Thatcher Peninsula () is a mountainous peninsula in north-central
South Georgia
South Georgia ( es, Isla San Pedro) is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies around east of the Falkland Islands. Stretching in the east†...
. Its total area is approximately , with roughly covered in vegetation.
It terminates to the north in Mai Point, rising between
Cumberland West Bay
Cumberland West Bay is a bay forming the western arm of Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. It is entered southward of Larsen Point, where it is wide, and extends in a southwest direction. It is separated from Cumberland East Bay by Thatcher Pe ...
to the west, and
Cumberland East Bay
Cumberland East Bay is a bay forming the eastern arm of Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. It is entered between Sappho Point on Thatcher Peninsula and Barff Point on Barff Peninsula. It is nearly wide, and extends in a southeast direction.
H ...
and
Moraine Fjord
Moraine Fjord is an inlet long with a reef (a terminal moraine) extending across its entrance, forming the west head of Cumberland East Bay, South Georgia. It was charted by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Otto Nordenskjöld, 1901–04, wh ...
to the east. It is bounded to the southwest and south by
Lyell Glacier
Lyell Glacier is in the Sierra Nevada of California. The glacier was discovered by John Muir in 1871, and was the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park. It lies on the northern slopes of Mount Lyell.
The glacier has retreated since the end ...
and
Hamberg Glacier.
King Edward Cove
King Edward Cove ( es, Caleta Capitán Vago) is a sheltered cove in the west side of Cumberland East Bay, South Georgia. This cove and its surrounding features, frequented by early sealers at South Georgia, was charted by the Swedish Antarctic ...
on the east side of the peninsula is the site of the
British Antarctic Survey
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is the United Kingdom's national polar research institute. It has a dual purpose, to conduct polar science, enabling better understanding of global issues, and to provide an active presence in the Antarctic on ...
(BAS)
Grytviken
Grytviken ( ) is a settlement on South Georgia in the South Atlantic and formerly a whaling station and the largest settlement on the island. It is located at the head of King Edward Cove within the larger Cumberland East Bay, considered the b ...
station and the disused whaling station of the same name.
Thatcher Peninsula was named by the
United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee
The UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (or UK-APC) is a United Kingdom government committee, part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, responsible for recommending names of geographical locations within the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) and ...
(UK-APC) in 1991, at the suggestion of members of the
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
, after
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
,
British prime minister
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern p ...
, 1979–90. She was described by
Sir Vivian Fuchs
Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs ( ; 11 February 1908 – 11 November 1999) was an English scientist-explorer and exploration, expedition organizer. He led the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition which reached the South Pole overland in 1958.
Biog ...
, chair of the
Foreign Office
Foreign may refer to:
Government
* Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries
** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government
** Foreign office and foreign minister
* Unit ...
's Antarctic Place Names Committee, as 'a major figure in the history of South Georgia', for her role in the
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
.
[ Thatcher was, according to friends, "flattered and amused" by the honour.][
]
Geography
Many features on the coast of the peninsula have been individually charted and named. Features on the west coast are detailed as part of Cumberland West Bay
Cumberland West Bay is a bay forming the western arm of Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. It is entered southward of Larsen Point, where it is wide, and extends in a southwest direction. It is separated from Cumberland East Bay by Thatcher Pe ...
, and those on the east coast are detailed as part of Cumberland East Bay
Cumberland East Bay is a bay forming the eastern arm of Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. It is entered between Sappho Point on Thatcher Peninsula and Barff Point on Barff Peninsula. It is nearly wide, and extends in a southeast direction.
H ...
.
Northern coast
The most prominent feature on the northern coast of the peninsula is Maiviken, a small cove. Maiviken and its surrounding features were first charted by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
The Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901–1903 was a scientific expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld and Carl Anton Larsen. It was the first Swedish endeavour to Antarctica in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
Background
Otto Nordensk ...
(SAE), 1901–04, under Otto Nordenskjold
Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', '' Odo'', ''Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity".
The name is recorded f ...
. Maiviken was first entered on May Day
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. T ...
, 1902, and was therefore named "Majviken" (May Cove). Over the years, the Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
spelling Maiviken has become established for the cove.
Poa Cove is a smaller cove that indents the southeast corner of Maiviken. Burnet Cove indents the northeastern coast of Maiviken, southwest of Mai Point. Close south of Mai Point is Tortula Cove. These three smaller coves were resurveyed by Discovery Investigations
The Discovery Investigations were a series of scientific cruises and shore-based investigations into the biology of whales in the Southern Ocean. They were funded by the British Colonial Office and organised by the Discovery Committee in London, wh ...
(DI) personnel in 1929 and the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is the United Kingdom's national polar research institute. It has a dual purpose, to conduct polar science, enabling better understanding of global issues, and to provide an active presence in the Antarctic on ...
(FIDS) in 1951. All three were named by UK-APC for plant genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
common in their vicinity; Poa for the grass genus ''Poa
''Poa'' is a genus of about 570 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass (mainly in Europe and Asia), bluegrass (mainly in North America), tussock (some New Zealand species), a ...
