Skeletons on the Zahara - Photography Untethered

Sand Dunes | Parque Natural De Las Dunas De Corralejo Fuerteventura

Here are some images here from a 4 month trip to Fuerteventura. They were taken in the Parque Natural De Las Dunas. De Corralejo, situated on the northeast coast of Fuerteventura. Living close by during my stay I would often take an evening run through this beautiful area.

There are a couple of theories as to how these sand dunes came about. The most prominent assumption is that the sands were blown across from Western Sahara. Whether this is proven I don’t know? Nevertheless, the Parque has a Saharan feel to it, be it on a much smaller scale.

Geographically, the coast of Western Sahara sits less than 80 miles to the east of Fuerteventura. Whatever lies behind the creation of this Fuerteventuran mini Sahara, it certainly brought to life a book I brought on my travels.

Skeletons on the Zahara:

Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King is the true story of twelve sailors shipwrecked at Cape Bojador, a headland situated on the northern coast of Western Sahara directly south-east of Fuerteventura. After a two week stay in Gibraltar during the year 1815, the men of the American Brig Commerce set sail for the Cape Verde Islands.

Shipwrecked at Cape Bojador:

During the night of August 27th 1815, Captain Riley and the Commerce crew went off course. Swept south by the Canary current they passed within 30 miles of the east coast of Fuerteventura, on an ill-fated route which would see them shipwrecked at Cape Bojador.

Looking in the direction of Cape Bojador from the east coast of Fuerteventura. Captain Riley and the Commerce crew would have passed within 30 miles of this coastline whilst swept south by the Canary current

Hostile Shores:

This is a survival story of extremes. Shipwrecked and attacked by hostile nomads, Captain Riley and the crew escaped by longboat only to be adrift without food or water for nine days.

The lesser of two evils forced them to return to hostile shores. Subsequently captured, sold into slavery, and tested throughout a two-month ordeal. They were beaten, starved of food and water and forced marched through the harshest of environments; Western Sahara.

Skeletons on the Zahara | The indomitable will to survive:

Only the sheer determination of Captain James Riley to keep the crew together and delivered into safe hands ensured the survival of seven of the crew. Skeletons on the Zahara is a gripping account of what men can endure, an insight into the basic human instinct all humans possess; an indomitable will to survive.

Sunset | Parque Natural De Las Dunas De Corralejo Fuerteventura.

Redemption.

Gazing east over these Fuerteventuran sand dunes, to the sea and into the distance, gave a sense of reality to this remarkable survival story. To think that directly ahead of me, on that distant coastline nearly 200 years ago, Riley and his crew had marched north to their redemption.

And as they staggered along that harsh unforgiving coastline, they would have glanced in my direction, and dreamed of an ideal that all enslaved peoples have, and hold dear – freedom.

One of the books that most influenced the life of President Abraham Lincoln

William Willshire British Vice Consul to Mogadore was renowned for redeeming Western Sailors from Slavery and crucial in the redemption of James Riley and the surviving crew. Riley named his third son William Willshire Riley and when building a new town in Ohio, USA in 1822, Riley named it Willshire in his honour.

Officers and Crew of the Connecticut Merchant Brig Commerce

Officers

James Riley age 37

George Williams age 48

Aaron R. Savage age 20

Able Seamen

Thomas Burns age 41

James Clark age 24

William Porter age 31

Archibald Robbins age 22

Ordinary Seamen

James Barret

John Hogan

Richard Deslisle

Horace Savage age 15

Antonio Michel working passenger

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Fragmented Memory 🙂