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(blowing wind)
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(upbeat orchestral music)
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(orchestra music continues)
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(gentle percussion music)
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- [Announcer] Our journey begins
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crossing the English Channel,
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one of the busiest shipping
lanes in the world,
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before arriving at the Channel Islands.
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The first is Alderney, which was once
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one of the world's most fortified islands.
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From there, it's south past
dangerous rocks on the Casquets
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to Guernsey, the second
largest island in the group
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with it's capital Saint
Peter Port on the east coast.
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Continuing east and past
small islands is Sark,
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still home to ancient laws and Parliament.
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And between Sark and the
French coast is Jersey
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and it's capital Saint Helier.
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Our journey ends on the low-lying
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and very dangerous rocks of the Minquiers,
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known as the Minkies.
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(melancholy classical music)
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The English Channel
separates France and England
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and is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.
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It's one of the busiest
seaways in the world
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carrying over 500 ships per day.
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Over the years, many ships have collided,
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often with disastrous
consequences so that in 1971
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a radar-controlled
traffic separation system
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was introduced to help cut
down the number of accidents.
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Ships entering or leaving
the Channel from the south
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will need to keep clear
of the Channel Islands,
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which lie on their route.
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There are four main islands
and a number of smaller ones
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in this group of British dependencies.
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The most northerly is Alderney.
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The island is three square miles in size
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and the third largest of
the Channel Island group
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and is only 10 miles
from the French coast.
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The islands were created
after the last ice age,
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when the sea level rose and filled
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what is now the English Channel.
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They became British as a result
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of the Norman invasion of England in 1066,
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as it was the Normans who
controlled the islands.
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When in the 13th century,
Normandy was incorporated
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back into the kingdom of France,
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the Channel Islands
decided to remain loyal
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to the English Crown and
have done so ever since.
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Braye Harbor is the main port
for goods arriving at Alderney
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and has been in operation
since the 18th century.
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In 1847, the long breakwater was built,
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which only partially protects the harbor
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and is constantly being
repaired and maintained,
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particularly following violent storms.
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In recent years, the harbor
has undergone redevelopment
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and the commercial quay can
now berth much larger vessels
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including smaller cruise ships.
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The main town on Alderney is Saint Anne,
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where most of the two and
a half thousand inhabitants
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of the island live.
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In the mid-19th century,
the British government
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decided to fortify the island because of
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a supposed threat from a French invasion.
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The island became a massive
military construction site.
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Above Braye Harbor is Fort Albert,
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named after Queen Victoria's
husband, Prince Albert.
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And on the other side of
the harbor is Fort Doyle.
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On the east side of the island
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is one of the most extensive
forts, Fort Tourgis,
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constructed in 1855 to
defend the breakwater,
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which had recently been built.
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These fortifications and many
more on the British mainland
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became know as Palmerston's Follies,
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after the Prime Minister of Great Britain,
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Lord Palmerston who had them built.
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They never fired a shot in anger
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until the German occupation of the 1940s,
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when the Nazis adapted the fort
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and many others for modern artillery.
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(ominous music)
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One of the most remarkable
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of the 19th century
fortifications is Fort Clonque,
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built on a rocky peninsula.
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It was originally planned
for 10 64-pounder guns
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in four open batteries, manned
by two officers and 50 men.
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In the 1880s, it was
disarmed but left standing.
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In the 1940s, following
the German occupation,
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Fort Clonque was revived.
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A part of the soldiers'
quarters was replaced
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by an enormous gun.
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Today that section has
become a huge bedroom
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as the Landmark Trust took over the fort
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and adapted it for modern living,
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and then let it out as a
very dramatic holiday home.
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(seabirds crying)
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Alderney is one of the most
important areas for seabirds.
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These northern gannets are nesting
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in a wetlands conservation
area of around 15,000 acres
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that includes the coast and
the small outlying islands.
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This gannetry on the
island of Les Etacs is home
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to roughly 3,000 pairs of
birds who nest here each year.
