Archive for August 1st, 2005

Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Leaky Ships

Monday, 1st August 2005 by Alex

This is the port of Tripoli in Libya, which appears to have a leaky tanker or two… Yuk!

Leaky Ships

Thanks to Twombly.

Lovell Telescope

Monday, 1st August 2005 by Alex

This is the Lovell Telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire, UK. Apparently it’s the largest radio telescope in Europe and has been in operation since 1957, which was just in time for the launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. Jodrell Bank was the only installation in the world able to track Sputnik’s booster rocket by radar (Wikipedia page). You can also see the smaller Mach II dish just to the south east.

Jodrell Bank

Thanks: Fred Bobardo, Peter Bindon, Oscar Blanco, Scotto, Andrew Kowalski and Chris Palmer

Extremely Long Jetties

Monday, 1st August 2005 by Alex

This is the Port Germein jetty. It is an absolutely staggering 1646 metres long (or maybe 1680 metres, depending on who you talk to). You can really see why it needs to be so long though - it extends right out until the water is actually deep enough for a boat (more info)

Germein jetty

Longer even than that is the Busselton jetty, which at 1841 metres is the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere. That’s almost 2 kilometres long! The jetty is 140 years old and has an underwater observatory at the end, a train to take you there, and apparently some pretty awesome diving (official site).

Busselton jetty

I did some quick Googling of my own, but couldn’t turn up the world’s longest wooden jetty. Anyone able to point us in the right direction?

Thanks: Max Powar, AussieBob, Giles Pepper and me… again! Go me.

Heart Shaped Things

Monday, 1st August 2005 by James

In French New Caledonia there’s a natural heart shaped swamp which featured on the cover of ‘Earth from Above‘, a collection of photographs by Yann Arthus Bertrand. The photo was titled ‘HEART IN VOH’.

In Taipei there’s a heart shaped pool, which also has a heart shaped island in the middle. Surely it must be man made though?

Finally, on the coast of Croatia, is this gorgeous heart shaped island, lined on every side with golden sands. Honeymoon location anyone?

Heart Island

Thanks: Rob B, Julien and pilotin.