| Local Name: | Russian: Остров Хейса |
| Location: | Arctic Ocean |
| Coordinates: | 80.45°N 61°W |
| Archipelago: | Franz Josef Land |
| Area Km2: | 132 |
| Population: | 0 |
| Country: | Russia |
Hayes Island,[1] also known as Heiss Island (Russian: Остров Хейса|translit=Ostrov Kheysa) is an island in Franz Josef Land, Russia. It is located in the central area of the archipelago, north of Hall Island, between Champ Island and Wilczek Land. Its area is 132 km2.
Hayes island is almost unglacierized, having only a small ice-cap off its centre by its northern shore. Highest point 242 m.
The strait to the south of Hayes Island is known as Markham Sound (Russian: пролив Маркама), which narrows down to only 5 km at this point.On the east lies a strait known as Avstriyskiy proliv, beyond which lie the smaller Komsomol Islands. 7 km wide Proliv Yermak in the north, separates Hayes Island from the Zichy Land subgroup of the Franz Josef Archipelago.
The cape on the southwestern shore of Hayes island is called Cape Ostantsovy.
Kheysa, a now abandoned Soviet rocket launching site, was located on this island.
Now Hayes Island is home to the Krenkel hydrometeorological station (80°37′ N, 58°03′ E).
This island (including the Komsomol Islands) was originally named after veteran Arctic explorer Isaac Hayes, who undertook a historical Polar expedition in 1850. The other island's name in English is Heiss Island, because German cartographers Germanized its name after transliterating from the Russian to the corrupted name "Heiss" (meaning "hot" in German).
Hayes Island is in the transition zone between a tundra climate (ET) and an ice cap climate (EF) technically falling into the former due to above freezing averages in July and August but below freezing low temperatures year round. It's a frigid and unforgiving land with nonexistent summers and winters which last year round. Hayes has a very cloudy climate, with 8 months of the year receiving little to no sunshine. Although snow is more common year round, it can rain from June through October.