Gerlache Strait

Geology

Four tectonic blocks are identifiable in the Gerlache Strait area, bounded by two systems of Tertiary strike-slip faults. The longitudinal faults include the SW-NE trending Neumayer Fault that extends from Peltier Channel across Wiencke Island, and then onwards most likely as the Gerlache Fault. The SW-NE trending Fournier Fault parallels the Gerlache Fault and divides Anvers Island. The transverse faults trend E-W and SE-NW across Wiencke Island and Brabant Island, and include the Schollaert Channel faults. The Danco Coast Block extends from Cape Willems to Wilhelmina Bay. The Brabant Island Block encompasses the southern portion of that island. The Neumayer Channel Block is bound by the Neumayer Fault and the Fournier Fault. The Anvers-Melchior Islands Block includes northwest Anvers Island and its offshore islands Melchior Islands.

History

In 1934, polar explorer Lincoln Ellsworth reported in the New York Times that a heavy snowstorm and ice made it necessary to change his plan for going from De Gerlache Strait out to sea and south to Adelaide Island. In 1979, four American adventurers survived a two-month expedition to Antarctica. The Washington Post reported that the most dangerous part of their journey was crossing the Gerlache Straight on a raft.

The writer Dianne Ackerman said she went to Gerlache Strait in the 1990s in order to find inspiration for writing prose.

In 2002, Lynne Cox became the first person to swim a mile in the near-freezing Antarctic Ocean. She did the swim in Gerlache Strait. In 2021, a couple on a ship in the Gerlache Straight captured footage of a gentoo penguin narrowly escaping a few hungry killer whales.

Ecology

The Gerlache Strait is known to have high abundances of Humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) in the austral summer months. Where there are dense swarms on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), attracting large aggregations of migrating cetaceans.

Gallery

Image:Iceberg in the Gerlache, Antarctica.JPG|Iceberg in the Gerlache Image:Iceberg_in_the_Gerlache_Strait,Antarctica(6295918548).jpg|Iceberg Image:Gerlache_Strait_-_NOAA.jpg|Gerlache Strait Image:Humpback Whales in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctica (6295482849).jpg|Humpback whales in the strait Image:Killer Whale in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctica (6086430485).jpg|Killer whale swimming

References

References

1. Deckker, Patrick De. (2018-01-01). "On the long-ignored scientific achievements of the Belgica expedition 1897–1899". Polar Research.
2. Groer, Annie. (23 March 2017). "Checking off my seventh continent: A half-price voyage to Antarctica". Washington Post.
3. (1934-12-03). "ELLSWORTH GAINS WEDDELL SEA ICE; Party Reaches Shelf Surface Only to Find It Dangerous for Plane Take-Off.". The New York Times.
4. Krause, Charles. (13 April 1979). "To the Bottom of the World". Washington Post.
5. Ackerman, Diane. (1999). "Deep Play".
6. Sanders, Erica. (2004-01-25). "Just Add Water". The New York Times.
7. Sparks, Hannah. (2021-03-08). "Fleeing penguin escapes killer whales in nail-biting video".
8. (2022). "Intra-season variations in distribution and abundance of humpback whales in the West Antarctic Peninsula using cruise vessels as opportunistic platforms". Ecology and Evolution.
9. (2011-04-27). "Super-Aggregations of Krill and Humpback Whales in Wilhelmina Bay, Antarctic Peninsula". PLOS ONE.