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It's also one of the most easily
viewed colonies in Europe.
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Amongst the other
seabirds in this sanctuary
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are storm petrels, fulmars, terns,
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puffins, guillemots, and razorbills.
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(crashing waves and calling birds)
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(gentle piano music)
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As we have already seen, many
of the other small islands
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around the coast have 19th
century forts on them.
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This is Fort Raz, which was
then adapted by the Germans
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during World War II.
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They also improved the causeway,
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which can only be crossed at low tide.
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An even more dramatic example
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is just off the southeast
corner of the island,
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Fort Houmet Herbe.
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It's now in ruins with only
the outer walls remaining.
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And the fort can only
be reached at low tide.
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All around the Alderney
coast are strong tidal flows,
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which can spell disaster
for ships of any size.
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So the Alderney Lighthouse
warning of danger
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has become a welcome sight
for mariners since 1912.
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During the 1940s, the
danger came from within
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due to the Nazi occupation.
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Much of the east end of the island
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was turned into a German
defensive position.
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Just behind the lighthouse
is a German observation tower
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surrounded by several
antiaircraft batteries.
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The massive concrete observation tower
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is a stark reminder of
the German occupation
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and a part of Adolph Hitler's
Atlantic defense wall.
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The sea surrounding Alderney
are some of the most dangerous
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for ships and especially the Casquets,
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a sandstone ridge just off the west coast.
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The tidal surges which
flow around the rocks
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often exceed the speed of a ship,
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which is then helpless to avoid them.
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Only a colony of northern
gannets seem happy
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to inhabit these rocky outposts.
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At the far end of the ridge
is the Casquets Lighthouse.
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The first one was built
here in the 18th century,
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and unusually three
towers were constructed
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to give it a distinctive appearance,
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which would not be
confused with lighthouses
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on the French mainland.
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Over the centuries it has been adapted.
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And in 1877, two of the
towers were dismantled
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with one of them today used as a helipad
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in order for maintenance
work to be carried out,
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as the lighthouse has been
fully automated since 1990.
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20 miles to the southwest
is the second largest
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of the Channel Islands, Guernsey.
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(dramatic uplifting music)
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It's about 12 miles long
and roughly nine miles wide.
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The coastline is rocky with small coves
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where the sea has carved
out sandy beaches.
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This makes Guernsey a very
popular place with holidaymakers,
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as it has warm summers
and is mild in winter.
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The island also has an airport
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with regular scheduled
services from Britain.
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During the summer months,
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200,000 visitors swell the population.
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The mild climate makes
Guernsey an ideal place
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for growing vegetables,
fruit, and flowers.
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Over the years, the
island has been well known
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for its tomatoes and vast
greenhouses can be seen.
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Like all the Channel Islands,
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much of the coastline has
been given over to defense
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and several old forts stand
out on rocky promontories.
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During World War II, the
Germans adapted most of them
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into antiaircraft batteries as well as
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building an enormous observation tower.
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Hitler was obsessed with the
idea that Britain would try
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and take the islands back at any cost.
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This obsession meant diverting resources,
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tying up troops and
building massive defenses,
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which suited the allies when planning
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the D-Day invasion of France.
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The island itself has a
natural defense barrier
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in the low-lying rocks around the coast,
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which would make a seaborne
invasion almost impossible.
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As a British dependency,
Guernsey has its own government
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with the right to raise
taxes and institute laws.
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Foreign and defense matters are legislated
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with consultation through
the British government.
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The position of the British
Crown is that Queen Elizabeth
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is head of state but also recognized
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as the Duke of Normandy,
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a title she inherits as monarch
from the time of William I,
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following the Norman
invasion of England in 1066.
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The capital of Guernsey
is Saint Peter Port,
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which has a history
stretching back to Roman times
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when it was a small trading harbor.
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00:11:38,210 --> 00:11:41,370
The port today, which lies
on the east side of Guernsey,
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is the most sheltered of
all the Channel Islands.
