And why did these atomic scientists choose this island and this area to build their nuclear research facilities?  The answer is on this page, further down.

We depart the hotel in our two vans.  Our call signs, generated by retired police officer MARK KRATZ, were Golf Lima 1 and 2.  For those never in law enforcement or the military, Golf Lima is the phonic for "G" and "L".  And why "G" and "L" you might ask?  That stands for 'Gringos Loco'.  And so we head for the marina........................

No beat up old AFRICAN QUEEN scow for us - our Sharkhunters group travels in style!  All the comforts of home in the cabin below - then we are on our way across the lake.

the name of the yacht on the far left is 'CALEU CALEU'.  Is that a local Indian word or could that be a modified version of 'KALEU KALEU'?  As we know, Kaleu is the short version of the German naval rank of Kapitänleutnant.

We are headed out to sea................well, across this very large lake.

We are nearing the dock on the remote island - THAT dock that took a chunk out of COOPER's arm in January 2008.  As we will learn in a few days - COOPER goes home from Argentina each time with more and more creative injuries.  Keep reading......

Below left - THAT dock was waiting!  Below right - The Prefectura (Argentine Coast Guard) welcomes COOPER, a former Flotilla Commander with the United states Coast Guard (Aux).  Check the belt buckle............

Okay - so why did Dr. Richter and his associates choose this island across from the little town we call 'Stadt'?  According to information
from our S.E.I.G. Agent TIGER,
   *  By end of WW II, 'Stadt' was inhabited almost entirely by Germans;
   *  They had their own armed security patrols in and around 'Stadt';
   *  Armed patrol boats patrolled the entire lake;
   *  We have seen the lookout positions including;
             *  the lookout tower at one end of the lake,
             *  the bunker at the other end of the lake,
            *  the many observation posts set up by Otto Mehling.

But that isn't all!  S.E.I.G. Agent TAUCHER has recently uncovered a HUGE amount of files that, among other formerly unknown data was found Intel relating directly to German scientists, military men, their families etc. - THOUSANDS of them - and some of it pertains directly to this area.  All the details located by TAUCHER will be in the KTB Magazine of Sharkhunters.  We have seen these documents and believe me, it will rock the 'history' that we were taught in 5th grade.  Don't miss the next issues of our KTB Magazine.

HALEY brings in more diggers - her sister Chelsea, her husband Mark and COOPER with the White's metal detector.
 

into the ruins of one of the buildings that

 made up the laboratory complex.

Remember - if you are not a Sharkhunters Member - not getting the KTB Magazine, you really are getting not true & accurate history.  Go ahead.........click on our emblem and see what you
can learn.
    You'll love it - we GUARANTEE IT!
That's right - we GUARANTEE that you will love your Sharkhunters Membership.  If, during the first 30 days, you decide that this is not what you want, just let us know and your full Membership will be promptly refunded.  So far since Sharkhunters began in 1983, a total of 9 people have requested and received their Membership refunded......Nine people out of more than 7,400 Members!  We think that is a pretty outstanding record.  Go ahead - click on the emblem.  You have nothing to lose and great history to gain.

This was the home of Dr. Richter on the island and there is no reason to believe there ever was a gun battle near here.  The island was shut down and deserted in the late 1950's and once Juan Perón was out of power, it is not unlikely that the new government sent the army to the island to see what Peron was doing there and maybe the soldiers just shot at the building - we don't know, but from the holes in the building, it is apparent that they were made by heavy military rifles.

Note how it was built for 'beneath the floor' heating.  The floor boards were placed on top of the large stringers so the air - heated or otherwise, could flow freely beneath the floor of the home.

Departing this building and we pass another of those signs that say that Sharkhunters are welcome here - but in this case, once we were through the underbrush and into a meadow, we spent much time picking thorns and stickers out of our pants.

When we reach the next building, we are still picking stickers out of our pants - or in the case of those who wore shorts - picking the stickers out of their bare legs - OUCH!  But we are tough - we are Sharkhunters.

Everyone was sharing food, trading cheese for tomatoes, ham for sausage etc. with one another.  It was exactly what Sharkhunters is meant to be - a large family.  This was one of the best groups ever to travel with Sharkhunters.

Lunch break - okay, so we got carried away and stuck in a quote from the 'Rubiat' by Omar Kyham but why not?  It was quiet, relaxing with friends - and in the tunnels of time with Sharkhunters.

Perhaps you could tell by the large round objects - we are told they are 'control rod refueling ports' and we are at the building that was once the reactor building where the low level thermonuclear reaction was achieved

Above and below - there were several structures that were obviously

 foundations/fundaments for machinery of some type.

It was inside the reactor building where Dr. CHARLES ELLIS handed the Geiger counter to his daughter HALEY HAYES and when he least expected it, she asked (with a sly grim) "Daddy, why does it show 5.4?"  CHARLIE nearly turned himself inside-out spinning around to look at the instrument.  That's when HALEY broke into outright laughter.  The counter really indicated zero radiation.

Above and right - We found what appears to be some kind of schematic etched into these rocks inside the reactor building.  Any suggestions what this is - please let us know.

Below - another deep viewing port into the reactor.  What was the purpose of these supports?  Perhaps a camera mount???

We explore yet another strange laboratory building - again with so many square holes all throughout the walls.  They are not far enough in height from each other, so they could not be floor supports - so what were they?  Ideas anyone?

One of our Sharkhunters Members with a scientific background suggested possibly a primitive cooling tower?  With pipes running through these holes as a gigantic radiator to cool the water from the reactor?  We don't know, but it is a possibility.

This laboratory building was only one story high and from the

 layout of the inside was possibly a chemistry laboratory.

Above & below right - this is a real puzzle; the center structure is surrounded by that narrow gap, but that gap is filled with water - deep water.  We dropped heavy stones in the water and it read pretty deep.  What was this?

After the atomic laboratory facility here on the island was abandoned, about the same time that Juan Perón was ousted from power, all the electric generating machinery was removed to nearby 'Stadt' and used to generate enough electricity to power the entire town.

Other questions pop up - how did they get the diesel fuel to the island?  We found no evidence of a pipeline from the mainland; we saw no evidence of a dock substantial enough to handle the heavy equipment used on the island or heavy enough to handle fuel deliveries; no evidence of a pipeline from any place near the water to the power station........we came away with more questions than answers.