Misplaced Pages

#259740

57-479: Britain and Argentina both maintain bases on the islands. The Argentine base, Orcadas , established in 1904, is sited on Laurie Island . The 11 buildings of the Argentine station house up to 45 people during the summer, and an average of 14 during winter. The British Antarctic Survey base, Signy Research Station , is located on Signy Island and was established in 1947. Initially operated year-round, since 1995/6

114-631: A communications tower. It is maintained by the Argentine Navy. Signy Island Signy Island is a small subantarctic island in the South Orkney Islands of Antarctica . It was named by the Norwegian whaler Petter Sørlle (1884–1933) after his wife, Signy Therese. The island is about 6.5 km (4.0 mi) long and 5 km (3.1 mi) wide and rises to 288 m (945 ft) above sea level. Much of it

171-468: A cove with a large sea cave in the cliff on the north side of the cove. UK-APC named the cove after David D. Wynn-Williams , BAS microbiologist . The south entrance of Williams Haven is marked by Richard Point, named for Kenneth J. Richard, BAS technician. Deschampsia Point is a point on the northwest side of Signy Island, 0.3 nautical miles (0.6 km) northeast of the Spindrift Rocks. It

228-575: A permanent communication link. The station depended on the Ministry of Agriculture until Argentine Navy relieved the crew with navy personnel on March 3, 1951. Formal transfer occurred on December 23, 1952, when by presidential decree the base was put under the Service of Maritime Hydrography as Destacamento Naval Orcadas ("Orcadas naval Detachment"). Under the Köppen climate classification system,

285-420: A point called Polynesia Point, named by UK-APC after the factory ship Polynesia. Pinder Gully, named by UK-APC for meteorologist Ronald Pinder, runs into the sea from the bluff. On the west side of the harbor is Rusty Bluff, a prominent cliff rising 225 m (738 ft) to a rounded summit, named for its color and a rusted iron post found on the summit by FIDS. Ice-free Rethval Point, named by UK-APC after

342-514: A result, the base only averages 483.0 hours of sunshine per year or 13.5% of possible sunshine (possibly the lowest on earth), ranging from a low of 9.3% in January to a high of 22.5% in August. December and January are the least windy months, averaging 19 to 21 km/h (12 to 13 mph) while August and September are the windiest months, averaging more than 25 km/h (16 mph). The base

399-641: A small summer base, Cape Geddes Station in Laurie Island in 1946, replaced by Signy Research Station in Signy Island in 1947. It also had the first radiotelegraph in the continent in 1927. The 11 buildings of the station house up to 65 people during the summer, and an average of 17 during winter. The scientific activities are carried out at the Laboratorio Antártico Mutidisciplinario en Base Orcadas (LABORC),

456-486: Is Cummings Cove, surveyed by DI personnel in 1933 and FIDS personnel in 1947. It was named by UK-APC for FIDS radio operator E. T. Cummings. BAS maintains a scientific hut at Cummings Cove, visited regularly by BAS personnel from Signy Station. It has accommodations for 2 people, with food and fuel for 2 person-months. Bothy Lake, a small lake at the cove's head, was named by UK-APC for this hut, or " bothy ". Twisted Lake, 0.1 nmi (0.2 km) northeast of Cummings Cove,

513-552: Is Lenton Point, named in 1954 by UK-APC for radio operator Ralph A. Lenton of FIDS. Lenton Point marks the west side of Fur Seal Cove, which sits next to Gourlay Peninsula. The cove was named by the UK-APC for the large number of fur seals which frequent the cove and adjacent shore. Inland to the north of Lenton Point is the Hillier Moss, a wet, level, low-lying area, which has several small pools and extensive moss carpets. It

570-627: Is a frequent occurrence in the base, averaging 110 days. This can vary from year to year with 1987 being the foggiest year when there were 252 days with fog to only 30 days with fog in 1963. Being located in the path of low pressure systems throughout the year, the base experiences high cloud cover, particularly in summer. December and January are the cloudiest months, averaging 29 cloudy days each month. Winters are less cloudy, averaging 20 cloudy days in June and July. Clear days are extremely rare and only occur between May and October, averaging 1–3 days. As

627-412: Is an irregularly-shaped ice-free peninsula , which is 0.1 nautical miles (0.2 km) wide at its base and widens to 0.4 nautical miles (0.7 km), forming the southeastern extremity of Signy Island. The seaward end of the peninsula divides into three arms. It was surveyed in 1933 by DI personnel, and resurveyed in 1947 by FIDS. Pantomime Point is the northernmost of the three points, and Pageant Point

