WHALES, BAY OF


Meaning of WHALES, BAY OF in English

Former inlet of the Ross Sea, Ross Ice Shelf , Antarctica.

It was first seen by the British explorer James C. Ross in 1842. The bay was the continent's most southerly open harbour in summer and was the site of several important bases for Antarctic exploration. More than 10 mi (16 km) wide in 1911, it gradually narrowed as advancing ice sheets collided. It disappeared entirely in 1987 when an iceberg 99 mi (159 km) long broke off from the Ross Ice Shelf.

Britannica English dictionary.      Английский словарь Британика.