Originally the plan was to the Jamanota today, Wednesday 3 November, but because it had rained for a large part of the night, we decided not to do that. In addition, there is a good chance that the triangular point, that I intended to find there, has disappeared there due to the installation of cell towers and the easy accessibility. A greater chance of success of finding a triangulation point was at the top of the Seroe Alejandro north of Savaneta. So we went there. The Seroe Alejandro is not a high mountain, but looking from below it appears quite inaccessible due to a dense vegetation and residential houses around the mountain. After consulting a resident across the street, who incidentally warned us about the many snakes in the vegetation, I decided to take a chance and entered through the vegetation. Mentioning the snakes was reason enough for Frances to stay beneath.
The climb was not easy, especially since part of the mountain turned out to be slippery because of wet rock, on which I could get absolutely no grip. Fortunately I was able to find a route with limestone which was somewhat easier. A lot of wabi, infrou and kadushi, so the climb didn't go fast.
When I arrived at the top I saw the Werbata triangulation point, but unfortunately I couldn't get any closer. It is on another peak and in between is a deep gorge. Fortunately, I was close enough to see that it is a 'standard' Werbata triangulation point with a brass tip and a recessed inscription in the side. And determining that fact was the main goal. As a result, we now know with considerable certainty that Werbata set the standard for triangulation in Aruba, even though he did not perform the activity himself.
On the slope I found a cement floor and the remains of a foundation, which seems to consist of concrete blocks, soit is fairly recent. There may have been a lookout post in the past.
The next target was the former phosphate mining on the Seroe Colorado terrain. The mining took place over a large area and a tramway was used for the removal of the extracted phosphate; and the management of the phosphate company had a number of houses on the site. Enough reasons to investigate. To the right of the asphalt road after the entrance gate to the Seroe Colorado site I found two mine entrances; the first entrance gives access to a horizontal corridor, which runs in both directions from the hole. The corridor connects to a transverse corridor on one side, so apparently this has been a promising mine. The second mine entrance only seems to be a test hole, which has now completely overgrown due to a plant standing in the hole. This creates a dangerous situation because it makes the hole difficult to see. On the same side of the road as the mine entrances I could not find any indication of the tramway.
On the other side of the road, which according to the map partly runs over the former tramway, starts a dirt road. That dirt road contains a long row of large rocks, which most likely served as support for the tramway; the path follows the former tramway on the map.
In the past, the houses of the management stood to the left of that tramway. I have been able to find only very small traces of it. It is a rocky ground, so foundations were not necessary. All I have found are shards of jars, shards of glass, shards of earthenware pots and, in one place, some remains of bricks. The houses are apparently thoroughly removed. I did find another mine entrance in that area.
Finally, I wanted to look around the lighthouse again, because I couldn't find the triangulation point last time. This time I saw some debris lying at the foot of the lighthouse, which on closer inspectionturned out to be (part of) the remains of the Werbata triangulation point nr 20. Here too it turns out to be a standard Werbata triangular point. Because the block is broken, it can also be seen that the inscription was made on an inlaid thick tile.
Close to the lighthouse I found a foundation of cement, on which the triangulation point probably was located.
To my great surprise I also found 2 extra gun emplacements, a heavy foundation, possibly from a barrack, and possibly a collapsed ammunition bunker. Nearby is also another ruin, which seems to be of an older date. More information about this World War II gun emplacement can be found at this link en this link.
All in all a fruitful trip. It will be the last of this short vacation in Aruba.
Foto's
The track near Seroe Alejandro
Close to the mountain there are donkeys and a large pig
On top of the mountain there is a Werbata triangulation point 18
A bit loweer on the slope this floor can be found
The view from the floor
Dense vegetation around the mountain
A foundation a bit below the floor
Another part of the foundation (concrete blocks)
De track near the phosphate mining near Seroe Colorado
The first entrance to the mine
The first corridor in the mine
The corridor continues underground horizontally
The corridor connects to a side corridor
Probably material from the miine
The second mine entrance is hidden under a bush
A Warawara on the look-out
A strangely formed cactus
These rocks show where the tramway was
Frances near the third entrance into the mine
In the neighbourhood there are remains of habitation
Bricks are the only remains of the houses of the management
River stones (?) from the mine?
De track around the light tower and the gun emplacements
At the foot of the light tower I found the remains of a Werbata triangulation point
The remains of the inscriptio Triang Nr 20
Inscribed on a thick tile
Probably this is where the triangulation point was located
A ruin
The bricks look quite old; possibly a more recent plaster
Gun emplacement 2 with to the left the light tower and to the right the ruin
Detail of gun emplacement 2
Close to the gun emplacement a heavy foundation can be found
Closer to the light tower an collapsed ammunition bunker?
Gun emplacement 3 has a different central point
A cut-out slot in the central part
The whole setup is partly below ground level
A view on Baby Beach
