Fumarole Bay

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Decepción station on Fumarole Bay

Fumarole Bay is a bay on the west side of Port Foster, the major harbour of Deception Island, in the South Shetland Islands; part of the British Antarctic Territory.

The island is an unquiet volcano, Port Foster being its breached and flooded crater, and in Fumerole Bay is the island's most active fumarole, or volcanic vent, hence its name.

Survey and naming

Map of Deception Island

The Argentine Antarctic Expedition of 1942-3 named the bay Bahai 1° de Mayo or Bahía Primero de Mayo after the expedition ship 1° de Mayo, which sank near Monte Hermoso off the coast of Argentina on 5 February 1944. An Argentinian station, called "1° de Mayo", was established on the bay on 20 November 1947; later called "Destacamento Naval Decepción".

The Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey carried out a full survey in 1953-54. Aerial photography was carried out by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition of 1956-57. After this, the bay was named 'Fumarole Bay' because the most active fumarole on the island is situated here.

The Argentine station was closed to permanent occupation following the volcanic eruption on the island on 4 December 1967.

Location map

References

  • Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Fumarole Bay