Anvers Island
Encyclopedia
Anvers Island or Antwerp Island or Antwerpen Island or Isla Amberes is a high, mountainous island
61 kilometres (38 mi) 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 64°33′S 63°35′W. The island was discovered by John Biscoe
in 1832 and named in 1898 by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition
under Adrien de Gerlache
after the province of Antwerp in Belgium
.
on Anvers Island is located at (64.77°S 64.05°W) and is Antarctica's only U.S. station north of the Antarctic Circle
. Construction finished in 1968. Around 50 people can inhabit Palmer Station at one time. The station is named for Nathaniel B. Palmer
, likely to have been one of the first three persons to see Antarctica. There are science labs in the station, as well as a dock.
built and operated a station for the purpose of survey and geology. The station of the British Antarctic Survey consisted of a hut
and was occupied from February 27, 1955 until January 10, 1958. In 1958, the station of the British Antarctic Survey was closed when local work was completed. The hut of station of the British Antarctic Survey was loaned to the U.S. Government on July 2, 1963, which converted it into a biological laboratory in January 1965 for use by American scientists at the nearby Palmer Station
. The station of the British Antarctic Survey was open in support of an air facility from 1969 until 1971. The station of the British Antarctic Survey was destroyed by fire on December 28, 1971 while being renovated by the British Antarctic Survey. Debris was removed by the members of the US Antarctic Program in 1990/1991. Only concrete foundations remain.
A skiway was in use from 1969 to 1973. The air operations were transferred to Adelaide (Station T) in 1973 when the skiway deteriorated. The skiway remained intermittently in use until November 15, 1993.
ran aground near La Plaza Point, Antarctica. She was towed to Buenos Aires
, Argentina and then to Kristiansand
, Norway
for repairs.
3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) east-southeast of Cape Gronland
in northern Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago
. First charted by the French Antarctic Expedition
(1903–05) under J.B. Charcot, who named the bay for French naval officer Contre-amiral Richard d'Abnour.
novel The Birth of the People's Republic of Antarctica. Fiddle was an adventurer in a dystopian future world
with many references to Norse mythology
.
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...
61 kilometres (38 mi) long, which is the largest feature in the Palmer Archipelago
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 southwest of Brabant Island
Brabant Island
Brabant Island is the second largest island of the Palmer Archipelago within the British Antarctic Territory, lying between Anvers Island and Liège Island. Brabant Island is located at . Brabant Island is long in a north-south direction, wide, and rises to in Mount Parry...
at the southwestern end of the group. Anvers Island is located at 64°33′S 63°35′W. The island was discovered by John Biscoe
John Biscoe
John Biscoe was an English mariner and explorer who commanded the first expedition known to have sighted the areas named Enderby Land and Graham Land along the coast of Antarctica...
in 1832 and named in 1898 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 :...
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:...
after the province of Antwerp in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Palmer Station
The Palmer StationPalmer Station
Palmer Station, on Anvers Island, is Antarctica's only US station north of the Antarctic Circle. Initial construction of the station finished in 1968. The station, like the other US Antarctic stations, is operated by the United States Antarctic Program....
on Anvers Island is located at (64.77°S 64.05°W) and is Antarctica's only U.S. station north of the Antarctic Circle
Antarctic Circle
The Antarctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs south of the Equator.-Description:...
. Construction finished in 1968. Around 50 people can inhabit Palmer Station at one time. The station is named for Nathaniel B. Palmer
Nathaniel Palmer
Nathaniel Brown Palmer was an American seal hunter, explorer, sailing captain, and ship designer. He was born in Stonington, Connecticut.-Sealing career and Antarctic exploration:...
, likely to have been one of the first three persons to see Antarctica. There are science labs in the station, as well as a dock.
The former station of the British Antarctic Survey
On Anvers Island, the British Antarctic SurveyBritish 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....
built and operated a station for the purpose of survey and geology. The station of the British Antarctic Survey consisted of a hut
Hut (dwelling)
A hut is a small and crude shelter, usually used for dwelling. Its design favors local techniques and materials to allow for swift and inexpensive construction.-Modern use:...
and was occupied from February 27, 1955 until January 10, 1958. In 1958, the station of the British Antarctic Survey was closed when local work was completed. The hut of station of the British Antarctic Survey was loaned to the U.S. Government on July 2, 1963, which converted it into a biological laboratory in January 1965 for use by American scientists at the nearby Palmer Station
Palmer Station
Palmer Station, on Anvers Island, is Antarctica's only US station north of the Antarctic Circle. Initial construction of the station finished in 1968. The station, like the other US Antarctic stations, is operated by the United States Antarctic Program....
. The station of the British Antarctic Survey was open in support of an air facility from 1969 until 1971. The station of the British Antarctic Survey was destroyed by fire on December 28, 1971 while being renovated by the British Antarctic Survey. Debris was removed by the members of the US Antarctic Program in 1990/1991. Only concrete foundations remain.
A skiway was in use from 1969 to 1973. The air operations were transferred to Adelaide (Station T) in 1973 when the skiway deteriorated. The skiway remained intermittently in use until November 15, 1993.
Ship aground.
On 11 February 1972 the Lindblad ExplorerMS Explorer
The MS Explorer was a Liberian-registered cruise ship designed for Arctic and Antarctic service, originally commissioned and operated by the Swedish explorer Lars-Eric Lindblad...
ran aground near La Plaza Point, Antarctica. She was towed to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina and then to Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
for repairs.
D'Abnour Bay
D'Abnour Bay is a small bayBay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) east-southeast of Cape Gronland
Cape Gronland
Cape Gronland is a cape which forms the northern extremity of Anvers Island, in the Palmer Archipelago. Discovered by a German expedition 1873-74, under Dallmann, who named it for his expedition ship, the Gronland. It was later charted by the French Antarctic Expedition under Charcot, 1903-05....
in northern Anvers Island, Palmer Archipelago
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....
. First charted by the French Antarctic Expedition
French Antarctic Expedition
French Antarctic Expedition refers to several French expeditions in Antarctica.-First expedition:Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec was a French explorer....
(1903–05) under J.B. Charcot, who named the bay for French naval officer Contre-amiral Richard d'Abnour.
Cultural references
Anvers Island was the scene of the protagonist Grim Fiddle's "kingdom" and his later imprisonment in John Calvin Batchelor'sJohn Batchelor
John Calvin Batchelor is an author and host of The John Batchelor Show radio news magazine. Based at WABC radio in New York for five years from early 2001 to September, 2006; the show was syndicated nationally on the ABC radio network. On October 7, 2007, Batchelor returned to radio on WABC New...
novel The Birth of the People's Republic of Antarctica. Fiddle was an adventurer in a dystopian future world
Future
The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
with many references to Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
.
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
External links
- Anvers Island Station N — History British Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic SurveyThe 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....