SECTION 10

#1732772463260

684-464: Is closest to the shore. Northeast of Amos Lake is Spirogyra Lake, named for the algal genus Spirogyra , which grows abundantly in the lake in summer. To the east is Light Lake, named after BAS limnologist Jeremy J. Light . Tranquil Lake, a cirque lake fed by meltwater , named by UK-APC for its sheltered position, lies further inland between Amos Lake and the Snow Hills . Port Jebsen indents

741-410: Is descriptively named North Point, first charted in 1933 by DI personnel. To the southwest, 0.75 nmi (1.4 km) off the coast, are the ice-free Spindrift Rocks, approximately 15 m (49 ft) high. They were surveyed and named in 1947 by FIDS. The name is descriptive of the spindrift , or sea spray, which forms over these rocks during westerly gales. South of North Point is Williams Haven,

798-552: Is permanently covered with ice. The average temperature range is 0 °C (32 °F) to about −10 °C (14 °F) in winter (i.e. in July). The extremes extend to 12 and −44 °C (53.6 and −47.2 °F). The island is separated from Coronation Island to the north by Normanna Strait , and from Moe Island to the southwest by Fyr Channel . On Signy Island, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) maintains

855-417: Is subjected to strong winds throughout the year, with each month averaging 20 days with strong winds (wind speeds above 46 km/h (29 mph)). Occasionally, it can experience gusts above 150 km/h (93 mph). The average annual precipitation is 398.4 mm (15.69 in), which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. March is the wettest month while June is the driest month. Due to

912-424: Is the central and highest of the three points. Both were named by FIDS for behavior observed in the penguin rookeries on the peninsula. The cove between Pantomime and Pageant Points is named Filer Haven, named by UK-APC for John Filer, a British Antarctic Survey biologist who fell to his death from the cliffs here in 1961. The third point is Gourlay Point, named by DI personnel after engineer Ronald George Gourlay;

969-473: Is the easternmost of the islands. The other main islands are Powell and Signy . Smaller islands in the group include Robertson Islands , the Saddle Islands , and Acuña Island . The total area of the archipelago is about 240 sq mi (620 km), of which about 90 percent is glaciated. The Inaccessible Islands about 15  nmi (17 mi; 28 km) to the west are considered part of

1026-571: The Rethval Whaling Company of Oslo , the first company to start whaling in the South Orkney Islands, forms the south side of the entrance to Paal Harbour. To the south sits Caloplaca Cove, named by UK-APC after the abundant orange lichens of the genus Caloplaca , which encrust the sea cliffs around the cove. The south entrance of the cove is marked by Pantomime Point, on Gourlay Peninsula. Gourlay Peninsula

1083-535: The Signy Research Station , a scientific station for research in biology . The base was opened on 18 March 1947, on the site of an earlier whaling station that had existed there in the 1920s. The station was staffed year-round until 1996; since that year it has been occupied only from November to April. It houses 10 people. A number of locations on the island have been charted and individually named by various Antarctic expeditions. The first survey

1140-497: The Southern Ocean . As a group of islands, the South Orkney Islands are at approximately 60°36′S 45°30′W  /  60.600°S 45.500°W  / -60.600; -45.500 . The archipelago comprises four main islands. Coronation Island is the largest, measuring about 30 mi (48 km) long; its highest point is Mount Nivea which rises to 4,153 ft (1,266 m) above sea level. Laurie Island

1197-473: The "Multidisciplinary Antarctic Laboratory at Base Orcadas". In 1903 Dr William S. Bruce 's Scottish National Antarctic Expedition established Omond House , a meteorological station on Laurie Island. During the expedition, however, the crew became stuck in the ice and, unable to sail off, were trapped in the station for the winter. Bruce left the station in December of that year for Buenos Aires to fix

SECTION 20

#1732772463260

1254-462: The 1960s. It has since colonized much of the island and is altering the entire soil ecosystem. Some places they can reach 20,000 individuals per m2. Because it can survive in water, there are concerns that it could reach other islands. The two claimant nations maintain research stations on the islands. Orcadas Base Base Orcadas is an Argentine scientific station in Antarctica , and

1311-588: The Director General of the National Postal and Telegraphs Office, Manuel García Fernández. Mossman was left in charge of the expedition, along with William Smith as cook. In 1906, Argentina communicated to the international community the establishment of a permanent base on the South Orkney Islands. On August 26, Haggard sent a letter to Foreign Minister Manuel Montes de Oca reminding him that South Orkneys Islands were British. The British position

