Erratic Point
Encyclopedia
Erratic Point is a small, moss
-covered point at the head
of South West Bay
, 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cape Gazert
, on the west side of Heard Island
in the southern Indian Ocean
. The 1st German Antarctic Expedition in 1902 charted a cape
in this vicinity, from the summit of Mount Drygalski
, and applied the name "Kap Lerche." In November 1929 the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition
(BANZARE) under Douglas Mawson
charted a small point in this position and applied the name "Erratic Point" because of the large number of massive erratic boulders
encountered there. The ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions
) was unable to find any significant feature in this immediate area during their 1948 survey of the island
, hence the name Erratic Point was retained by them for this small point.
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
-covered point at the head
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
of South West Bay
South West Bay
South West Bay is an open bay indenting the west side of Heard Island immediately north of Cape Gazert in the southern Indian Ocean. The bay was roughly charted on an 1860 sketch map compiled by Captain H.C. Chester, an American sealer. The name "S.W. Bay" appears on an 1882 chart compiled by Ens....
, 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cape Gazert
Cape Gazert
Cape Gazert is a cape at the west end of the rocky promontory which forms the south side of South West Bay, on the west side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. This feature was known to American sealers as Green Point, as shown by Captain H.C. Chester's 1860 sketch map and other sealer...
, on the west side of Heard Island
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
The Heard Island and McDonald Islands are an Australian external territory and volcanic group of barren Antarctic islands, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. The group's overall size is in area and it has of coastline...
in the southern Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. The 1st German Antarctic Expedition in 1902 charted a cape
Cape (geography)
In geography, a cape or headland is a point or body of land extending into a body of water, usually the sea.A cape usually represents a marked change in trend of the coastline. Their proximity to the coastline makes them prone to natural forms of erosion, mainly tidal actions. This results in capes...
in this vicinity, from the summit of Mount Drygalski
Mount Drygalski
Mount Drygalski is an ice-free hill in Antarctica, high, standing southeast of Atlas Cove, near the northwest end of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The feature appears to have been roughly charted on an 1882 sketch map compiled by Ens...
, and applied the name "Kap Lerche." In November 1929 the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition
British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition
The British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition was a research expedition into Antarctica between 1929 and 1931, involving two voyages over consecutive Austral summers...
(BANZARE) under Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson
Sir Douglas Mawson, OBE, FRS, FAA was an Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer and Academic. Along with Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton, Mawson was a key expedition leader during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.-Early work:He was appointed geologist to an...
charted a small point in this position and applied the name "Erratic Point" because of the large number of massive erratic boulders
Glacial erratic
A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres...
encountered there. The ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions
Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions
The Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions is the historical name for the Australian Antarctic Program administered for Australia by the Australian Antarctic Division .-The ANARE Name:...
) was unable to find any significant feature in this immediate area during their 1948 survey of the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
, hence the name Erratic Point was retained by them for this small point.