| Baie de l'Oiseau | |
|---|---|
  Baie de l'Oiseau Location inKerguelen | |
| Location | French Southern and Antarctic Lands |
| Coordinates | 48°41′06″S69°03′07″E / 48.685°S 69.052°E /-48.685; 69.052 |
| Ocean/sea sources | Indian Ocean |
| Max. length | 3.8 km (2.4 mi) |
| Max. width | 2.1 km (1.3 mi) |
Baie de l'Oiseau (French pronunciation:[bɛdəlwazo], Bird Bay) is a natural harbour in theLoranchet Peninsula, in the North-Western part of the islandGrande Terre, part of theKerguelen Islands. It was the landing site of the expedition underYves de Kerguelen in 1772, and later of the expedition underJames Cook in 1776. The site ofPort-Christmas is part of the bay.
The bay is located at the extreme North of the Kerguelen archipelago, and open towards the East, between Cap Français at the North, and the cape ofKerguelen Arch which closes it on the South, and distinguishes it from the neighbouringBaie de la Dauphine. It is 3.8 km long and 2.1 km wide at its largest. The 552-metreMont Havergal dominates the site and shelters it from the wind. In the 19th century, it was used as a haven for whaling and seal hunting ships.
Kerguelen could see the side during his first voyage in February 1772, but could not land, and anchored at the South, in Baie du Lion-Marin, where he claimed the archipelago for France. In hissecond voyage, in December 1773, he entered the harbour and named in Baie de l'Oiseau, after the frigateOiseau, under Rosnovet, one of the ships of the expedition. On 6 January 1774, he sentRochegude ashore to leave a bottle with a message claiming the site for France. On 2 January 1893, CommanderLieutard, of avisoEure, renewed the claim.
The flora is limited tomoss andlichens in atundra ecosystem, as well as a cane grass at the mouth of the spillway of Lake Rochegude. There are no trees or bushes, which inspired Cook to call the Islands "Desolation islands" when he visited in 1776. However, his surgeon,William Anderson, had noted the existence ofPringlea at the Bay, a source ofVitamin C of interest at a time whenscurvy was a common sanitary problem for sailors. During theRoss expedition of 1840, Doctor McCormick, exploring Mount Havergal, found fossilised tree trunk, proving the existence of forests in a previous geological era.[1][2]
The bay is home to temporary colonies ofKing Penguins and a variety of other birds, such aspetrels oralbatrosses, which nest in the cliffs of the bay, as well as colonies ofSouth American sea lions andSouthern elephant seal. Rabbits were deliberately introduced in 1874, and have since been observed in the cliffs of Port-Christmas.Southern right whales have also been seen near the bay, and on the northwestern shores of the archipelago.
