The Adolphus Channel is a channel located in the Torres Strait, situated northeast of Cape York, in Queensland, Australia.

Adolphus Channel
Adolphus Channel is located in Queensland
Adolphus Channel
Adolphus Channel
A map of the Torres Strait Islands, with the Adolphus Channel located south of Mount Adolphus Island in the Torres Strait
LocationNorthern Australia
Coordinates10°41′20″S 142°36′51″E / 10.688958°S 142.614167°E / -10.688958; 142.614167
TypeChannel
Part ofTorres Strait
Ocean/sea sourcesCoral Sea,
South Pacific Ocean
Basin countriesAustralia
Managing agencyTorres Strait Island Region
Islands
  • Albany Island
  • Bush Island
  • Eborac Island
  • Ida Island
  • Middle Brother Island

Geography

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The channel runs north of the Albany Island, one of the islands of the Manar group of the Torres Strait Islands archipelago, and to the south of Mount Adolphus Island.[1][2]

It is about 7 km (4.3 mi) across at its narrowest point, mostly less than about 20 m (66 ft) in depth and opens towards the west (into the Torres Strait) and towards the east (into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon). Submarine dunes (sand waves) up to 5 m (16 ft)tall migrate along the Adolphus Channel seabed, posing a potential risk to safe navigation.[3]

Much of the area has dual naming with traditional names from the Torres Strait Islander people.[2]

Shipping use

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Adolphus Channel is a major shipping route for traffic passing from the eastern (Coral Sea) coast of Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arafura Sea and regions further west.[3]

History

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On the night of 28 February 1890, the Royal Mail Ship RMS Quetta struck a rock and sank in Adolphus Channel, sending 134 of her passengers to their deaths.[4]

Islands

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Adjacent to the channel are a group of islands, part of the Torres Strait Islands archipelago, comprising:

  • Albany Island
  • Bush Islet
  • Eborac Island[5]
  • Ida Island
  • Mai Islet
  • Middle Brother Islet
  • Tree Island

Ida Island is north and adjacent to Muddy Bay, while the remaining islets are adjacent to Pioneer Bay on the north east coast of Albany Island.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Harris, P. T.; Schneider, P. M.; Baker, E. K. (1988). Currents, sedimentation and sandwave migration in the Great North East Channel and Adolphus Channel areas of Torres Strait: report on measurements taken during HMAS Cook cruises. Sydney, NSW: The University of Sydney. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c Taranto; Jacobs; Long. "Map 4: Adolphus channel" (PDF) (Map). Torres Strait Atlas – Report MR-GIS 97/6. CSIRO Marine research. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  3. ^ a b Harris, P.T., 1989. Sandwave movement under tidal and wind-driven currents in a shallow marine environment: Adolphus Channel, northeastern Australia. Continental Shelf Research 9, 981-1002
  4. ^ "The tragic tale of the Quetta". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 30 July 2012. p. 10. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Eborac Island gecko". The Australian Reptile Online Database. Stewart Macdonald. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.

Further reading

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  • Gadke, Christopher (2001). The architecture of the Torres Strait Islands : from the vernacular to the 'South Sea' type [St. Lucia, Qld.]