Hope Bay/Esperanza Station Vicinity (HOPE)
63˚23’S, 57˚00’W Magnetic declination: 12.0˚E Inventory subarea: NE Inventory acronym: HOPE Site Sensitivity: LOW Location — History — Features This is a 3-mile-long, 2-mile-wide bay indenting the NE tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, and opening onto Antarctic Sound. It was discovered by Nordenskjøld and the Swedish Antarctic expedition in 1902, and named in honor of the winter spent there by expedition members Andersson, Duse, and Grunden. The remains of their hut are found near the boat jetty that is often used by visitors. The ground surface leading to the hut consists of fragmented slate. The Argentine Esperanza Station occupies a gently sloping area beyond the hut, and near to the end of Hope Bay. Behind the station the ground surface rises to an extensive plateau and lake. The peak above and behind the Argentine station exhibits a well-developed cirque in its center with a small glacier extending down the slope toward the station. Just beyond the boat jetty is the stone hut built by the Swedish Expedition in January 1903, which has been designated as an Antarctic Historic Site and Monument. Nearby is another Historic Site and Monument — a bust of General San Martin, a grotto with a statue of the Virgin of Lujan, and a flag mast — erected by the Argentines in 1955. There is a graveyard memorializing members of Argentine expeditions who have died in the area. Landing Characteristics A fairly regularly visited scientific station, with a very large, resident population of Adélie penguins. The remains of the hut from the Nordenskjøld expedition lends historical significance to this site. In recent years, the Adélie colonies close to the boat jetty utilized by tourists have been cordoned off to minimize disruptions; these same colonies abut the station’s helicopter landing pad. Antarctic Site Inventory Effort Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003: 1. December 10, 1995 BH W. Discoverer 2. January 15, 1996 RN BH Endurance 3. December 8, 1998 RN SF Explorer Assessment and monitoring. None. Fauna — Flora — Censuses Penguins & flying birds. Adélie penguins are confirmed breeders. Snowy sheathbills commonly observed among the Adélies and may breed. Recent Hope Bay Adélie penguin census data reported in Woehler (1993): 123,850 N2, 1985. Seals. None observed. Flora. None noted. Conservation Aspects Site sensitivities. None noted. Pointers for avoiding disruptions. Restricted visitor space (Adélie penguins near to the landing jetty are now cordoned off to protect these nearby rookeries from visitor intrusions) Visitation Aspects Numbers of tourist zodiac landings and participating visitors, 1989-2003:
Proximate visitor sites. Brown Bluff is due S on the N edge of the Tabarin Peninsula. |
