Wiencke Island
Encyclopedia
Wiencke Island is an island 16 miles (25.7 km) long and from 2 to 5 mi (3.2 to 8 km) wide, about 67 km² (26 sq mi) in area, the southernmost of the major islands of the Palmer Archipelago
, lying between Anvers Island
to its north and the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula
.
The island seems to have been discovered first by Edward Bransfield
on board the brig Williams in January 1820, but he named it a cape. In 1829 Henry Foster
(scientist) sailed around the island. In 1873 the German Eduard Dallmann
was the first to land on the island, and reported it 'a lonely place'. The island was named by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition
, 1897–99, under Adrien de Gerlache
, for Carl August Wiencke, a Norwegian seaman who fell overboard and lost his life on the expedition.
The rocky island is mostly covered by glaciers, snow and ice. Some small rocky beaches lie on the western and northern sides of the island. There, some grasses, moss and lichens can be found. There are three mountain ridges, with Nemo Peak
(864 m (2,835 ft)) to the north west, Nipple Peak
to the north-east, and Luigi Peak (1415 m (4,642 ft)) to the south-west. Luigi Peak is the Island's summit, despite the island never being completely surveyed. Minor islands surround it, such as Breakwater Island
(33 m (108 ft) high), located 5 miles (8 km) north of Cape Astrup
, Wiencke Island's northernmost point. Near the south-east side is Fridtjof Island
(136 m (446 ft)), connected to Wiencke by a chain of small rocks and islets. In the vicinity of Cape Willems
, the southeasternmost extremity of Wiencke, are the Bob Island
s, three in number, of volcanic origin (134 m (440 ft) high).
Great Britain
set up bases on Deception and in a bay of Wiencke Island in 1944 and another at Hope Bay
in 1945, to do weather reporting and to check there was no German naval activity. Only one of these three bases remains, on Goudier Island
in the bay of Port Lockroy
, off Jougla Point
, near Wiencke Island's southwestern end.
An Argentinean light tower was installed in 1947 at Py Point
at the southwest end of the Peltier Channel
on nearby Doumer Island
, and a refuge hut erected in Dorian Bay
in 1957, north of Port Lockroy. British Antarctic Survey
(BAS) erected a staging hut, known as the Damoy
refuge, near this Argentinean refuge in 1975 to act as a base for a temporary summer aircraft ice-strip. This was taken out of use in 1995, and stands restored, as an historical site.
Another scientific station (Yelcho) was established in 1962 by the Chilean Navy
in South Bay
on nearby Doumer Island. An emergency shelter was built in 1957 in Alice Creek
150 metres south of Goudier Island on the east coast of the island, followed two years later by a larger hut, for use when maintaining a low-frequency electro-magnetic aerial and remote receiving equipment. These two (by now derelict) huts were removed in 1996 while Base 'A' on Goudier Island was restored.
Palmer Archipelago
Palmer Archipelago, also known as Antarctic Archipelago, Archipiélago Palmer, Antarktiske Arkipel or Palmer Inseln, is a group of islands off the northwestern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula....
, lying between Anvers Island
Anvers Island
Anvers Island or Antwerp Island or Antwerpen Island or Isla Amberes is a high, mountainous island long, which is the largest feature in the Palmer Archipelago, lying southwest of Brabant Island at the southwestern end of the group. Anvers Island is located at...
to its north and the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica. It extends from a line between Cape Adams and a point on the mainland south of Eklund Islands....
.
The island seems to have been discovered first by Edward Bransfield
Edward Bransfield
Edward Bransfield was a master of the British Royal Navy and considered the discoverer of the continent of Antarctica.-Early life:...
on board the brig Williams in January 1820, but he named it a cape. In 1829 Henry Foster
Henry Foster
Henry Foster is the name of:*Henry Foster , British naval officer, explorer and scientist*Henry Foster , failed nominee to the position of Surgeon General of the United States...
(scientist) sailed around the island. In 1873 the German Eduard Dallmann
Eduard Dallmann
Eduard Dallmann was a German whaler, trader and Polar explorer....
was the first to land on the island, and reported it 'a lonely place'. The island was named by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition
Belgian Antarctic Expedition
The Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897 to 1899, named after its expedition vessel Belgica, was the first expedition to winter in the Antarctic region.- Preparation and Surveying :...
, 1897–99, under Adrien de Gerlache
Adrien de Gerlache
Baron Adrien Victor Joseph de Gerlache de Gomery was an officer in the Belgian Royal Navy who led the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897 to 1899.-His early years:...
, for Carl August Wiencke, a Norwegian seaman who fell overboard and lost his life on the expedition.
The rocky island is mostly covered by glaciers, snow and ice. Some small rocky beaches lie on the western and northern sides of the island. There, some grasses, moss and lichens can be found. There are three mountain ridges, with Nemo Peak
Nemo Peak (Antarctica)
Nemo Peak is a conspicuous peak, 865 m, standing 1 nautical mile northeast of Nipple Peak in the north part of Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897-99, under Adrien de Gerlache. The name appears on a chart based on a 1927 survey by DI...
(864 m (2,835 ft)) to the north west, Nipple Peak
Nipple Peak
Nipple Peak is a peak, 675 m, standing 1 nautical mile northeast of Channel Glacier in the north part of Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897–99, under Gerlache. The name, which suggests the shape of the feature, was given by the Falkland...
to the north-east, and Luigi Peak (1415 m (4,642 ft)) to the south-west. Luigi Peak is the Island's summit, despite the island never being completely surveyed. Minor islands surround it, such as Breakwater Island
Breakwater Island
Breakwater Island is a small island in the Palmer Archipelago with a line of rocks extending in a southwest arc from it, lying opposite Nipple Peak, off the east side of Wiencke Island. The descriptive name, suggestive of an artificial breakwater, was given by the Falkland Islands Dependencies...
