Massive iceberg mesmerises Macquarie Islanders
credit: © Australian Antarctic Division 2008, Kingston Tasmania 7050
Macquarie Island expeditioners were treated to a rare sight this week with a huge iceberg floating past the island.
The iceberg is about 8 kilometres off the north-west of the island and is estimated to be about 50 metres high and 500 metres long.
Australian Antarctic Division Glaciologist, Neal Young, said it’s uncommon for icebergs to be so far north.
“The iceberg is likely to be part of one of the big ones that calved from the Ross Ice Shelf nearly a decade ago,” Dr Young said.
“Throughout the year several icebergs have been drifting slowly northwards with the ocean current towards Macquarie Island,” he said.
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More:
Macquarie Island is a subantarctic island located in the Southern Ocean, approximately half way between Australia and Antarctica.
Macquarie Island, or “Macca” as it is generally referred to, is a Tasmanian State Reserve managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Australia operates a research station at the northern end of the island from which a wide range of research is carried out.
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