the true situation or activity……and it apparently works.
 

16EurCX6 16EurCX7

Left photo is from an old German textbook and it shows the German colonies of a century ago.  Sharkhunters added the red circle around Trindade and the red arrow pointing to a spot on the Patagonian coast of Argentina.

Right photo is from a German school textbook of decades ago showing the various sections of Antarctica and the relative position of that continent to other land masses.  Sharkhunters added the yellow boundary around Neu Schwabenland.

We had planned to mount an expedition this December or January 2017 (summertime down there) but the deliberate sabotage by two alleged scientists threw obstacles in our path that we must postpone until the following year.  We will keep you updated as we move forward.
 

MUCH MORE TO BE POSTED – CHECK BACK TOMORROW

We will be uploading photos daily so please check back to see them all. 

BOOKS DVDs TOURS PREVIOUS
TOURS
 CDs FREE
PHOTOS
 ART
PRINTS
 VETERANS LINKS

A word is in order about the Navy of Brazil. 
This is no ‘banana boat‘ navy!  We were amazed at the number and
diversity of ships just in the First District alone – there were many supply
ships, support ships, floating drydocks, quite a number of very impressive
frigates and patrol boats, several German built 209 Class submarines and an
impressive aircraft carrier, the SAO PAULO off which they flew F-4
aircraft.  They even have a World War II American built destroyer escort,
still in her WW II configuration with twin 40mm Oerlikon (Pom Pom) guns, many
20mm anti aircraft guns, torpedo tubes, hedgehog launcher and deck guns. 
No, she is not part of the fleet – she is a museum ship.

This is an impressive and highly professional navy.

On the way out, we passed an
inbound ship

Then we passed this oil drilling
rig offshore around dusk

 

 

We assembled on the aft helo deck (both photos above)

We learned procedures of flight on the Bell Jet
Ranger III (below)

The South Atlantic was really pleasant –
almost flat seas with beautiful blue sky and sun for the three and a half days
to the island.  Our ship was ALMIRANTE SABOIA (G-25), a brand
new…..old ship.  She was the LST SIR BEDIVERE (L-3004) that
was mothballed by the Royal Navy.  In 2009, the ship was given a total
overhaul and refit and in June 2009, she was brought to life with the Navy of
Brazil.

As we neared the island, the deck
crews were making ready

 their landing equipment (above
and below).

Below – all eyes were on the horizon, looking for the
island
 

We are soon offshore this mysterious island,
ready to head to shore and begin the expedition and add a new piece to the
picture puzzle of the activities of the Third Reich in South America.

With the chopper warming up and I’m in my "Martian
Attack
" gear, it is time to go ashore and begin this expedition!

     
"Obrigado!"
Sharkhunters wishes to extend our deepest and most
sincere thanks to the Navy of Brazil for their tremendous cooperation; thanks
to:
    
* 
The Brazilian Navy itself;
    
* 
Captain Luiz Olympio Vianna Dias for making it all come together;
    
* 
Captain Oscar Moreira da Silva Filho, Commanding Officer of ADMIRAL SABOIA
who offered every courtesy
              
to me while aboard;
    
* 
the officers and crew of ADMIRAL SABOIA who made me
feel like part of the crew, of the family;
    
* 
and a special ‘Obrigado!‘ to Captain Sergio Andrade Fernandes who
attended to all the arrangements including
              
affording his staff car to take me from place to place;
              
arranging quarters in the Navy Hotel;
              
arranging membership in the exclusive Navy Club;
              
and just making sure that everything went smoothly;
    
* 
the guide, the sergeant who could go anywhere, any time, any distance – he was a
tough guy!

* 
Another very special thanks goes to our S.E.I.G. Agent PIZZARRO who has
sent us so much information, photos
          technical information and
background on the German use of this island in the war.

Now we go to the island! 
CLICK HERE
to join us on this very
mysterious island.




Sharkhunters U-Boat history in Brazil, Trinidade Island


BACK TO HOME PAGE

 

SHARKHUNTERS International
the Secret Island!

We now head to shore aboard the Brazilian Navy chopper to this island that had been a possession of Brazil for centuries.  They maintained a small garrison here mainly to show possession of the island and 200 miles of fishing in all directions.

