Berkeley Sound

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Berkeley Sound with the Wickham Heights in the background

Berkeley Sound is an inlet, or fjord in the north east of East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. The inlet was the site of the first attempts at colonisation of the islands, at Port Louis, by the French, who named it 'Baye Accaron'.[1].

Berkeley Sound has several smaller bays within it – Port Louis and Johnson's Harbour, separated by Grave Point, and includes islands such as Hog Island, Kidney Island (a nature reserve) and Long Island. Its shape and length were formed by glacial action during the Ice Age.

Berkeley Sound was visited by Charles Darwin during his voyage on HMS Beagle in 1834. He found it an 'undulating land, with a desolate and wretched aspect...'[2]

Currently, Berkeley Sound is used by the Falklands fishing industry as a designated locality for the transshipment of fish.,[3] with accidental oil spills having occurred in the process.[4][5]

Settlements on Berkeley Sound

Location of Berkeley Sound (tinted blue)

Location

References

  1. Dom Pernety, Antoine-Joseph. Journal historique d'un voyage fait aux Iles Malouïnes en 1763 et 1764 pour les reconnoître et y former un établissement; et de deux Voyages au Détroit de Magellan, avec une Rélation sur les Patagons. Berlin: Etienne de Bourdeaux, 1769. 2 volumes, 704 pp. Online vol. 1 & vol. 2. Abridged English version.
  2. Moorehead, Alan: 'Darwin and the Beagle' (Harpercollins Childrens, 1969) ISBN 978-0060130176
  3. The 1986 Fisheries (Conservation and Management) Ordinance
  4. 'Oiled birds found after tanker fuel spill': Falklands Conservation 17 October 2006 (archive)
  5. Where was FIG action on oil spill asks Falklands Conservation?