Jonassen Island (JONA)
63˚33’S, 56˚40’W Magnetic declination: 12.0˚E Inventory subarea: NE Inventory acronym: JONA Site Sensitivity: LOW Location — History — Features A 2.5-mile-long island, lying N of Andersson Island in the S entrance to Antarctic Sound, off the NE tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Originally called Irizar Island by Nordenskjøld, who named it for the Argentine captain whose ship, the Uruguay , rescued the shipwrecked Swedish Antarctic expedition in 1903. However, in 1904, Charcot gave the name Irizar to an island of the W coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, being totally unaware of the Swedish naming. Because the name of the latter island received wider use, the small island at the entrance to Antarctic Sound was renamed in honor of Ole Jonassen, who accompanied Nordenskjøld on his two major sledge journeys in 1902-3. At higher elevations, an excellent view of the strait between Jonassen Island and the Tabarin Peninsula. Landing Characteristics More suitable for zodiac touring than for shore landings. The cobble shoreline is slippery and there are few access points that avoid the gentoos nesting on this steep hillside. Antarctic Site Inventory Effort Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003: 1. December 10, 1995 BH SF W. Discoverer 2. January 30, 1996 RN BH Endurance 3. December 22, 2001 JC LGC Endeavour Assessment and monitoring. Preliminary surveying. Unclear whether Adélie penguin colony reported in 1901 is still extant. Fauna — Flora — Censuses Penguins & flying birds. Gentoo penguins and kelp gulls are confirmed breeders. Adélie penguins also observed on shore and chinstrap penguins observed cruising offshore, but nests of neither species found. Many pintado and snow petrels flying about, and these species may breed in the island’s higher reaches. Woehler (1993) reports “large” Adélie penguin colony observed in 1901, but it was not relocated by Inventory researchers during 1995-96 visits. The 1901 reference also notes 20 breeding pairs of gentoo penguins. Antarctic Site Inventory censuses: Gentoo penguin 233 C1 1996 Jan Seals. None observed. Flora. Xanthoria , spp., Caloplaca , spp., and Usnea , spp. noted. Conservation Aspects Site sensitivities. Difficult walking over cobble, and many of the penguins located upslope and in hard-to-reach places. Pointers for avoiding disruptions.
Visitation Aspects Numbers of tourist zodiac landings and participating visitors, 1989-2003:
Proximate visitor sites. Brown Bluff is located to the E. |