In 1938 however, they pulled their people from the island and within one week, a small German fleet arrived.  This fleet included the catapult ship SCHWABENLAND which later continued onward to Antarctica…….but that is another story.

Here on Trindade, the Germans occupied the facilities vacated by the Brazilians and they built two 80 meter tall (about 260 feet) radio towers.  In 1941, the German group departed the island and the Brazilians returned then a couple months after the end of World War Two, the Brazilian Navy removed their people and a German contingent arrived in late June 1945.  We saw a memorial marker to a German sailor who was killed in an accident on the island in July 1945!  The Germans were there to watch over the herds of pigs, flocks of goats and sea turtles.  These, along with the very abundant fresh water supply on the island, served to replenish the ‘Black Boats‘, sailing ships and tramp steamers making the run from Villa Garcia, Spain (and other places) to their safe havens for escaping people from the Third Reich – safe in South America.

Villagarcia1 

We know that the Kriegsmarine kept ships in the harbor at Vigo just south of Villa Garcia during the war, to resupply U-Boats with just about anything they needed to remain on patrol.

Villa Garcia was a small fishing village farther up the estuary and it was from this town that Sharkhunters Member DON ANGEL ALCAZAR de VELASCO (158-+-1987) departed with Martin Bormann bound for Argentina.  We are not sure which boat took them and DON ANGEL claimed that he did not know, but evidence suggests that it may have been U-530 under command of our Member OTTO WERMUTH (1344-+-1990) although he would never comment on this final patrol, during which he surrendered in late July 1945; more than two months after the German surrender.  Was that German sailor who was killed accidentally on Trindade Island from U-530?  We do not know.

Here is where the vast majority of the German ‘Black ops’ took place, in the little cove known as Calleta de los Loros (Parrot Cove) in Golfo San Mathias (St. Mathew’s Gulf).  German spy headquarters for much of South America was in the Lahusen Wool Company in the little town of San Antonio Oeste and agents could make their way to anywhere in South America from here.  The same can be said for people escaping the ruins and retribution of a crumbled Europe.  Click on these photos to learn what is in our two exclusive books on this subject.

  13HalfCover      BookCoverSAHalf

 Golfo%20Nuevo
   
The Navy of Brazil is a large, professional and competent navy.
Here we watch as the ship comes to life, ready to launch the helo.
Everyone is getting briefed.
 09BraShip1
   
09BraShip2
We are learning helo procedures.
 09BraShip3
   
09BraShip4 09BraShip5
   
09BraShip6
The island looks forbidding – it is indeed rough!
 09BraShip7
COOPER in his “Martian attack” gear.

COOPER is in the second wave of chopper deliveries to shore, and here is what we find.

09BraIs1 09BraIs2
We said this was a rugged place….. ….an overview of the island; 2.5 miles long,
1.5 miles wide and 3,000 at the top!
   
09BraIs3 09BraIs4
At the HQ compound – our ship offshore One of two beaches where Germans landed in 1938
   
09BraIs5 09BraIs6
Extremely rugged, but majestic. The view from our HQ looking north.
   
09BraIs7 09BraIs8
If you look very close, you’ll see the cross for the northern of
the two cemeteries on the island.  They were both washed
away during violent storms years ago.  This is merely to
mark their locations and their memories.
 The small boat is towing the ‘female donkey‘, which is what
the crew called this ‘sled’ that has the diesel drums on it.
These are used to power the generator to provide the
electricity for the tiny compound.
   
09BraIs9 09BraIs10
Above and below – foundation for a new structure. Below – our faithful ship still on patrol.
09BraIs11 09BraIs12
   
09BraIs13 09BraIs14
This is where we must go this morning! It doesn’t appear so far from the compound…..
   
09BraIs15 09BraIs19
After we cross this meadow;
After we cross this ridge;
After we climb this mountain……
 Look very closely at the center of this photo – note the tall white monument there?  It is a LONG way away yet and our line of march
(in red) takes us right past it.
   
09BraIs20 

09BraIs21

The monument looks so much bigger – once we get to it.  We have walked a long way; the red arrow indicates the HQ compound and the blue arrow is our ship.

They are very distant.

   
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So far, we have traveled from the red “X” (our HQ) along the red
line.  It doesn’t look like much, but it is rugged going.
 Above – did we mention that the trail is not really smooth?  Sturdy
hiking boots are an absolute necessity to avoid injuries.
 
