Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 7, 2026

Berkeley Sound

Berkeley Sound is an inlet, or fjord in the north east of East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. The sound leads directly out into the Atlantic Ocean, and has been used throughout the island's history for various countries assuming rights of ownership. The maximum depth of the sound is around 30 metres (98 ft).

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Berkeley Sound
Baye Accaron (Accaron Bay)
La grande baye des Iles Malouines
A shot showing a beach in the foreground, sea in the middle ground, and a mountain range in the background
Berkeley Sound with Wickham Heights in the background
A black and white map showing depths and soundings along the coastline
Early mapping of Berkeley Sound (Dom Pernety, 1769)
LocationEast Falkland
Coordinates51°34′07″S 57°56′06″W / 51.5685°S 57.9350°W / -51.5685; -57.9350
Ocean/sea sources
Atlantic Ocean
Max. depth30 metres (98 ft)
IslandsHog Island
Kidney Island
Long Island
Location
Map
Interactive map of Berkeley Sound

Berkeley Sound is an inlet, or fjord in the north east of East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. The sound leads directly out into the Atlantic Ocean, and has been used throughout the island's history for various countries assuming rights of ownership. The maximum depth of the sound is around 30 metres (98 ft).

History

The inlet was the site of the first attempts at colonisation of the islands, at Port Louis, by the French who named it either La grande baye des Iles Malouines or Baye Accaron (Accaron Bay). The sound has also been named by the Spaniards as Puerto de la Soledad.12 The name La grande baye des Iles Malouines was coined by Antoine Louis de Bouganville in January 1764 who was looking to establish a new colony after being ousted from Canada.3 They built a settlement at the western end of the sound called Fort St Louis.4 Now known as Port Louis, the settlement lies at the head (western end) of Berkeley Sound.5

Berkeley Sound has several smaller bays within it – Uranie Bay, Port Louis harbour and Johnson's Harbour bay, separated by Grave Point, and includes islands such as Hog Island, Kidney Island (a nature reserve)6 and Long Island. It was enlarged as the result of glacial action. Uranie Bay is so named after the Uranie, a vessel which struck a rock off Volunteer Point and sunk the bay.789 The sound itself was given its Anglicized name John Byron in January 1765, when he sailed into it.

..a very deep sound, which I called Berkeley's [sic] Sound, there is an opening which has the appearance of a harbour.10

Another ship, the Lady Elizabeth also struck the same rock (known as Uranie Rock), but managed to get into the harbour at Port Stanley where her wreck still lies today.1112 In 1823, an Argentine governor allowed Louis Vernet the rights to farm and fish a large area of East Falkland, but he seized three United States sealing ships which led to the USS Lexington entering Berkeley Sound and attacking the settlement of Port Louis.13 The settlement was destroyed and some of the settlers were taken prisoner.14

In January 1833, HMS Clio, captained by John Onslow, arrived in the Sound and three boats went ashore to inform the people there that the islands would be reclaimed for the British. Onslow refused to let Colonel Pinedo take orders from the Argentine Republic, and those who would not settle for British rule, were put to sail two days later.15 Berkeley Sound was visited by Charles Darwin during his round-the-world voyage on HMS Beagle in 1834. He found it an "undulating land, with a desolate and wretched aspect".16 In the early 1840s, under the authority of the English governor Lieutenant Moody, the capital was moved from Port Louis to Port Stanley (at that time called Port Jackson), which Captain Mackinnon describes as "a more convenient spot for which passing ships might call when in need of repair or victualling."1718

Berkeley Sound is used by the fishing industry as a designated locality for the transshipment of fish,19 with accidental oil spills having occurred in the process.2021 Its maximum depth is registered as being 30 metres (98 ft) in the middle of the sound and towards the mouth of the sound, where it drops away to 50 metres (160 ft).22

Wildlife

The sound is home to southern rockhopper penguins, sei whales, southern right whales, peale's dolphins and commerson's dolphins.2324 Sooty shearwaters, great shearwaters and white-chinned petrels all nest on Kidney Island.25

