 Marion &Prince Edward Island : Profile
Discovered in March 1663, The Prince Edward Islands are situated in the heart of the roaring forties, some 1,770 km south east of Port Elizabeth, in the largely inhospitable Southern Ocean. The group is made up of Marion Island, the larger of the two, and Prince Edward Island only 19km to the north. Marion Island has mostly a cliff-faced coastline. Fur and elephant seals breed on the Prince Edward Islands, as do hundreds of thousands of penguins (kings, gentoos, rockhoppers, and macaronis), hundreds of thousands of petrels, and thousands of albatrosses. Approximately 12 people occupy the island at any one time. They are technicians ad scientists. There is an annual visit by a South African supply ship to replenish the island's food supplies and to replace the expedition members.
The weather is always servere. The tempestuous winds driving rain, hail and snow across the land. The average temperature has risen fron 5deg to 6deg, due to global warming. There is just an average of 3.5 hours of sunshine a day.
Marion Island 46°54'S 37°45'E
Prince Edward Island 46°38'S 37°57'E
*Indicates a port of entry.
|
Related NewsVolvo Ocean Race To Support Save the Albatross Campaign (17 Oct 2005)
|