1368-649: The Signy Research Station has been open only from November to April each year. Apart from personnel at the bases, there are no permanent human inhabitants on the islands. The South Orkney Islands were discovered in 1821 by two sealers , the American Nathaniel Brown Palmer and the Briton George Powell . The islands were originally named Powell's Group , with the main island named Coronation Island as it

1425-537: The South Orkneys. The climate of the South Orkneys is generally cold, wet, and windy. Summers are short and cold (December to March) when the average temperatures reach about 3.5  °C (38.3  °F ) and fall to about −12.8 °C (9 °F) in July. The all time temperature range at Orcadas Base is between 12 and −44 °C (53.6 and −47.2 °F). The highest temperature recorded at Signy Research Station

1482-640: The appointed personnel back to the station. Bruce had informed the British officer William Haggard of his intentions in December 1903. On 29 December, Haggard sent a note to the Argentine Foreign Minister, José Terry, ratifying the terms of Bruce's proposition. Roca submitted the matter to the Oficina Meteorológica Nacional (National Office of Meteorology) who advised him to accept the offer. On January 2, 1904,

1539-454: The cliffs of Robin Peak that a sense of stygian gloom is felt. Immediately to the east is Berry Head, named by DI personnel, which divides Stygian Cove from Tern Cove. The entrance of Tern Cove is blocked by submerged rocks. The cove contains three small islands, and an area near the head dries at low water. It was named by FIDS for the colony of Antarctic terns on the southernmost island in

1596-465: The coast towards the south end of the island immediately north of Jebsen Point. It was charted in 1912 by Petter Sorlle, a Norwegian whaling captain, who named Jebsen Point, for which the cove is named. Also associated are the Jebsen Rocks, a chain of rocks which extend 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) in an east–west direction, lying 0.5 nautical miles north of Jebsen Point. South of Jebsen Point

1653-474: The cold climate and exposure to maritime westerlies, snowfall occurs frequently throughout the year. Based on the 1961–1990 period, the base averages 227 days with snow, with February having the least days with snow (averaging 14 days with snow) and May having the most days with snow (averaging 22 days). Orcadas Base is the site of the Destacamento Lighthouse , a navigation light mounted on

1710-460: The cove. 0.3 nmi (0.6 km) inland to the south of Berry Head is The Wallows, a low-lying area sheltered by low ridges with a small freshwater pond in the center. It was named by FIDS because moulting elephant seals wallow here in the summer. To the south of that is Rootes Point, named by UK-APC after David M. Rootes of the BAS, which marks the north entrance of Starfish Cove. Starfish Cove

1767-465: The first permanently inhabited base in Antarctica. The nearest Argentine port is Ushuaia , which is 1,502 km (811 nmi) away. The base has 11 buildings and four main topics of research: continental glaciology, seismology, sea-ice-zone glaciology (since 1985) and meteorological observations (since 1903). Orcadas was the only station on the islands for 40 years until the British established

South Orkney Islands - Misplaced Pages Continue

1824-760: The harsh conditions, the islands do support vegetation and constitute the South Orkney Islands tundra ecoregion . All islands lie in the cold seas below the Antarctic Convergence . These areas support tundra vegetation consisting of mosses , lichens and algae , while seabirds, penguins and seals feed in the surrounding waters. The littoral zone of the South Orkneys is biologically either lifeless or very poor. Amphipods and planarians exist under rocks, along with various algaes, chitons , and some gastropods . With increasing water depth, life becomes more varied: starfish appear beyond 2–3 metres along with sponges, urchins, and ascidians . At 8–10 metres,

1881-603: The installations were accepted through a presidential decree. The Scotia sailed back for Laurie Island on 14 January 1904 carrying on board Luciano H. Valette, from the Office of Zoology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Edgard C. Szmula, employee of the National Meteorological Office, and Hugo Acuña, from the Ministry of Livestock, who was also designated Postal Chief of the Orkney Islands by

1938-408: The island include chinstrap penguins (19,500 pairs), Adélie penguin (16,900 pairs), gentoo penguins (750 pairs), Antarctic prions (50,000 pairs), south polar skuas , snow petrels , Cape petrels , black-bellied storm petrels , snowy sheathbills , kelp gulls and Antarctic terns . Antarctic fur seals haul out in large numbers varying up to over 20,000. Weddell seals breed in winter on