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Apart from commercial shipping,
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the port offers a safe
haven for the hundreds
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00:11:48,530 --> 00:11:51,010
of private boats that
fill the large marina.
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The harbor has been
protected by Castle Cornet
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since the 13th century.
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Originally built on an island,
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it's now joined to the
mainland by the breakwater,
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which was built in the mid-19th century.
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00:12:08,750 --> 00:12:11,690
The town itself is built
into a steep valley
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leading down to the harbor.
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00:12:13,810 --> 00:12:16,550
Despite its expansion,
the center has retained
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much of its 17th century charm.
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In 1855 the town welcomed
the French writer Victor Hugo
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when he was exiled from France.
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And it was here he wrote
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one of his best known
novels, "Les Miserables".
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00:12:36,702 --> 00:12:40,202
(upbeat classical music)
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00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,790
To the south of Saint Peter
Port is one of the island's
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most historic houses, Sausmarez Manor.
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00:12:46,843 --> 00:12:50,353
The house has a history
stretching back to medieval days,
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00:12:50,350 --> 00:12:53,030
though only a fragment still exists.
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00:12:53,030 --> 00:12:55,500
What we see today is a magnificent example
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of what is known as the
Queen Anne colonial style
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of the early 18th century.
220
00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,430
The perfectly symmetrical front was built
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00:13:03,430 --> 00:13:05,940
in gray granite quarried from the island.
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00:13:07,380 --> 00:13:09,050
The house is now open to the public
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00:13:09,050 --> 00:13:10,280
during the summer months.
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00:13:10,277 --> 00:13:12,867
And the grounds are open all year round.
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00:13:18,670 --> 00:13:20,900
To the east of Guernsey is Herm,
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the smallest of the Channel
Islands open to the public.
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00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,900
And in front of it, the even
smaller island of Jethou,
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which is privately owned.
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00:13:31,450 --> 00:13:34,360
Also privately owned is
the island of Brecqhou,
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00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,370
which lies on the west side of Sark,
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the fourth largest of the Channel Islands.
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00:13:41,990 --> 00:13:43,880
The present owners of Brecqhou have built
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00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,210
a magnificent manor house
and planted a large garden
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00:13:47,210 --> 00:13:49,110
on this idyllic island retreat.
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00:13:53,220 --> 00:13:56,250
Sark is what is known as a royal fief.
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It comes under the authority of Guernsey,
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but has its own set of laws
and its own parliament.
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00:14:02,350 --> 00:14:05,270
The population is about 600 people.
239
00:14:05,270 --> 00:14:07,390
There are no cars allowed on the island,
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00:14:07,390 --> 00:14:10,370
though there are a few
tractors for the farmers.
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00:14:10,366 --> 00:14:12,606
There is also no street lighting.
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00:14:15,260 --> 00:14:16,730
In fact, the only light at night
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outside the residents'
houses is Sark Lighthouse,
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00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:21,680
built in 1913.
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00:14:23,070 --> 00:14:25,500
It warns shipping of dangerous rocks
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00:14:25,500 --> 00:14:29,130
and also marks the small
harbor at Le Creux,
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00:14:29,130 --> 00:14:31,080
which is the only harbor on the island.
248
00:14:34,270 --> 00:14:36,940
Sark also has a flying
restriction over it,
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which means keeping out
to sea for a good view.
250
00:14:43,070 --> 00:14:45,560
And from this position we can easily see
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one of the most spectacular sights
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in the Channel Islands, La Coupee.
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00:14:52,150 --> 00:14:56,220
This razor-edged isthmus joins
Great Sark to Little Sark.
254
00:14:57,090 --> 00:14:59,460
Before the railings were built in 1900,
255
00:14:59,460 --> 00:15:01,560
people not only had to
have a head for heights,
256
00:15:01,559 --> 00:15:04,799
but in high winds often
had to crawl across
257
00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,310
in case they were blown off
the 100 meter high precipice.
