Showing posts with label Antarctica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Antarctica. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Antarctica/Australia/New Zealand - Macquarie Island


Say Ah? King penguin squawks at an elephant seal, Macquarie Island.

Sent by Vivienne from Christchurch, New Zealand.

Macquarie Island is an oceanic island in the Southern Ocean, lying 1,500 km south-east of Tasmania and approximately halfway between Australia and the Antarctic continent. The island is the exposed crest of the undersea Macquarie Ridge, raised to its present position where the Indo-Australian tectonic plate meets the Pacific plate. It is a site of major geo-conservation significance, being the only place where rocks from the Earth's mantle (6 km below the ocean floor) are being actively exposed above sea level.
It is the only island in the world composed entirely of oceanic crust and rocks from the Earth's mantle deep below the surface.
Macquarie Island probably began as a spreading ridge under the sea with the formation of new oceanic crust somewhere between 11 million and 30 million years ago.
At some stage the spreading halted and the crust began to compress, squeezing rocks upward from deep within the mantle. As the ridge grew it eventually became exposed above the ocean surface about 600,000 years ago. Thus, rocks normally only occurring deep within the Earth's mantle have become exposed on the surface.
Since Macquarie Island emerged, it has mainly been carved by marine processes such as wave action, unlike other subantarctic islands, which have been shaped by glaciers.
These unique exposures include excellent examples of pillow basalts and other extrusive rocks.
The main landscape feature is a central rolling plateau 250-300 m above sea level, bounded on all sides by steep cliffs, from the foot of which extends a coastal platform up to 800 m wide. Glacial drift up to 20 m thick covers much of the plateau and there are several lakes.
Among the most aesthetically appealing sights of the island are the vast congregations of wildlife, particularly penguins, on suitable parts of the coastal terrace, especially during breeding seasons.
During the breeding season on suitable beaches elephant seals also form impressive colonies. Four species of albatross nest on steep and rugged cliffs, both on the main island and on nearby Bishop and Clerk Islands.
The terrestrial area of Macquarie Island is a State Reserve with protection extending to low water mark. The marine values are protected by the Macquarie Island Marine Park declared by the Commonwealth on 28 October 1999. The primary purpose of the marine park is to protect the conservation values of the region from human disturbance. The marine park contains the world's largest marine highly protected zone, covering more than 16 million hectares.
Sealers discovered the island in 1810 and inhabited it periodically throughout the 19th century, exterminating the fur seals and greatly reducing the elephant seal population. In 1870, gangs came to exploit the king and royal penguin populations for oil, eliminating the former. The original elephant seal population of about 100,000 animals was reduced by 70% as a result of these operations. The visitors also brought exotic mammals and caused the extermination of two endemic subspecies of land birds.
There are no permanent human inhabitants on Macquarie Island although the Australian Antarctic Division station is occupied all year round. The only access to the island is by sea and there are no harbors or landing facilities, so ship-traffic in the area is minimal. (Source)


Note :-
Mail from the Ross Dependency is processed by the “Ross Dependency Agency”, located at a post office in Christchurch. Members of the public (mostly philatelists and stamp dealers) are able to post items bearing Ross Dependency stamps at this office.
Mail is canceled with the inscription “Ross Dependency Agency, Christchurch.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Antarctica - The Antarctic Treaty


The Antarctic Treaty
The Treaty was negotiated by the 12 nations present in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) (1957-58).  It is a landmark agreement through which countries active in Antarctica consult on the uses of the whole continent.  The Treaty which applies to the area south of 60°S, is surprisingly short but remarkably effective.  Since entering into force on June 23, 1961, the Treaty has been recognized as one of the most successful international agreements ever negotiated.

The postcard is a SURPRISE, sent by someone from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. Thank you very much.





Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Antartica - British Antarctic Territory - Port Lockroy

ANTARTICA
Port Lockroy
The United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust exists to conserve evidence of Antarctica's history now and for the future.
The Trust is custodian of historic site no. 61 Port Lockroy 64°49’S, 63°30’W

Sent by The United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust.



Port Lockroy is a natural harbor on north-west shore of Wiencke Island in Palmer Archipelago of the British Antarctic Territory. It was discovered in 1904 and named after Edouard Lockroy, a French politician and Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, who assisted Jean-Baptiste Charcot in obtaining government support for his French Antarctic Expedition. The harbour was used for whaling between 1911 and 1931. During World War II the British military operation Tabarin established the Port Lockroy base (Station A) on the tinyGoudier Island in the bay, which continued to operate as a British research station until 1962.
In 1996 the Port Lockroy base was renovated and is now a museum and post office operated by the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. It is designated as Historic Site no. 61 under the Antarctic Treaty and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Antarctica. Proceeds from the small souvenir shop fund the upkeep of the site and other historic sites and monuments in Antarctica.
The Trust collects data for the British Antarctic Survey to observe the effect of tourism on penguins. Half the island is open to tourists, while the other half is reserved for penguins. (Source)