1995-523: The island is Pandemonium Point, named by FIDS because of the ceaseless noise from the penguin rookeries on the west side of the ridge close north of the point. Clowes Bay is a bay 1 nautical mile (2 km) wide, entered between the Oliphant Islands and Confusion Point on Confusion Island , along the south side of Signy Island. It was charted in 1933 by DI personnel who named it for Archibald J. Clowes , English oceanographer. East of Clowes Bay

2052-618: The islands, reverted some of Weddell's name changes, and established a meteorological station, which was sold to the Argentine Government upon his departure in 1904. This base, renamed Orcadas in 1951, is still in operation today and is thus the oldest research station continuously staffed in the Antarctic. In 1908, the United Kingdom declared sovereignty over various Antarctic and South American territories "to

2109-550: The islands, which influences the climate. Mean monthly temperatures range from −9.4 °C (15.1 °F) in June to 1.0 °C (33.8 °F) in February. In summer, the average high is 2.7 °C (36.9 °F) while the average low is −1.1 °C (30.0 °F). During winter, the average high is −4.9 °C (23.2 °F) while the average low is −13.0 °C (8.6 °F). Temperatures can occasionally rise above freezing during winter. When low pressure systems pass to

2166-637: The naming of the islands. (Incidentally, the South Shetland Islands , discovered in 1819 by William Smith , are roughly the same latitude south as the Shetland Islands are north: 62°S vs 60°N.) Subsequently, the South Orkney Islands were frequently visited by sealers and whalers , but no thorough survey was done until the expedition of William Speirs Bruce on the Scotia in 1903, which overwintered at Laurie Island. Bruce surveyed

2223-506: The north and Berntsen Point to the south. 0.5 nmi (0.9 km) south of Borge Bay is Paal Harbour. The name first appears on a map by captain Sorlle. The harbor and its constituent features were first surveyed in 1933 by DI personnel and resurveyed in 1947 by FIDS. Observation Bluff, 110 m (360 ft) high, forms the north side of Paal Harbor. It was named by FIDS because they made daily observations from it. The bluff comes to

2280-663: The oldest of the stations in Antarctica still in operation. It is located on Laurie Island , one of the South Orkney Islands ( Spanish : Islas Orcadas del Sur ), at 4 meters (13 ft) above sea level and 170 meters (558 ft) from the coastline. Established by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition in 1903 and transferred to the Argentine government in 1904, the base has been permanently populated since, being one of six Argentine permanent bases in Argentina's claim to Antarctica , and

2337-423: The peninsula as a whole was named by UK-APC for the point. Moyes Point is a point on the southwest part of Signy Island, forming the east side of the southeast entrance to Fyr Channel . First charted in 1933 by DI personnel, it was surveyed by FIDS in 1956-58. In 1959 it was named by UK-APC after William Moyes , British government representative at Signy Island in 1912–13. To the east, the southernmost point of

South Orkney Islands - Misplaced Pages Continue

2394-590: The point. The next significant feature is Thulla Point, an ice-free point lying 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) northeast of Jebsen Point. It was charted in 1933 by DI personnel, roughly surveyed in 1947 by FIDS, and named by UK-APC in 1954 for the Norwegian steamship Thulla . Thulla Cove, named in association with the point, is located to the south of it. Inland to the southeast of the point and cove are several lakes, all named by UK-APC. Amos Lake, named for Stephen C. Amos , British Antarctic Survey limnologist ,

2451-470: The ship and obtain supplies, leaving meteorologist Robert C. Mossman in charge of the base to continue the observations. Bruce offered to the Government of President Julio Argentino Roca the transfer of the station and instruments for the sum of 5.000 pesos , on the condition that the government committed itself to the continuation of the scientific mission. He also offered to transport in his ship

2508-548: The south of the 50th parallel of south latitude, and lying between the 20th and the 80th degrees of west longitude", including the South Orkney Islands. The Islands were subsequently administered as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies . A biological research station on Signy Island was built in 1947 by the British Antarctic Survey , and was staffed year-round until 1996, when the Station staffing

2565-430: The south of the base, they can result in exceptionally mild temperatures, with the highest temperature recorded being 15.2 °C (59.4 °F) in 1987. However, when this occurs, the weather is stormy and cloudy with reduced visibility. In contrast, when low pressure systems pass to the north, it results in cold and dry conditions with good visibility, causing temperatures to fall to −44.0 °C (−47.2 °F). Fog