(33 m (108 ft) high), located 5 miles (8 km) north of Cape Astrup
Cape Astrup
Cape Astrup is a bold, dark-colored bluff marking the north end of Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. It was discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897–99, and named by Adrien de Gerlache for Eivind Astrup, Norwegian Arctic explorer and member of Robert Peary's expeditions...
, Wiencke Island's northernmost point. Near the south-east side is Fridtjof Island
Fridtjof Island
Fridtjof Island is an island lying 1.5 miles northeast of Vazquez Island, off the southeast side of Wiencke Island in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered and named by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Gerlache, 1897-99.- See also :...
(136 m (446 ft)), connected to Wiencke by a chain of small rocks and islets. In the vicinity of Cape Willems
Cape Willems
Cape Willems is a cape forming the north side of the entrance to Flandres Bay on the west coast of Graham Land. First charted by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897–99, and named by Gerlache for Pierre Willems....
, the southeasternmost extremity of Wiencke, are the Bob Island
Bob Island
Bob Island is a rocky island long and high, lying southeast of Cape Errera, Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. An island in this vicinity was surveyed and photographed by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Gerlache in 1898. It was originally called "Ile Famine", but in the reports...
s, three in number, of volcanic origin (134 m (440 ft) high).
Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
set up bases on Deception and in a bay of Wiencke Island in 1944 and another at Hope Bay
Hope Bay
Hope Bay on Trinity Peninsula, is long and wide, indenting the tip of Antarctic Peninsula and opening on Antarctic Sound....
in 1945, to do weather reporting and to check there was no German naval activity. Only one of these three bases remains, on Goudier Island
Goudier Island
Goudier Island is a small island with an appearance of bare, polished rock, lying 0.05 nautical miles north of Jougla Point in the harbor of Port Lockroy, Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, under Charcot, and named after E. Goudier,...
in the bay of Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy is a natural harbour on the Antarctic Peninsula of the British Antarctic Territory. After its discovery in 1904 by the French Antarctic Expedition it was used for whaling between 1911 and 1931 and British military operations during World War II and then continued to operate as a...
, off Jougla Point
Jougla Point
Jougla Point is a point forming the west side of the entrance to Alice Creek in Port Lockroy, lying on the west side of Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered and named by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, under Charcot, who considered it to be a peninsula. Because of its...
, near Wiencke Island's southwestern end.
An Argentinean light tower was installed in 1947 at Py Point
Py Point
Py Point is a point forming the south extremity of Doumer Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, and named by Charcot for Monsieur Py, president of the French Chamber of Commerce in Buenos Aires at that time....
at the southwest end of the Peltier Channel
Peltier Channel
Peltier Channel is a channel 6 nautical miles long, in a NE-SW direction, separating Doumer and Wiencke Islands to the south of Port Lockroy, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, and named by Charcot for Jean Peltier, noted French physicist....
on nearby Doumer Island
Doumer Island
Doumer Island is an island long and wide, surmounted by a snow-covered pyramidal peak, , lying between the south portions of Anvers Island and Wiencke Island in the Palmer Archipelago. First seen by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897–99, under Gerlache...
, and a refuge hut erected in Dorian Bay
Dorian Bay
Dorian Bay is a cove on the northwest side of Wiencke Island, 0.5 nautical miles east-northeast of Damoy Point, in the Palmer Archipelago...
in 1957, north of Port Lockroy. British Antarctic Survey
British Antarctic Survey
The British Antarctic Survey is the United Kingdom's national Antarctic operation and has an active role in Antarctic affairs. BAS is part of the Natural Environment Research Council and has over 400 staff. It operates five research stations, two ships and five aircraft in and around Antarctica....
(BAS) erected a staging hut, known as the Damoy
Damoy
Damoy village comes under Umaria District of Madhya Pradesh.Damoy is surrounded mainly by Indwar, Bharewa & Chinsura village, which is very close to Panpatha Sanctuary and 32 KM from Bandhavgarh National Park...
refuge, near this Argentinean refuge in 1975 to act as a base for a temporary summer aircraft ice-strip. This was taken out of use in 1995, and stands restored, as an historical site.
Another scientific station (Yelcho) was established in 1962 by the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
in South Bay
South Bay
South Bay may refer to:In the USA:* South Bay , subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area* South Bay, Los Angeles, region of Los Angeles County* South Bay, former name of Fields Landing, California...
on nearby Doumer Island. An emergency shelter was built in 1957 in Alice Creek
Alice Creek
Alice Creek is a cove forming the southernmost portion of Port Lockroy, Wiencke Island, in the Palmer Archipelago of Antarctica. It was discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, and named by him for the wife of Édouard Lockroy, Vice President of the...
150 metres south of Goudier Island on the east coast of the island, followed two years later by a larger hut, for use when maintaining a low-frequency electro-magnetic aerial and remote receiving equipment. These two (by now derelict) huts were removed in 1996 while Base 'A' on Goudier Island was restored.
See also
- Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
- List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S
- SCARScientific Committee on Antarctic ResearchThe Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research is an interdisciplinary body of the International Council for Science . It was established in February 1958 to continue the international coordination of Antarctic scientific activities that had begun during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58...
- Territorial claims in Antarctica