'', Burnet for the common name of genus ''Acaena
''Acaena'' is a genus of about 60 species of mainly evergreen, creeping herbaceous perennial plants and subshrubs in the family Rosaceae, native mainly to the Southern Hemisphere, notably New Zealand, Australia and South America, but with a few ...
'', and Tortula for the moss genus ''Tortula
''Tortula'' is a genus of mosses in the family Pottiaceae.
Species
There are different classifications for the species included in the genus.
The delimitation of genus Tortula is problematic and was subject to a number of alterations in the pas ...
''. Mai Point marks the eastern side of Maiviken, as well as the northernmost extent of the peninsula as a whole. Its name was given by SAE personnel in association with Maiviken.
East of Mai Point, Sappho Point marks the west side of the entrance to Cumberland East Bay
Cumberland East Bay is a bay forming the eastern arm of Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. It is entered between Sappho Point on Thatcher Peninsula and Barff Point on Barff Peninsula. It is nearly wide, and extends in a southeast direction.
H ...
, on the north coast of South Georgia
South Georgia ( es, Isla San Pedro) is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies around east of the Falkland Islands. Stretching in the east†...
. Probably first sighted by the 1775 British expedition under Captain James Cook
James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...
which explored the north coast of South Georgia. Named for , a British ship used in charting portions of Cumberland Bay
Cumberland Bay is a bay, wide at its entrance between Larsen Point and Barff Point, which separates into two extensive arms, Cumberland West Bay and Cumberland East Bay, which recede inland along the northern coast of South Georgia. It ...
in 1906.
Inland features
On the northern portion of the peninsula, Camp Peak rises to about on the west side of Maiviken. It was charted by DI in 1929 and so named because a camp was established on the shore below the peak.[
Spencer Peak rises to tall southwest of Sappho Point. The name appears to be first used on a 1906 ]British Admiralty
The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...
chart and is probably for Lieutenant P. Spencer, who surveyed in Cumberland Bay from in 1906. Northwest of Spencer Peak, the valley Maidalen runs north-south down to Lewis Pass.[ Mount Duse stands high, approximately south of Spencer Peak surmounting King Edward Point. It was charted in 1902 by Lieutenant S.A. Duse, cartographer of the SAE, for whom it is named.] Mount Hodges stands high, west of Mount Duse. It first appears as "Moldaenke Berg" on a 1907 map by A. Szielasko, but this name was supplanted by "Mount Hodges", which appears to have been applied some years later and is now well established. It was probably named for Captain M.H. Hodges, Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
, of the ''Sappho'', who visited and mapped portions of Cumberland Bay in 1906.
Several freshwater lakes and ponds are located along the east and southeast shores of Maiviken, all named by UK-APC. Løken Pond is the northernmost of these, found east of Burnet Cove. It was named after Reverend Kristen Løken, a Norwegian Lutheran minister from Lillehammer
Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the municip ...
, the first appointed pastor of South Georgia.[ Arch Pond, named for a nearby natural arch, lies slightly south, between Burnet and Poa coves.][ East of Arch Pond is shallow Humic Lake, named for the dark-stained water caused by ]humic acid Humic substances (HS) are organic compounds that are important components of humus, the major organic fraction of soil, peat, and coal (and also a constituent of many upland streams, dystrophic lakes, and ocean water). For a long era in the 19th ...
derived from the leaching of decaying peat
Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...
on nearby slopes.[ Southernmost of this small group is Evans Lake, a comparatively deep lake of irregular shape named after John C. Ellis-Evans, a BAS biologist.][
South of the head of Maiviken is the lake Maivatn. It is the largest, and at deep, also the deepest of the small freshwater lakes in the Maiviken area. The lake was named Maivatn (May lake) in association with Maiviken.][ Tiny Lancetes Lake is found to the southwest of it.][
]
Wildlife
Lancetes Lake has a rich benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βÎνθος (bĂ©nthos), meaning "t ...
flora of algae and mosses, which support a large population of the only water beetle seen in the sub-Antarctic, '' Lancetes clausii'', from which the feature takes its name.
Brown rat
The brown rat (''Rattus norvegicus''), also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Norwegian rat and Parisian rat, is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it is a brown o ...
s are considered an invasive species
An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...
on Thatcher Peninsula.[ They threaten the survival of native species such as the ]South Georgia pipit
The South Georgia pipit (''Anthus antarcticus'') is a sparrow-sized bird only found on the South Georgia archipelago off the Antarctic Peninsula. It is the only songbird in Antarctica, South Georgia's only passerine, and one of the few non-seab ...
. From approximately 2011 to 2014, the government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type =
, song =
, image_map = South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in United Kingdom.svg
, map_caption = Location of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Oce ...
undertook efforts to eradicate them by air-dropping brodifacoum
Brodifacoum is a highly lethal 4-hydroxycoumarin vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant poison. In recent years, it has become one of the world's most widely used pesticides. It is typically used as a rodenticide, but is also used to control larger p ...
pellets.[ Follow-up monitoring a year after the project indicated that the eradication had been a success, with little evidence of rats found.
]
References
External links
South Georgia Geographic Information System
- detailed topographic map of South Georgia Island
{{SGSSI
Headlands of South Georgia
Subantarctic peninsulas