John Biscoe's meteorological and oceanographic observations in the Southern Ocean, 1830–1832

Abstract

John Biscoe's voyage of discovery in the ships Tula and Lively, undertaken at the directive of the owners of the firm Messrs Enderby between 1830 and 1833, was the third expedition to circumnavigate Antarctica at a high latitude. This paper presents a digest and assessment of meteorological and oceanographic data recorded by Biscoe on that voyage. These observations, which are not normally easily accessible, substantiate the reputation of Biscoe as an assiduous and careful observer, and, when compared, they expand on the observations made during earlier circumnavigations by James Cook (1772-1775) and Thaddeus Bellingshausen (1819-1821).