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Vanya
Mikey Houdini. Obviamente, el del pelo corto
Mikey Houdini. Obviamente, el del pelo corto
Rescue exercise in Zierbena (Spain)
Ejercicio de rescate en Zierbena

This is the personal web site of Yvan Figueiras-Ruiz, writer –winner of the I and the VII International Prizes of Historical Divulgation Juan Antonio Cebrián, commercial diver, sonar technician in submarines, photographer and graphic designer, as well as being a collaborator of the Radio Nacional de España program Espacio en Blanco and a member of the remembered radio show Dimensión Límite or Ángulo 13.

The site is created as a photo portfolio, with special emphasis on pictures os my voyages, like the Pacific Ocean crossing that the crew of the  SV White Pigeon managed to accomplish in 2018, Easter Island, Cape Horn, Namibia, the Middle East o any other place on Earth that I’ve had the pleasure to travel to.

In the section dedicated to my literary work there a some synopsis of the books I’ve had published: Los Enigmas de la Isla de Pascua, R.M.S. Titanic, Jack el Destripador: caso abierto and the recent Enigmas y Misterios de la Mar. I don’t want to forget to mention one of my hobbies: home robotics.

In the blog there are also links to my participation in several media, specially radio and the videos that i upload to my YouTube channel.

We are working in a series of photography tutorials to show our visitors some of the least know techniques: freezing the explosion of a balloon, turning water into smoke… even catching the Milky Way o projecting an image INSIDE a water drop.

If you need help in the creation o maintenance of your web page, you can write to us in the contact section.

Thanks for visiting our site. We hope that the continuous renovations aren’t too annoying.

To view the web in spanish press here.

Y.F.R.

At the helm of the SV White Pigeon

La Escóbula de la Brújula – Evanescent Islands and Ships

Vanya

There are islands that seen to play cat and mouse with sailors. Islands that are inscribed in maps for a long time untiel it is confirmed that they do not really exist. On occasion they are called “ghost islands”, the same that happens to boats and ships with crews that vanish without leaving a trace, creating al kind of speculation.

To dive deep into these amazing topics, we talk to the writer and commercial diver Yvan Figueiras, author of the book “Enigmas y Misterios de la Mar”, who will tell us about the Caleuche, the mysterious freighter Ourang Medan or the adventures of the ship-of-the-line San Telmo in Anctarctica

In the department of islands we couldn’t miss Saint Brendan, the 8th o 9th of the Canary Archipelago, Sandy Island or the Auroras.  Fernando López del Oso will tell us about pumice isles in the Pacific Ocean and Carlos Canales will mention islet Podestá and Ferdinandea, a volcanic island submerged (or not) in the Mediterranean.

 

 

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New Book! Enigmas and Mysteries from the Sea

Vanya

Buques Fantasma; Desapariciones Misteriosas; Criptozoología; Faros encantados; Submarinos perdidos; Expediciones malditas

Are there rogue waves and other sea phenomena capable of engulfing a ship in seconds?
What is really the Flying Dutchman? Do Ghost Ships actually exist?
Do more ships go missing in the Bermuda Triangle than elsewhere?
What was the fate of the missing Franklin Expedition?

The sea is full of mysteries and unusual events that science has not yet been able to explain. Events that, even for seafarers or scholars, are still unknown. Since ancient times, many legends about the enigmas of the oceans have been passed from generation to generation and, although some have been classified as mere myths, others continue to put the scientific community in check.

The purpose of the author, a professional sailor and diver himself, is none other than to analyze many of the most famous arcana that occurred in the seven seas from the perspective of healthy skepticism.

In these pages we will discover that much of what we think we know is nothing more than noise that diverts our attention from the real unknowns. We will embark on an amazing journey to the ocean depths to discover all its immensity. Embark. You will never see the ocean the same way again

Sputnik Crisis and Vanguard – Space Race 1957

Vanya

The soviet success in putting not one, but satellites in earth orbit in less than a month started a general anxiety among US citizens. It looked as in any moment a nuclear bomb could fall over their heads. Anyway, there was an apparent huge gap in military technology between both countries…

Well, no. Both countries where paired. In fact Wernher von Braun’s and his team had been prohibited to attempt to launch any satellite, in spite of having the capabilities to do so a year before Sputnik was flown. But nothing stopped the fear, fueled by a disinformed and sensationalistic media.

Eisenhower’s answer was to be the Vanguard, a satellite/rocket civil project meant to show US citizes that their country was up to the challenge. The problem was that it all blew up to the sky… literally.

 

Sputnik 2 and Laika – Space Race 1957

Vanya

A month after changing history with their Sputnik, Soviet engineers, led by Sergei Korolev, once again surprised the world. This time it was not a simple ball with a radio; they had managed to put a living being into orbit: the dog Laika.

We will learn how and why it was decided to sacrifice Laika at the same time that we will clarify some of the myths and lies that even today continue to hide what really happened before and after the Sputnik 2 mission.

Laika was not –far from it– the first living being to reach space, which is not the same as entering orbit. We will know something about other animals, such as monkeys or dogs that were released beyond the Karman line before the Russian dog; some managed to return, although many were not so lucky.

Laika had led the way. It wouldn’t take long for her to be followed by a human.

 

Sputnik 1 – Space Race 1957

Vanya

Today we begin with the official start of the Space Race, the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, the event that changed history forever.

But first we will try to understand how the Soviets, who had barely gained access to Nazi missile technology, managed in a very short time and without outside help to surpass von Braun’s designs and his team from Peenemünde.

We will get to know the mysterious character of the “Chief Designer”, the alias that hid the true identity of the great Sergei Korolyov, who would not be known in the West or in the Soviet Union itself until his death in 1966 and the process of creating his R-7, the first rocket to place an artificial object in orbit.

And of course, Sputnik. That glowing sphere with antennae that just beeped, but changed the world while creating widespread hysteria in the West.

See you up there!

Acknowledgements: Mercedes Pullman

 

Apollo Lunar Mission (Part III) – from the Moon to the Earth

Vanya

We have reached the Moon! Now it’s time to get out of the ship and explore. Or as they say in jargon: extravehicular activity. We’ll take some samples, plant the flag (yes, the one that does NOT wave) and do a little science.

Missions 15 to 17 carried a lunar rover, which allowed them to expand their exploration radius; We will see how such a curious vehicle worked. After finishing our activity, we just have to pack up our gear, do some last minute science… and return to Earth.

We will learn what it was like to take off from the Moon, the rendezvous in orbit with the Command and Service Module (CSM) and the return trip. To round it off, the infernal re-entry, the splashdown… and the ticker tape parade.

Now that we have seen the end, next week we will start at the beginning: Sputnik.

See you up there!

 

Apollo Lunar Mission (Part II) – from the orbit to the Moon

Vanya

The second part of our example mission to the Moon begins in parking orbit around the Earth. From there we will carry out the Translunar Injection, which will take us –if all goes well– to the far side of our satellite.

Along the way we will learn the different maneuvers and procedures used by astronauts and Mission Control, while understanding some of the jargon of this type of business.

All that remains is to start the descent, land on the moon, plant the flag and say a few words, but we will leave the latter for the last chapter of the series.

We hope you enjoy these more than 300,000 km of flight. Remember that if you want to subscribe you have to pet the cat…

See you up there!