2622-584: The station is located under a tundra climate ( ET ), very close to an ice cap climate ( EF ). The base is influenced by the cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current that runs past the Weddell Sea and the strong westerly winds, creating a colder climate than the coastal areas in the northwestern parts of the Antarctic Peninsula . Weather conditions can vary widely from year to year and day to day since low pressure systems frequently pass through

2679-417: The variety of starfish increases along with the general biomass, and below 30 metres there are vast colonies of these creatures. Two penguin species, Chinstrap ( Pygoscelis antarctica ) and Adélie ( Pygoscelis adeliae ), are present on land. On Signy Island a parthenogenetic flightless midge originally from South Georgia , Eretmoptera murphyi , was accidentally introduced during a botany experiment in

2736-429: Was 19.8 °C (67.6 °F) on 30 January 1982, which is the highest temperature recorded anywhere south of 60°S . The seas around the islands are ice-covered from late April to November. South Orkney Trough ( 60°0′S 45°0′W  /  60.000°S 45.000°W  / -60.000; -45.000 ) is an undersea trough named in association with the South Orkney Islands and approved 10/77 (ACUF 177). Despite

2793-717: Was conducted in 1912 by Norwegian whaling captain Petter Sørlle . It was subsequently visited and charted by Discovery Investigations (DI) personnel in 1927 and 1933. Finally, in 1947, the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) charted the island. The charts produced by these surveys account for many of the names of the island's features. Others were provided later by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC). The northernmost point of Signy Island

2850-416: Was descriptively named by UK-APC in 1991 after the Antarctic hair grass Deschampsia antarctica , which grows on the slopes near the point. To the south, Lovegrove Point, named by UK-APC for Ian W. Lovegrove , marks the north entrance of Express Cove, a small cove approximately midway down the west coast of the island. Express Cove has a very indented shoreline with numerous offshore islands and rocks. It

2907-464: Was named by UK-APC for Edward R. Hillier , a BAS medical officer. The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports substantial and varied seabird breeding colonies . Birds for which the site is of conservation significance are southern giant petrels (2,300 pairs), Wilson's storm petrels (200,000 pairs), imperial shags (800 pairs) and brown skuas (100 pairs). Other birds nesting on

SECTION 50

#1732772463260

2964-401: Was named by UK-APC for its irregular shoreline. Porteous Point, charted in 1933 by DI personnel, marks the south entrance point of Cummings Cove. South of Cummings Cove is Hydrurga Cove, named by UK-APC after the leopard seals , Hydrurga leptonyx , that commonly frequent the cove. The first prominent feature on the east coast is Stygian Cove, named by FIDS because it is so overshadowed by

3021-510: Was reduced to 8–10 personnel who remained only during the southern hemisphere summer (November to April each year). In 1962, the islands became part of the newly established British Antarctic Territory . The Argentine claim to the islands dates from 1925. It was originally justified by the Argentine occupation of the Laurie Island base and later subsumed into a wider territorial claim . The islands are situated at latitudes about 60°30' to 60°48' S and longitudes 44°25' to 46°43' W in

3078-557: Was roughly charted in 1933 by DI personnel and named for the American schooner Express , which visited the South Orkney Islands in 1880. Foca Point marks the south side of the entrance to Express Cove. It was named for the whale catcher Foca , belonging to the Compañía Argentina de Pesca . Both were surveyed in 1947 by FIDS and named by UK-APC. Foca Point also marks the north side of Foca Cove, named in association with

3135-502: Was roughly surveyed in 1933 by DI personnel and named by FIDS because of the large number of starfish in the cove. About 0.3 nmi (0.6 km) off the mouth of the cove is a small submerged rock called Powell Rock, first charted by Captain Sorlle and named after his whale catcher Powell . South of Starfish Cove is Borge Bay , a large, irregularly-shaped bay that dominates the east side of Signy Island, delineated by Balin Point to

3192-568: Was that Argentine personnel was granted permission only for the period of one year. Argentine government ignored the note, "considering it out of time". On March 30, 1927, naval non-commissioned officer Emilio Baldoni established the first radio telegraph link with Ushuaia. Up to that point, the Orcadas Base remained isolated from the rest of the world until the yearly relief arrived. The radio station (coded LRT in Argentina) allowed for

3249-467: Was the year of the coronation of King George IV . In 1823, James Weddell visited the islands, gave the archipelago its present name (after the Orkney Islands in the north of Scotland ) and also renamed some of the islands. The South Orkney Islands are located at roughly the same latitude south as the Orkney Islands are north (60°S vs 59°N), although it is not known if this was a factor behind

#259740