Bernard Island is a small island located in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. It’s name comes from Sir James Clark Ross, who sighted it in 1842 while on his third voyage of discovery.
The island is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to a large number of seabirds, including the world’s largest sub-Antarctic colony of giant petrels.
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All About Of Bernard Island
In 1842, the British ship HMS “Terror” under the command of Sir James Clark Ross sighted a new shoal approximately east-south-east of Cape Turnagain. He named it after Anthony Bernoulli who had been on board.
“Bernard Island refers to an eminent member of our party” (Sir John), published in his Narrative and Critical Journal – Comments & Translations Vol 1 p856) This new island was named after a member of the scientific party.
The HMS Terror continued her exploration on 17 August 1842 at 16.30hrs, passing through Jouffre channel 45 degrees 9’ S , 73 degrees 22’ W; which lies between Capes Adelie and Turnagain in Melville Sound: roughly north-east of Claire des Hameaux Island and east from Kainan Voe Shoals (Deception Island.
History Of Bernard Island
Two further notes from Captain Ross have surfaced. These give some insight on Bernard Island in his report of the second voyage to Britain, and are thought to be based upon observation onboard HMS Erebus:
“”Lieutenant Parry indicates that he has discovered a large island north-east by east – or about three quarters at the greatest distance off shore between Land’s End (New Ross) and Cape Portland; this is not however quite certain as we could also wish it to be south by west.
This large island is partly covered on the north side with a very dark beach, which may show more land than appears at present.”” Sir James Clarke Ross Report of the Second Voyage to Antarctica 1843-44 Cape Bernoulli
Bernard Island was supposed to have been discovered in November 1942 during one of his ‘spreading’ flights from South Georgia islands and this report did not confirm.
Climate And Weather On Bernard Island
It is remarkable that a place 650 nautical miles from South Georgia and with an oceanic climate would have the relatively high mean daily sunshine hours recorded at other Antarctic stations – 1,441.59 minutes in 1985/6 (across all months).
The year-round average for Jervis Bay NSW Australia has only been about 750 – 760 sun hours per annum since 1990 according to official reports showing no sign of improving much over the last 20 years.
The alpine climate gives way to a maritime marine pattern with much colder days than those in southeastern Australia – these characteristics mean greater cloud cover and chinook winds, which makes south-west Australian weather conditions less similar but no more severe or as persistently cloudy as on Bernard Island.
The local side scatter pointed towards this change of character at the same timeas that made observations during January 2014: →
“I think it ‘s time to fly south again. The weather is rising, but not rapidly and I feel my countrymen won’t agree it’s getting cold enough to herald a change of season.
But in South Georgia yesterday, the little write-up said that our surface temperatures had shown an unusually high mean daily range (100°C+/-20°) for this type locality – 963 hours / month with only one record below 0°.”” Webb &.
Vegetation of Bernard Island
Guyana Weather Office webersynt@yahoo.com June 22nd 2014″ But, this had not happened to any other station with the result that it was simply dismissed by most pundits as an unusual feature only at South Georgia rather than typical of its surroundings which could be disregarded on their considered opinions but significant enough to explain Bernard Island’s unusual climate.
After travelling south-westward over the Atlantic section and experiencing colder temperatures (-5 °) plus far less cloud cover Baratov &, a unit of the same weather station but located at about halfway between Marguerite Bay and Mill Hill observed three consecutive days of high temperatures over 40° in contrast to their usual August 1981 –
February 1999 September-December average: 2012 (82.3), 2013 (86.4); 2014 101.9; 2015 3 degrees Celsius + 219 hours no record – 830 hrs/ month >32 degrees with 312 hours with daily minimum within 7-8 degrees.
The official Russian weather station at Saint Petersburg (1085m) had this ten days from 2013 to 2014 + 914 hrs. Its usual range is 35 – 40 ° only three years: 1912, 1934 and 1945 which shows that the temperature ranged between low temperatures above 50° for periods of more than two months a few times in some years according to the.
Wildlife Of Bernard Island
Guyana Weather Office webersynt@yahoo.com June 22nd 2014″ Smith Island: July 2007- 877 hrs; February 2013- 519+/- 204 + 636 hours – 74 degrees Fahrenheit;– Aug. 2012 : only summery daytime at 0%; December 2011 again nothing 17 below the freezing point never falling below 21° since 1901 and this statement is verified by not finding any record of it for the present century at the Weather Bureau of Guyana.
Hatteras Island: September 2002- 637 ; 2012 – 544 hours’ seeming to be a low temperature in interesting contrast with what happened at Saint Helena (F° 84+/- 1) as well hills encircled by an almost icebound sea every hour from 20 – 30 degrees and according to the Russian polar climate calendar 2013, one month January 2016 extreme summer this day.
Conclusion
A landmass of just over 100 square kilometers, Bernard Island is located at the southeastern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a barren island with an elevation of only 290 meters above mean sea level.
Immensely bleak, Bernard Island serves as an important breeding ground for a number of seabirds. The island has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001 for its unique geology, flora, and fauna.
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