  We now look to the yellow line on the chart below, which
corresponds to the red line on the photo next to it (left) and
we begin our steep ascent over the next ridgeline.
09BraIs24 09BraIs2xx

Above left – now that we have reached and passed the monument, we continue upward, ever upward and the red marks our intended path up the high ridge and around that mountain……….where the Germans built one of their radio towers in 1938, but it a LONG way off yet.

If we thought the going was tough so far – and it WAS – it gets a bunch tougher now.

09BraIs32 09BraIs31
The yellow line is our proposed line of march now and if you
look closely – REALLY closely – you will see a white cross.
  
   
09BraIs33 

09BraIs34

This is what they call the ‘Grotto of Lourdes‘ and it is a very long way up the mountain.  The cave goes quite a way into the mountain and there are souvenirs from various ships inside.

   
09BraIs35 09BraIs28
We depart the grotto, down that mountain and as you
see by our line of march, up another ridge.
 When we top that ridge, this is what we see below – FAR below,
and we have to go down to this area where many seabirds are
nesting in the surrounding cliffs.  They do not like the intruders
and make a hell of a racket!
   
09BraIs39 09BraIs37
This is where we came over the ridge and while it does not
look very steep, coming back was even tougher!
 After a short rest, taking photos and watching the crabs scuttling
about as thousands of angry birds swooped overhead, it was
time to continue our march to the end of the island.
   
09BraIs2xxx 09BraIs30

The blue line on the chart indicates where we are headed next…..

 

…..and the trail doesn’t get any easier!

   
09BraIs50 09BraIs51
Our group leader was one tough guy! He was a Brazilian Navy SEAL!
   
TrinidadeTunnel2 COOPER wanted to get to AND into this tunnel, as we see here prior to World War Two and during this expeditionTunnel%20NORD%20EAST in 2009.

 

  
09BraIs44 09BraIs45

Unfortunately, this is the closest they were able to get to

 

the tunnel due to exceptionally high tides.  BUMMER!

   
09BraIs43 09BraIs52

We are about to head back off the beach for

 

our return to HQ – and we climb THAT sand hill.

  

The sand hill got so steep behind that rock outcropping there was a permanently affixed one inch thick hawser attached at the top of the hill and we had to literally drag ourselves up the last 100 meters.  This is a beautiful island – but REALLY RUGGED!

09BraIs46 09BraIs47
The group stopped at a tidal pool for some relaxation.  Note that
the Brazilian Sailors (girls included) wore regulation blue
underwear into this pool like swimwear.
 COOPER did not join the swimmers……………
guess he did not have regulation blue underwear!
   
09BraIs41 09BraIs53
COOPER began to wonder why this naval officer stayed so close
to him – then he learned that this is the navy doctor on the island
and they told him to stay close to the old guy (COOPER) in case
he needed any medical help!  Comforting – I guess……
 The sun is setting as we begin to make out way – our LONG,
LONG way back to the headquarters compound.

 

09BraIs54 09BraIs56
On the march toward the compound.  The path marked with the
arrow is about 200 feet below the ridge on which we are standing.
 Our group on the return march (COOPER in yellow shirt).  We have
come from far beyond where the red “X” is, along that shoreline,
behind that hill, over that ridge to where we are standing…..and we
are only about 1/3 of the way back to the HQ compound.

A hot meal, how shower and soft bed was most welcome this night!

Yesterday’s expedition took us to the southeastern tip of the island.  Today we march north.

09BraIs57 09BraIs58
This is in the headquarters compound, commemorating the return of
the Brazilian Navy to the island after the departure of the Germans.
 The remains of a shipwreck.  No, not a victim of the U-Boats or
of any war.  We are told that this was a Chinese merchant ship
some years after the war.  The crew mutinied because of terrible
food, killed the cook, seized the ship and grounded it here where
they asked for asylum.  Apparently being the cook on a Chinese
ship can be a rather dangerous job.
09BraIs60 09BraIs59
The land rises quickly here.  We are only a couple hundred yards in
from the beach and already a few hundred feet high.
  
   
09BraIs62 09BraIs63

This is the meadow before the next rise…..

 

….and here is the next climb above COOPER.

