Wilhelmina Bay (-64.63333°N, -62.16667°W) is a bay 15 nmi wide between the Reclus Peninsula and Cape Anna along the west coast of Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Location

Wilhelmina Bay is on the Danco Coast on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. It indents the southeast side of Gerlache Strait opposite the Solvay Mountains of Brabant Island. The Arctowski Peninsula defines its southwest side, Forbidden Plateau its southeast side and Nansen Island is in the northeast of the bay. Wilhelmina Bay is between Charlotte Bay to the northeast and Andvord Bay to the southwest. Coastal features include, clockwise from the eastern entrance,

Humpback whales

A study undertaken in May 2009 found a super-aggregation of krill in Wilhelmina Bay, with a large number of humpback whales feeding on them. The researchers counted a density of 5.1 whales per square kilometer. Smaller and less dense aggregations of krill and whales were also found in Andvord Bay to the south. The krill and the whales are abundant in late autumn along the western Antarctic Peninsula, particularly in Wilhelmina Bay, where the whales seem to be eating as much as possible in preparation for the winter.

Discovery and name

Wilhelmina Bay was discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (BelgAE) of 1897–99 led by Adrien de Gerlache. The bay is named for Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, who reigned from 1890 to 1948.

Eastern features

Leonardo Glacier

-64.7°N, -61.96667°W. A glacier flowing into Wilhelmina Bay between Sadler Point and Café Point, on the west coast of Graham Land. Charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1960 for Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), artist, musician, architect and first aeronautical scientist.

Sadler Point

-64.7°N, -62.06667°W. A point within Wilhelmina Bay, lying 2.5 nmi east of Garnerin Point. Charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 after James Sadler (1751-1828), Oxford confectioner, the first English aeronaut, who ascended in a montgolfier balloon on October 4, 1784.

Blanchard Glacier

-64.73333°N, -62.08333°W. A glacier flowing into Wilhelmina Bay between Garnerin Point and Sadler Point. First charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 for Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809), French aeronaut, the first professional balloon pilot, who, with John J. Jeffries, made the first balloon crossing of the English Channel in 1785.

Garnerin Point

-64.68333°N, -62.16667°W. A point on the west coast of Graham Land projecting into Wilhelmina Bay southeast of Pelseneer Island. Charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 for André-Jacques Garnerin (1770-1825), French aeronaut, the first man to make a successful descent from a free balloon by parachute, in 1797.

Pishtachev Peak

-64.73333°N, -62.1075°W A rocky, partly ice-free peak rising to 1283 m between Rozier Glacier and Blanchard Glacier. Situated 5.3 km east of Sophie Cliff, 5.67 km south-southeast of Garnerin Point, and 5.57 km southwest of Sadler Point. Named after the Bulgarian cartographer Toma Pishtachev (1876-1955).

Rozier Glacier

-64.75°N, -62.21667°W. A glacier flowing into Wilhelmina Bay north of Sophie Cliff. Charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 for Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier (1756-85), French technician who made the first human balloon ascent and (with the Marquis d'Arlande) the first balloon voyage, in 1783.

Western features

Beaupré Cove

-64.7°N, -62.36667°W. A cove 1 nmi wide lying immediately northwest of Piccard Cove in Wilhelmina Bay. First charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 for Charles-François Beautemps-Beaupré (1766-1854), French hydrographer who, in 1825, prepared survey instructions for the officers of the Astrolabe and Zelee, laying down for the first time principles for making measurements from landscape drawings.

Jones Point

-64.65°N, -62.3°W. A point within Wilhelmina Bay, lying 6 nmi southeast of Cape Anna. Charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 for Sir Bennett M. Jones, F.R.S., author of Aerial Surveying by Rapid Methods, a pioneer work on the subject.

Hugershoff Cove

-64.63333°N, -62.38333°W. Cove lying 2 nmi northwest of Beaupre Cove in Withelmina Bay, along the west coast of Graham Land. Charted by the BelgAE under Gerlache, 1897-99. Named by the UK-APC in 1960 for Carl Reinhard Hugershoff (1882-1941), German geodesist who designed the autocartograph, an instrument which first applied the principles of photogrammetry to air photos, in about 1921.

Cape Anna

-64.58333°N, -62.43333°W. A prominent black cape rising to 280 m high, forming the north tip of Arctowski Peninsula on the west coast of Graham Land. Discovered by the BelgAE, 1897-99, and named after Mme. Ernest (Anna) Osterrieth, who gave financial assistance to the expedition.

Islands

The bay contains several islands, of which the largest is Nansen Island in the northeast of the bay. Islands around Nansen Island include Bearing Island, Enterprise Island, Pythia Island, Thor Island, Solstreif Island, Brooklyn Island, Wyck Island, Fleurus Island, Delaite Island and the Racovitza Islands. Other islands in the bay include Pelseneer Island, Emma Island and Louise Island.

Pelseneer Island

-64.65°N, -62.21667°W. An island 2 nmi long and 1 nmi wide, with three prominent rocky peaks projecting through its icecap, lying 2 nmi west of Brooklyn Island in the south-central portion of Wilhelmina Bay. Discovered by the BelgAE, 1897-99, and named by Gerlache for Paul Pelseneer, member of the Belgica Commission and writer of some of the zoological reports of the expedition.

Emma Island

-64.6°N, -62.33333°W. An island 1.5 nmi long, with bare jagged peaks projecting through an icecap, lying 4 nmi west of Nansen Island in the southwest half of the entrance to Wilhelmina Bay. Discovered by the BelgAE, 1897-99, under Lieutenant Adrien de Gerlache, and named after his mother, Emma de Gerlache de Gomery.

Louise Island

-64.6°N, -62.38333°W. Ice-covered island 0.6 nmi long, lying 1 nmi east of Cape Anna in the southwest side of the entrance to Wilhelmina Bay. Discovered by the BelgAE, 1897-99, under Lieutenant Adrien de Gerlache, and named by him for his sister.

Gallery

Sources