Storfjorden

Storfjorden (English: "Great Fjord") is the body of water separating Spitsbergen in the west from Barentsøya and Edgeøya to the east. Its southern limits are Kikutodden in Sørkapp Land east to Håøya, Tiholmane, Brækmoholmane, and Menkeøyane in Tusenøyane and northeast to Negerpynten—the southeastern promontory of Edgeøya. Its limits on its eastern side are Sundneset on the northern side of Freemansundet south to Palibinramten on the northwest coast of Edgeøya. The northern part is called Ginevrabotnen, which lies between Olav V Land and Barentsøya.

Storfjorden was historically known as "Wybe Jans Water", named after the Friesland whaler Wybe Jansz van Stavoren. The fjord was first labelled as such in 1620.

Storfjorden was the epicenter of a great earthquake February 20 2008 UCT.

References

*Conway, W. M. 1906. No Man’s Land: A History of Spitsbergen from Its Discovery in 1596 to the Beginning of the Scientific Exploration of the Country. Cambridge: At the University Press.

* Norwegian Polar Institute [http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/searchE.asp Place Names of Svalbard Database]