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. 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

The Kerguelen Islands first appeared on a map in 1754. They were officially found by French sailor Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec in 1772. Soon after, another sailor landed and claimed the islands for France. More explorers later visited and confirmed the discovery.

Sealing era and further exploration

After being found, many ships came to the islands to hunt whales and seals. This hunting almost made some seal kinds disappear, but their numbers have grown again over time.

Reoccupation

In the 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, is on 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.
• Île Saint-Lanne Gramont lies to the west of Île Foch.
• Île du Port is the fourth largest nearby island.
• 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, 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 large underwater area called the Kerguelen Plateau. This plateau was formed by volcanic activity linked to the Kerguelen hotspot. It now sits on the Antarctic Plate.

Most of the volcanic rocks on the islands were created by slow 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, 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, which is a tundra climate. This is a type of polar climate where the warmest month’s average temperature stays below 10 °C (50 °F). Similar climates exist 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 rain and snow all 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 has 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 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. One special plant is the Kerguelen cabbage, which can give vitamin C to sailors. The islands are home to many insects, seabirds, seals, and penguins.

Some animals that people brought to the islands can harm the wildlife. For example, wild cats from ships eat birds and rabbits. There are also wild sheep and reindeer. In the 1950s and 1960s, people brought fish called salmonids to the islands. Only brook trout and brown trout stayed and lived there.

In popular culture

The Kerguelen Islands have been featured in many stories and songs. In The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe, sailors visit the islands before going 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 wrote a song called The Loneliest Place on the Map inspired by the islands.