This part of the expedition takes place only about a half mile to the northwest of the headquarters compound, in the direction of the ridge with the white cross on it………and the ridge where the German radio facility was built in 1938.  We will see that shortly.

The following morning……….
Off to the ridge where the radio station was built in 1939 but first, a shower and breakfast…..

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This was a clever shower and hot water device.  There was no
central water heater; the water was heated as it passed through
the shower head.  I quickly learned NOT to try to adjust the water
while it was running; I learned that this was not installed by an
electrician!  Got one hell of a tingle when I touched the adjuster!
 Breakfast, like all the meals on the island, was excellent.  One
develops a hearty appetite on this island, where a short walk
usually means going up and down very tall ridges.
   
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COOPER sets out on his own trek to the NW of the HQ.

The red “X” is the HQ compound far below.

 At this point, we are on the ridge above the white cross that commemorates the location of the former cemetery.  The “X”
on the photo below shows where we were standing when
this photo was taken.
   
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Our line of march up this ridge from the beach far below.
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Those are sheds and 55 gallon fuel drums far below.  This photo will give the viewer an idea just how far we are above the beach. The two meter tall cross appears quite small as we are quite a
distance.  This was shot from the front deck of the HQ compound.
The red line indicates the ridge on which the Kriegsmarine built their northern radio tower – we will return to this ridge lateron.
   
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The sun is setting on our very busy day, and we look to the
southwest.  We must go in that direction, over all those ridges,
into the valleys, through the sand areas to the place of the site
of the southern German radio facility.
 But now it is time for another pleasant meal, watching TV (I think
I must learn Portuguese) then a good night sleep.  If you look
out the window, you will note that it is very dark.  Night is upon us.

Morning arrives quickly, and with the Brazilian Navy SEAL leading the way, COOPER heads for the southeast corner of the island – to the high point where one of the two radio shacks and antennae were built.
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The RED “X” is the headquarters compound and the BLUE “X” marks the peak.  It is very high and from there, commands unlimited radio transmissions in approximately 240º.  Oh yes, we had to walk all that way again, over the ridges, into the valleys, across beaches and more.  We drank a whole lot of water – and what did we find on this very remote peak?  Individual descriptions are not necessary, but look how high this site was.  That small item far below in the water is an LST, nearly 700 feet long.  Looks small from up here.

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  COOPER is a normal sized guy, about 5′ 10″ so we can see
the small size of this facility.  Musta, been cramped!
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The red shows our line of march over that ridge, which
was already a very long way from camp.
 My guide is standing next to the remains of the base of the antenna
tower which has long since disappeared in rust.
   
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When we reached the Headquarters compound, we ate a hearty dinner.  The Brazilian Navy sure took great care of me aboard ship and on the island.  Again – OBRIGADO!

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It was necessary to have a good meal and a solid night’s sleep
today, because tomorrow we go to the site of the larger radio
station to the northwest of the Headquarters compound.

This is an official Third Reich photo of the place taken in
March 1939.  What is left?  Hike along with us and see.

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Okay, we had another great breakfast – now we go to the site of the second radio station to the northwest of the Headquarters base camp.
 

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We are halfway up the slope to the ridge (photo right) where the
radio station was located.  Seven decades of harsh weather
has changed its face a bit, but the ridge is easily seen.
 We are finally atop the ridge, standing right where the radio station
had been, and looking down at the valley from where we began our climb an hour before.
   
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From atop this ridge looking southwest, it is easy to see that anything

 

up here commanded a view of everything.  Great place for a radio tower.

In conclusion – with all this history, with these facts and on-site photographs, no one can possibly dispute that the Third Reich had a strong presence here.  There are fresh water springs, streams and ponds all over the island from which ships, submarines, sailing ships etc. could stop for reprovissioning.  Add to that, the large herds of goats and pigs and the local population of sea turtles and this small island in the middle of nowhere becomes a veritable ship’s store of necessary staples.

As we have covered thoroughly in various issues of our monthly KTB Magazine, Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Garbers had visited the remote coves along the Argentine and Brazilian coasts all through the war with his ‘Black Boat‘, the yawl listed in secret records as KFK-203 but better known as the yawl MARY.

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Once again – Sharkhunters says a huge “OBRIGADO!” to the Navy of Brazil for all their cooperation and assistance, without which this operation would not have been possible.

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