Right Whale Bay facts for kids
Right Whale Bay is a bay about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) wide. It is found along the north coast of South Georgia Island. The bay is located between two points of land: Craigie Point and Nameless Point.
This bay gets its name from the southern right whales that live in the area. Long ago, South Georgia was a very important place for whaling, which is hunting whales. Right Whale Bay is connected to Morsa Bay on the island's south coast by a mountain path called Ernesto Pass.
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What Makes Right Whale Bay Special?
Right Whale Bay has several interesting features around its edges. Many of these places were explored and named by groups studying the area.
Nameless Point: The Northwest Entrance
The northwest side of the bay's entrance is called Nameless Point. People from a group called Discovery Investigations (DI) mapped this area in 1930 and likely gave it its name.
Cairns Cove: A Small Spot on the West Side
Cairns Cove is a small, quiet cove on the west side of Right Whale Bay. It was first mapped by the DI group and called Haste Cove. However, in 1959, a committee in the UK changed its name. After a detailed survey in 1960–61 by a ship called HMS Owen, the cove was named after Petty Officer Peter T. Cairns. He was an important member of the survey team.
Mount Regulator: A Mountain Nearby
Close to Cairns Cove, a mountain called Mount Regulator rises 655 meters (2,149 feet) high. It stands about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) inland to the west of the cove.
Black Point: Another West Side Feature
Black Point is another notable spot also located on the west side of Right Whale Bay.
Binder Beach: A Beach at the Bay's End
Binder Beach is a special kind of beach called a moraine beach. It is located at the very end, or "head," of Right Whale Bay. The name Binder Beach first appeared on a map made in 1930 by the DI team.
Bloor Reef: A Rocky Spot
Off the coast from Binder Beach is Bloor Reef. This reef is a rocky area that becomes dry when the tide goes out. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Leading Seaman Vincent T. Bloor. He helped with the survey of Right Whale Bay in April 1961.
Cairns Shoal: A Shallow Area
Cairns Shoal is a small, shallow area of water. It lies about 0.6 nautical miles (1.1 km) west of Craigie Point, in the eastern part of Right Whale Bay. Like Cairns Cove, this shoal was named by the UK-APC for Petty Officer Peter T. Cairns.
Barber Cove: On the Eastern Side
Barber Cove is a small cove on the eastern side of the bay. It has many rocks and is located between Bluff Point to the west and Craigie Point to the east. This cove was first called Scott Bay on a map from 1930, but no one knows why it was given that name. In 1963, the UK-APC renamed it Barber Cove, honoring Leading Seaman John M. Barber from HMS Owen. The name Craigie Point has been used since about 1912, and Bluff Point first appeared on a DI map.