258
00:15:10,670 --> 00:15:13,500
(splashing waves)
259
00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,210
15 miles to the south and
across treacherous seas
260
00:15:18,210 --> 00:15:21,020
with low-lying rocks
uncovered at low tide,
261
00:15:21,020 --> 00:15:24,340
is the largest of the
Channel Islands, Jersey.
262
00:15:24,343 --> 00:15:27,193
(quaint piano music)
263
00:15:27,190 --> 00:15:30,410
The island is a British
dependency just like Guernsey
264
00:15:30,410 --> 00:15:32,610
and as such, is not part of Britain,
265
00:15:32,610 --> 00:15:34,560
but a separate possession of the Crown.
266
00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:38,560
The history of Jersey stretches
back to the Bronze Age
267
00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,020
over 3,000 years ago.
268
00:15:41,020 --> 00:15:43,340
Archeological evidence has also revealed
269
00:15:43,340 --> 00:15:45,390
a Roman presence on the island.
270
00:15:45,390 --> 00:15:46,540
Though whether it was occupied
271
00:15:46,540 --> 00:15:48,960
for any length of time is unknown.
272
00:15:51,850 --> 00:15:54,380
The Vikings invaded
during the 9th century.
273
00:15:54,380 --> 00:15:55,730
And then in the 10th century,
274
00:15:55,730 --> 00:15:57,200
Jersey came under the control
275
00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,390
of its mainland neighbor, Normandy.
276
00:16:01,530 --> 00:16:04,810
Following the Norman
invasion of England in 1066
277
00:16:04,810 --> 00:16:07,600
the island, as well as all
the other Channel Islands,
278
00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,030
came under the protection
of the British Crown.
279
00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,430
Jersey lies 12 miles off the French coast
280
00:16:14,430 --> 00:16:17,970
and is the furthest south
of the Channel Islands.
281
00:16:17,970 --> 00:16:21,390
The highest point is
just under 150 meters.
282
00:16:23,980 --> 00:16:25,630
One of the great attractions of Jersey
283
00:16:25,630 --> 00:16:27,480
is its beautiful coastline.
284
00:16:28,660 --> 00:16:31,370
Sandy coves, cliffs of rocky peninsulas
285
00:16:31,370 --> 00:16:33,530
provide a great backdrop for hotels
286
00:16:33,530 --> 00:16:36,500
and the thousands of
visitors who come each year,
287
00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:39,250
as well as some spectacular
clifftop houses.
288
00:16:40,633 --> 00:16:43,633
(songbirds singing)
289
00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,950
50 years ago the author and
naturalist Gerald Durrell
290
00:16:47,950 --> 00:16:50,720
founded the Durrell
Wildlife Conservation Trust.
291
00:16:51,700 --> 00:16:55,630
It is a sanctuary for over
190 endangered species,
292
00:16:55,630 --> 00:16:59,290
including three generations
of Sumatran orangutans,
293
00:16:59,290 --> 00:17:02,050
a family of western lowland gorillas,
294
00:17:02,050 --> 00:17:04,380
a Madagascan lemur community,
295
00:17:04,380 --> 00:17:06,600
and Brazilian black lion tamarins.
296
00:17:10,410 --> 00:17:13,450
The overriding aim of the
trust is to save species
297
00:17:13,450 --> 00:17:15,870
from extinction by a better understanding
298
00:17:15,870 --> 00:17:19,280
of how they can survive and
breed in their natural habitats.
299
00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:22,410
This research information is then shared
300
00:17:22,410 --> 00:17:24,610
with other animal
projects around the world.
301
00:17:26,019 --> 00:17:29,259
Native Jersey animals
are not forgotten either.
302
00:17:29,260 --> 00:17:32,020
And large areas of the park
have been planted with trees
303
00:17:32,020 --> 00:17:36,140
and flowers which still
attract wild birds and insects.