Settlements and islands

Settlements


Islands
References

References

  1. Purdy, John (1822). Memoir, descriptive and explanatory, to accompany the new chart of the Ethiopic or southern Atlantic Ocean. London: Laurie. p. 33. OCLC 36712352.
  2. Norie, J. (1825). Piloting Directions for the East and West coasts of South America, from the River Plate to Panama. London: Navigation Warehouse and Naval Academy. p. 8. OCLC 562913308.
  3. Strange, Ian J. (1987). The Falkland Islands and their natural history. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 21. ISBN 0715388339.
  4. Annual report on the Falkland Islands and Dependencies (Report). London: HMSO. 1969. p. 55. OCLC 1155472351.
  5. Gurney, Alan (2007). Below the convergence : voyages towards Antarctica, 1699-1839. London: W. W, Norton. p. 244. ISBN 9780393329049.
  6. Wagstaff 2001, pp. 25, 88.
  7. "URANIE - FMHT Maritime Archive". Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  8. "FREYCINET, LOUIS-CLAUDE de 1779 - 1842". www.falklandsbiographies.org. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  9. Boyson, V. F. (1924). The Falkland Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 89. OCLC 1999198.
  10. Boyson, V. F. (1924). The Falkland Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 45. OCLC 1999198.
  11. Morrison, Paul (1990). The Falkland Islands. Harvest Hill, Bourne End, Bucks. [England]: Aston Publications. p. 11. ISBN 0946627657.
  12. Wagstaff 2001, p. 85.
  13. "History of Port Louis, 1764-1844". National Museums Liverpool. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  14. Gurney, Alan (2007). Below the convergence : voyages towards Antarctica, 1699-1839. London: W. W, Norton. p. 237. ISBN 9780393329049.
  15. Van der Bijl, Nick (April 2022). "Short history of a long disagreement: part 1 1485-1833". History of War (106). Bath: Future PLC: 36. ISSN 2054-376X.
  16. Moorehead, Alan (1969). Darwin and the beagle. New York: Harper & Row. p. 143. OCLC 1244586331.
  17. Wheeler, Tony (2004). The Falklands & South Georgia Island. London: Lonely Planet. p. 68. ISBN 1740596439.
  18. "Wild Sports of the Falklands". British Packet and Argentine News. No. 1, 218. 29 December 1849. p. 1. OCLC 751744805.
  19. The 1986 Fisheries (Conservation and Management) Ordinance
  20. Oiled birds found after tanker fuel spill Archived October 17, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  21. Where was FIG action on oil spill asks Falklands Conservation?
  22. Pütz, Klemens; Harris, Sabrina; Ratcliffe, Norman; Rey, Andrea Raya; Poncet, Sally; Lüthi, Bernhard (September 2018). "Plasticity in the foraging behavior of male Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) during incubation in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands". Polar Biology. 41 (9): 1,803. doi:10.1007/s00300-018-2320-7.
  23. Pütz, Klemens; Harris, Sabrina; Ratcliffe, Norman; Rey, Andrea Raya; Poncet, Sally; Lüthi, Bernhard (September 2018). "Plasticity in the foraging behavior of male Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) during incubation in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands". Polar Biology. 41 (9): 1,802. doi:10.1007/s00300-018-2320-7.
  24. Baines, Mick; Weir, Caroline R. (23 December 2020). "Predicting suitable coastal habitat for sei whales, southern right whales and dolphins around the Falkland Islands". PLOS ONE. 15 (12): 8, 12, 13, 14. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0244068.
  25. Wagstaff 2001, p. 36.
  26. Woodworth, Philip L. (5 July 2024). "Long-term changes in the ocean tide at Port Louis, Falkland Islands". Ocean Science. 20 (4): 888. doi:10.5194/os-20-887-2024.
  27. "Johnson's Harbour". falklands-southatlantic.com. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  28. Woodworth, Philip L. (5 July 2024). "Long-term changes in the ocean tide at Port Louis, Falkland Islands". Ocean Science. 20 (4): 887. doi:10.5194/os-20-887-2024.
  29. Morrison, Mike (2014). "Rare and Vagrant Birds in the Falkland Islands 2014" (PDF). falklandsconservation.com. p. 1. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  30. "Kidney Island Group (20858) Falkland Islands (Malvinas), South America". www.keybiodiversityareas.org. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  31. Wheeler, Tony (2004). The Falklands & South Georgia Island. London: Lonely Planet. p. 94. ISBN 1740596439.
  32. Wagstaff 2001, p. 97.

Sources

  • Wagstaff, William (2001). Falkland Islands: the Bradt travel guide. Chalfont St Peter: Bradt. ISBN 1841620378.