The deception of Amsterdam
When looking at this image of the Island of Amsterdam with its lush green slopes and blue shores it actually looks quite hospitable. Looks can be deceiving though. Amsterdam is considered to be one of the most isolated islands in the world since it lies halfway between South Africa and Australia or halfway between Antarctica and India. The nearest inhabited settlement is 2430km away. The Island is only accessible under certain sea conditions as there is no natural harbor. It is not extremely cold on the island , temperatures only varies six degrees from winter (13°) to summer (19°). However, freezing stiff winds and a constant blanket of rain form a blanket along the steep cliffs. Only 30 people live in the only settlement, Martin-de-Viviès permanently (annually, no one is allowed to stay longer due to its isolation). These are mostly scientists or volunteers at the weather station, the laboratory of Physiochemistry of the atmosphere and the geophysical laboratory where the earth's magnetic field is measured.
In addition to being one of the most isolated islands in the world, Amsterdam Island is also a volcano. Volcanism is due to its location on the edges of the Antarctic tectonic plate and near the East Indian Ocean ridge. Cone growth most likely occurred during two episodes of major volcanic activity with formation of calderas of which one contained a lava lake. Although no records exist for historical eruptions the fresh morphology of the island indicates an eruption no more than a century ago. A central high plateau in the middle of the island contains 10 separate craters. The highest point is Mont de la Dives at 881m, the highest of three summits. On the western side of the island steep basaltic cliffs drop approximately 700m down.
Amsterdam Island is part of TAAF (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises), an overseas department of France. This might strike you as odd since well, the name is pretty Dutch. It was first sighted in 1522 by Basque explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano. In 1633 Dutch captain Anthonie van Diemen named the island after the ship he was sailing, the New Amsterdam. It was not until 1696 that the first person (Willem de Vlamingh) set foot on the island. The island was claimed by the French in 1843 and became a French colony in 1924 together with the nearby island of St Paul, a caldera which lies 88km away. In the 18th and 19th centuries Amsterdam was densely forested, the arrival of cattle as well as bush fires reduced the forest to only a few hectares. The native fauna that live on or near the island are the nearly extinct Amsterdam albatross (of which Amsterdam is the only breeding ground), the eastern rockhopper penguin and fur seals. There are no native mammals on the island, but cats, mice and rats were introduced.
--BO
Image: Copyright Institute Polaire France. An aerial view of Amsterdam Island. The high cliffs on the western side are well visible. Also note the craters and cones in the middle.
References:
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/islands/indian/amstrdam.htm
http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcanom?vn=234001
http://basementgeographer.com/ile-amsterdam-isolated-in-the-indian-ocean/