304
00:17:36,140 --> 00:17:38,960
Nesting boxes attract barn owls, kestrels,
305
00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:40,700
swallows and martins.
306
00:17:47,130 --> 00:17:51,480
On the most easterly part of
the island stands Gorey Castle
307
00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,000
and it's thanks to the
explorer Sir Walter Raleigh,
308
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:55,510
who is said to have introduced tobacco
309
00:17:55,510 --> 00:17:59,340
into Europe, that we
still see the castle today
310
00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:02,550
because when he was governor
of the island in 1600,
311
00:18:02,550 --> 00:18:04,910
he rejected a plan to demolish it
312
00:18:04,910 --> 00:18:08,080
when a new castle was built
further round the coast.
313
00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,140
He said it was a "pity to cast it down".
314
00:18:12,150 --> 00:18:13,540
A castle was first mentioned
315
00:18:13,540 --> 00:18:15,910
on the site in the 13th century
316
00:18:15,910 --> 00:18:18,420
and was the main defense of Jersey.
317
00:18:18,415 --> 00:18:22,405
By the 17th century, it
was being used as a prison.
318
00:18:22,410 --> 00:18:24,050
It was later largely abandoned
319
00:18:24,050 --> 00:18:25,900
until the early 20th century
320
00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:28,730
when the Crown handed it
over to the people of Jersey.
321
00:18:30,110 --> 00:18:33,550
During World War II, the
Germans built observation towers
322
00:18:33,550 --> 00:18:36,040
disguised to look like old turrets.
323
00:18:39,610 --> 00:18:41,450
Today this picturesque castle
324
00:18:41,450 --> 00:18:43,540
is one of Jersey's top attractions.
325
00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,120
Just like all the other
islands we have seen,
326
00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:54,410
the coastline is dotted with
small forts and lookout towers.
327
00:18:57,670 --> 00:19:00,070
Some have been incorporated
into private houses.
328
00:19:01,500 --> 00:19:04,660
While others, like this one,
built on a remote rocky outcrop
329
00:19:04,660 --> 00:19:07,540
remain as a preserved
reminder of past times.
330
00:19:07,539 --> 00:19:10,959
(melancholy piano music)
331
00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:15,940
Jersey's climate has
bought the island fame
332
00:19:15,937 --> 00:19:19,197
for its new potatoes and
the name has been given
333
00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,690
to a breed of cows which
were originally bred here
334
00:19:21,690 --> 00:19:23,150
in the 18th century.
335
00:19:24,090 --> 00:19:27,460
The mild climate has also
produced beautiful gardens
336
00:19:27,460 --> 00:19:29,900
and along the coast is Samares Manor.
337
00:19:31,630 --> 00:19:33,940
The gardens were created back in the 1920s
338
00:19:33,942 --> 00:19:37,332
and have recently undergone
substantial restoration
339
00:19:37,330 --> 00:19:40,020
as well as further development
including the planting
340
00:19:40,020 --> 00:19:43,130
of one of the most comprehensive
herb gardens in Europe.
341
00:19:44,201 --> 00:19:48,101
The house has a mixture of
styles stretching back centuries
342
00:19:48,100 --> 00:19:50,660
when the first house was
built here by the Normans.
343
00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,200
During the Reformation
of the 16th century,
344
00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,270
the monastic buildings on the tidal island
345
00:20:00,270 --> 00:20:03,700
in Saint Aubin's Bay were
taken over by the Crown,
346
00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:06,210
and a new castle built on the orders
347
00:20:06,210 --> 00:20:08,880
of the then governor of
Jersey, Sir Walter Raleigh.
348
00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,820
Construction began in 1594
and the castle was named
349
00:20:14,820 --> 00:20:18,910
Fort Isabella Bellissima,
the most beautiful Elizabeth,
350
00:20:18,910 --> 00:20:21,220
after England's Queen, Elizabeth I.
