Kerguelen Islands

The Kerguelen Islands, also called the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands far away in the sub-Antarctic. They are one of the most isolated places on Earth. The closest land is the Heard Island and McDonald Islands, about 450 kilometres away, and the nearest place where people live all the time is Madagascar, over 3,300 kilometres away.

These islands are part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. They are made up of one big island called Grande Terre and many smaller ones. Grande Terre is about three-quarters the size of Corsica. The weather there is very cold and windy, and the seas around the islands are often rough.

Although no one lives there permanently, France sends soldiers, scientists, and other workers to the Kerguelen Islands. Because there are no airports, everyone travels there by ship. The islands are part of a huge underwater area called the Kerguelen Plateau, most of which is covered by the ocean.

History

Discovery

Before being officially recorded in 1772, the Kerguelen Islands appeared on a map from 1754 as "Ile de Nachtegal." They were officially discovered by French navigator Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec on February 12, 1772. The next day, another sailor landed and claimed the island for France. Later trips by other explorers confirmed this discovery.

Sealing era and further exploration

After their discovery, many ships visited the islands to hunt whales and seals. This hunting nearly caused some seal species to disappear. Over time, most of these animals have grown in number again.

Reoccupation

In the early 1890s, France decided to claim the islands again for possible farming. Since 1950, scientists have lived there to study and learn more about the area.

Grande Terre

The main island of the Kerguelen Islands is called La Grande Terre. It stretches 150 km (93 mi) from east to west and 120 km (75 mi) from north to south.

Port-aux-Français, a science station, sits along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Morbihan. It has buildings for research, a place to track satellites, rooms for scientists, a small hospital, a library, a gym, a casual dining spot, and a chapel called Notre-Dame des Vents.

The highest point is Mont Ross in the Gallieni Massif, reaching 1,850 metres (6,070 ft). The Cook Ice Cap is France’s largest glacier, covering about 403 km² (156 sq mi). Glaciers across the islands cover just over 500 km² (190 sq mi). La Grande Terre has many bays, inlets, and peninsulas, including the Courbet Peninsula, Rallier du Baty Peninsula, and Péninsule Loranchet, among others.

Islands

Here are some of the most important islands near the Kerguelen Islands:

• Île Foch is the second biggest nearby island, covering 206 km².
• Île Saint-Lanne Gramont lies to the west of Île Foch and rises to a height of 480 m.
• Île du Port is the fourth largest nearby island, spanning 43 km² and reaching 340 m above sea level.
• Île de l'Ouest is found along the west coast.
• Île Longue is located to the southeast.
• Îles Nuageuses are situated to the northwest and include several smaller islands.
• Other notable islands include Île de Castries, Îles Leygues, Île Violette, Île Australia, Île Haute, Île Mayès, Îles du Prince-de-Monaco, Îles de Boynes, Île Altazin, Île Gaby, and Île de Croÿ.

Economy

The main activity on the Kerguelen Islands is scientific research, especially in earth sciences and biology. There is also a radar and a satellite tracking station used by the French space agency.

In the past, a few sheep were raised on one of the islands for food for the people living there, and some vegetables were grown nearby. There are also wild rabbits, sheep, and birds that can be hunted. Some fishing boats from Réunion Island are allowed to fish in the waters around the islands.

Geology

The Kerguelen Islands are part of a huge underwater area called the Kerguelen Plateau, which was formed by volcanic activity linked to the Kerguelen hotspot. This plateau now sits on the Antarctic Plate.

Most of the volcanic rocks we see on the islands were created by slow, steady eruptions. These rocks, called trap rock, began rising above the ocean about 35 million years ago. Layers of basalt, each three to ten metres thick, piled up, forming steep, pyramid-like shapes.

Though no eruptions have been recorded in history, some steam vents, called fumaroles, are still active on the largest island.

Fossilized wood found on the islands suggests they were once covered with forests. Glaciers and rivers later shaped the islands, carving out valleys and fjords.

The islands belong to a sunken landmass known as the Kerguelen Subcontinent. This land was above water for periods between 100 million and 20 million years ago and may have supported tropical plants and animals. It sank 20 million years ago and now lies about one to two kilometres below the ocean. Studying this area helps scientists understand how Australia, India, and Antarctica separated from each other.

Climate

The Kerguelen Islands have a cold, ocean-like climate, classified as a tundra climate. This means it is a type of polar climate where the warmest month’s average temperature stays below 10 °C (50 °F). Similar climates can be found in places like the Aleutian Islands, Campbell Island in New Zealand, Iceland, northern Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, Labrador in Canada, and the Wollaston Islands in Chile.

The average yearly temperature at the Port-aux-Français base is about 4.9 °C (40.8 °F). The warmest months are January and February, with temperatures around 7.8 to 8.2 °C (46.0 to 46.8 °F). The coldest month is August, averaging 2.1 °C (35.8 °F). Temperatures rarely go above 20 °C (68 °F) and have never dropped below −10 °C (14 °F) at sea level. The islands get plenty of precipitation, with snow and rain throughout the year. The Port-aux-Français area receives about 708 mm (27 ⅞ inches) of rain each year, while the west coast gets three times as much.

The west coast experiences strong winds, averaging around 35 km/h (19 knots), with speeds often reaching 150 km/h (81 knots) and sometimes even 200 km/h (110 knots). Large waves of up to 12–15 m (39–49 ft) are common, but there are many safe spots for ships to anchor.

Flora and fauna

Main article: Flora and fauna of the Kerguelen Islands

The Kerguelen Islands are part of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra ecoregion and include several subantarctic islands. Plants on the islands are mostly grasses, mosses, and lichens, with a special plant called the Kerguelen cabbage that gives vitamin C to sailors. The islands are home to many insects, seabirds, seals, and penguins.

Wildlife here can be harmed by animals that people brought to the islands. For example, there are many wild cats that came from ships, and they eat birds and rabbits. There are also wild sheep and reindeer. In the 1950s and 1960s, people brought fish called salmonids to the islands, but only brook trout and brown trout stayed and lived there.

In popular culture

The Kerguelen Islands have appeared in many stories and songs. In The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe, sailors land on the islands before heading to the South Pole. Jules Verne also wrote about the islands in his novel Le Sphinx des glaces (or An Antarctic Mystery in English).

Other books and stories set on or near the islands include works by G. A. Henty, H. Rider Haggard, Henry de Vere Stacpoole, Patrick O'Brian, W. E. Johns, Alan Sillitoe, and Patrick Robinson. Singer Al Stewart even wrote a song called The Loneliest Place on the Map inspired by the islands.