DK5ON will be again active as PJ2/DK5ON from Curacao Island, IOTA SA - 099, 11 - 27 March 2024.
He will be active on 160 - 6 m CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 and also Satellites.
QSL via home call, LOTW, ClubLog OQRS.
Ads for direct QSL:
Andreas - Christian Salder, Senner Hellweg 77a, Bielefeld, 33659, Germany.
Curaçao is an island in the Caribbean Sea with European traditions
The island of Curaçao is located in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. It was discovered in 1499 by the famous navigator from Spain Alonso de Ojeda. It is with this event, according to the belief of many historians, is associated with the emergence of such an unusual name.
According to existing data, the above-mentioned navigator was heading towards South America and was forced to leave sailors who fell ill with scurvy on the island. Some time later he visited the island again and found perfectly healthy people who were saved by consuming a large amount of fruits containing vitamin C in their composition. This is why the island was named Curaçao, from the Spanish word "cura", meaning "healing".
A bit of history
Some time after the discovery of the island, the first settlers from Spain arrived. However, they were prevented from staying by the lack of fresh water.
After that, the Dutch decided to take control of Curaçao. They began farming here and organized the extraction of salt from salt lakes, of which there were enough on the island.
The excellent climate, characteristic of this territory, became the reason for the incredibly active development of agriculture, which was supported by thousands of brought slaves. The people who worked on the plantations ensured that Curaçao became one of the main suppliers of agricultural products to the New World. And this lasted for two centuries. More specifically, until the abolition of slavery in 1863.
After the changes occurred, the situation on the island deteriorated significantly and turned into a deep economic depression. That is why the Dutch government seriously considered the possibility of selling Curacao to the Germans, who planned to create a large naval base on its territory. The deal was prevented by the active opposition of the U.S. representatives.
Today Curaçao is the largest island of the Netherlands Antilles, which is a federal subject of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Climate, flora and fauna
The island is characterized by a subequatorial climate. Temperatures are high all year round and the rainy season is from September to December. An interesting fact is that precipitation falls in short showers. In this case, they take place exactly at night, and during the day the weather remains clear and sunny.
The peculiarity of the territory is rather strong eastern winds. For this reason, the unique divi-divi tree, which is considered one of the symbols of the island, is characterized by its unusual shape and the fact that its branches always point exclusively to the west.
Of the many riches of the flora of Curaçao, it should be emphasized that there are hundreds of different species of cacti, varying greatly in size and appearance.
Among the interesting representatives of the fauna, causing the greatest interest, are the white-tailed deer. The island is home to one of the largest populations of these animals in the world.
The rich underwater world that characterizes the coastal waters is not overlooked. To get acquainted with it, you can visit the unique underwater aquarium. Scuba diving is very popular with visitors and residents of the island.
Curacao Island. Author - Nick Dewald.
The modern island and its peculiarities
Thanks to the fact that in 1916 a petroleum refinery was opened on the island, the economy of Curaçao became stable. And the fact that the use of "clean" material processing methods was favored avoided any negative impact on the environment. Today, the island perfectly combines the presence of the most modern enterprises and virgin nature, which strikes with its beauty.
To the spheres that are the basis of the economy of Curaçao, you can include not only oil refining, but also tourism. A huge number of people go on vacation here every year, providing locals with an impressive number of jobs.
Among the features of the island it is necessary to emphasize its architecture. The history associated with European colonization has caused the fact that Curaçao is not much different from cities in the Netherlands. This is evident in the buildings erected, and in the perfectly developed infrastructure.
If we talk about world fame, it was provided to the island by the well-known liquor, which has a similar name with its homeland - Curaçao. The winery where it is produced is located in the Chobolobo mansion, built in the nineteenth century.
Video Curacao Island