351
00:20:26,173 --> 00:20:28,813
The castle then became the
main defense of the island
352
00:20:28,810 --> 00:20:31,870
until the English Civil
War during the 17th century
353
00:20:31,870 --> 00:20:34,590
when Jersey declared
loyalty to King Charles I,
354
00:20:35,470 --> 00:20:38,710
which led to Parliamentary
forces landing on the island
355
00:20:38,710 --> 00:20:40,970
and bombarding the castle with mortars.
356
00:20:42,590 --> 00:20:45,780
One of the shells destroyed
the old monastic abbey,
357
00:20:45,780 --> 00:20:47,450
which had been used as a storehouse
358
00:20:47,450 --> 00:20:50,190
for ammunition and provisions.
359
00:20:50,190 --> 00:20:52,890
The garrison commander
was forced to surrender.
360
00:20:54,170 --> 00:20:57,040
In the 18th century during
the Napoleonic Wars,
361
00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:58,550
the French invaded the island
362
00:20:58,550 --> 00:21:00,960
and tried to capture
the castle but failed.
363
00:21:04,512 --> 00:21:06,842
During the 19th century,
an ambitious project
364
00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,550
to link Fort Elizabeth to the mainland
365
00:21:08,550 --> 00:21:10,600
with a breakwater was abandoned
366
00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,230
and only a section linking
a rocky outlet was built.
367
00:21:14,230 --> 00:21:16,090
It's now used by fisherman.
368
00:21:17,020 --> 00:21:19,690
(waves lapping)
369
00:21:21,270 --> 00:21:23,660
This means that the only way to the castle
370
00:21:23,660 --> 00:21:26,400
is by walking along the
causeway at low tide
371
00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:28,330
or using the castle ferries,
372
00:21:28,330 --> 00:21:31,090
which manage to be boats as well as buses,
373
00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:32,820
and so it could run all day long.
374
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,250
During the journey there is a good view
375
00:21:37,250 --> 00:21:39,650
of the capital of the
island, Saint Helier.
376
00:21:41,700 --> 00:21:44,370
Saint Helier is the patron
saint of the island,
377
00:21:44,370 --> 00:21:46,460
who is said to have
been martyred some time
378
00:21:46,460 --> 00:21:47,710
during the sixth century.
379
00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,170
Today, roughly 30% of
Jersey's population live
380
00:21:52,170 --> 00:21:54,790
in or around the capital and it's by far
381
00:21:54,790 --> 00:21:56,340
the largest town on the island.
382
00:21:58,300 --> 00:21:59,890
Like much of the rest of Jersey,
383
00:21:59,890 --> 00:22:02,200
the atmosphere is distinctly British,
384
00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,880
but with French and some
Portuguese influences.
385
00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:08,770
Many of the street names and
squares have French names.
386
00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:14,790
The harbor is an important
part of the island's economy
387
00:22:14,790 --> 00:22:18,230
as yachts of all sizes are
welcomed into the marina.
388
00:22:18,230 --> 00:22:20,350
They come from nearby France as well as
389
00:22:20,350 --> 00:22:21,950
across the channel from Britain.
390
00:22:23,930 --> 00:22:26,090
Sailing families as well as tourists
391
00:22:26,090 --> 00:22:29,710
who come by ferry and air, all
help boost Jersey's income.
392
00:22:33,530 --> 00:22:35,690
Like all the Channel
Islands, one of the reasons
393
00:22:35,690 --> 00:22:38,730
for Jersey's popularity is the tax regime.
394
00:22:38,730 --> 00:22:43,610
Where income tax is 20%,
sales tax is only 3%.
395
00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,560
A person is considered a
resident if they spend a year
396
00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:49,810
in a property they have
bought on the island.
397
00:22:51,403 --> 00:22:54,813
As a result, homes on this
small island can be expensive.
398
00:22:54,810 --> 00:22:57,470
And a typical three bedroomed
house won't leave you
399
00:22:57,470 --> 00:22:59,850
with much change from a million dollars.
