Cumberland Bay

Central South Georgia: Cumberland Bay; Thatcher Peninsula with King Edward Cove (Grytviken); Allardyce Range with the summit Mt. Paget (NASA imagery).

Cumberland Bay is a bay, 4 miles (6.4 km) wide at its entrance between Larsen Point and Barff Point, which separates into two extensive arms that recede inland 9 miles (14 km) along the northern coast of South Georgia. It was discovered and named in 1775 by a British expedition under James Cook.

In the Second World War the whaling stations were closed except Grytviken and Leith Harbour. Most of the British and Norwegian whalers and factory ships were destroyed by German merchant raiders, and the remainder were called up to serve under Allied command. The resident British Magistrates (W. Barlas and A.I. Fleuret) attended to the island’s defence throughout the War. The Royal Navy deployed the armed merchant cruiser Queen of Bermuda to patrol South Georgian and Antarctic waters, and deployed two four-inch guns to protect key approaches: at Grytviken to protect Cumberland Bay and at Leith Harbour to protect Stromness Bay. The batteries still survive. They were manned by volunteers from among the Norwegian whalers who were trained for the purpose.

References

• Stonehouse, B, ed. (2002). Encyclopedia of Antarctica and the Southern Oceans. ISBN 0-471-98665-8. 
•  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Cumberland Bay" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Capital: King Edward Point (Grytviken) General Coat of arms Commissioner Flag Foreign relations History Languages List of South Georgians Operation "Paraquet" South Georgia Museum .gs Sovereignty Invasion of South Georgia Settlements / Whaling stations Grytviken Godthul Husvik Leith Harbour Ocean Harbour Prince Olav Harbour Rosita Harbour Stromness Corbeta Uruguay base South Georgia islands Annenkov Island Bird Island Black Rock Black Rocks Clerke Rocks Cooper Island Grass Island Grassholm Kupriyanov Islands Pickersgill Islands Prion Island Saddle Island Shag Rocks South Georgia Trinity Island Welcome Islands Willis Islands South Sandwich islands Bellingshausen Bristol Candlemas Cook Leskov Montagu Saunders Thule Vindication Visokoi Zavodovski Traversay Islands Landmarks Allardyce Range Fortuna Glacier Gold Harbour Larsen Harbour Mount Baume Mount Belinda Mount Cunningham Mount Paget Mount Roots Peggotty Bluff Salisbury Plain Salvesen Range Southern Thule Thatcher Peninsula Grace Glacier Lucas Glacier Bay of Isles Point Abrahamsen Sheep Point Stromness Bay Cumberland Bay Possession Bay Sheer Point Busen Point

54°14′S 36°28′W / 54.233°S 36.467°W / -54.233; -36.467Coordinates: 54°14′S 36°28′W / 54.233°S 36.467°W / -54.233; -36.467