400
00:23:03,180 --> 00:23:04,880
With its low rate of income tax,
401
00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:06,450
Jersey attracts many affluent people,
402
00:23:06,453 --> 00:23:10,703
with a corporation tax
between zero and 10%,
403
00:23:10,700 --> 00:23:13,140
the island's economy has gradually changed
404
00:23:13,140 --> 00:23:16,160
from agriculture to business and finance,
405
00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,670
which now accounts for 60%
of Jersey's tax revenue.
406
00:23:21,690 --> 00:23:24,380
However, for 700,000 people a year,
407
00:23:24,380 --> 00:23:26,960
Jersey offers a great family holiday.
408
00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,490
Come to enjoy the island's
excellent beaches,
409
00:23:29,490 --> 00:23:31,790
good weather and perhaps a go at a bit
410
00:23:31,790 --> 00:23:34,260
of kite surfing in Saint Aubin's Bay.
411
00:23:42,390 --> 00:23:44,530
On the west side is Saint Aubin's Fort,
412
00:23:44,530 --> 00:23:47,330
which is now a residential
facility used by school
413
00:23:47,330 --> 00:23:50,780
and youth groups to provide
an outdoor education
414
00:23:50,780 --> 00:23:53,650
and also a base for all
kinds of water sports.
415
00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,320
The castle is cut off from the mainland
416
00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,820
by about three hours on
either side of the tide.
417
00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,660
A sandy causeway is the only
way to get to the island
418
00:24:06,660 --> 00:24:09,980
and is a popular walk
for people on the beach.
419
00:24:09,980 --> 00:24:13,400
Warning signs point out the
dangers of an incoming tide,
420
00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,130
which will trap the
unwary on the castle mound
421
00:24:16,130 --> 00:24:18,730
for several hours until the tide goes out.
422
00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,060
Before we leave Jersey
for our final location,
423
00:24:24,060 --> 00:24:27,030
it's an interesting fact
that this small island
424
00:24:27,030 --> 00:24:29,380
was to give its name to the third state
425
00:24:29,380 --> 00:24:32,510
of the United States
of America, New Jersey.
426
00:24:33,490 --> 00:24:36,040
The island's support for the
King during the Civil War
427
00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,750
in the 17th century, led a new
American colony being granted
428
00:24:39,750 --> 00:24:42,160
to a Royalist from Saint Helier.
429
00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,850
He called it the Province of New Jersey.
430
00:24:47,077 --> 00:24:49,787
(tinkling and drum beats)
431
00:24:49,790 --> 00:24:52,700
Our journey finishes nine
miles south of Jersey
432
00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:55,940
at Les Minquiers, a group
of low-lying islands
433
00:24:55,940 --> 00:24:58,250
also know as the Minkies in English.
434
00:24:59,100 --> 00:25:02,040
These low-lying islands
may look peaceful enough,
435
00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,750
but in rough weather many
ships have been driven
436
00:25:04,750 --> 00:25:06,160
onto them over the years.
437
00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:10,610
And over the years, the
islands have also been
438
00:25:10,610 --> 00:25:13,330
a source of contention
between Britain and France
439
00:25:13,330 --> 00:25:15,620
as to who owns them even though
440
00:25:15,620 --> 00:25:17,010
no one has ever lived here.
441
00:25:18,495 --> 00:25:22,515
It was only in 1950 that the
International Court of Justice
442
00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:26,340
awarded the islands to Jersey
as represented by Britain.
443
00:25:28,420 --> 00:25:30,720
And as we fly towards the French mainland,
444
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,730
it's time to end this journey
around the Channel Islands.
445
00:25:37,473 --> 00:25:40,973
(hopeful orchestra music)
446
00:26:00,699 --> 00:26:01,749
(stamp)
447
00:26:01,754 --> 00:26:02,824
(stamp)
448
00:26:02,819 --> 00:26:04,099
(stamp)
449
00:26:04,104 --> 00:26:06,274
(swoosh)
34927
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