Cecilia Island
Encyclopedia
Cecilia Island is the ice-free southernmost island of the Aitcho group
on the west side of English Strait
in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica. Extending 910 by, surface area 36 hectares (89 acre). The area, visited by American and English
sealers
in the early 19th century, nowadays has become a popular tourist site frequented by Antarctic cruise ship
s.
The feature's name derives from 'Cecilias Straits' applied to English Strait by Captain John Davis
after the shallop Cecilia, tender to his ship Huron that visited the South Shetlands in 1820-22. It was from the Cecilia that the first landing on the Antarctic mainland was made at Hughes Bay
on 7 February 1921.
, Greenwich Island
, 2.07 km (1.3 mi) east-northeast of Dee Island
, 280 m (306.2 yd) southeast of Barrientos Island
, 3.39 km (2.1 mi) southwest of Debelyanov Point
, Robert Island
and 4.83 km (3 mi) west of Negra Point
, Robert Island
(Chilean mapping in 1961, British in 1968, Argentine in 1980, and Bulgarian in 2005 and 2009).
Aitcho Islands (South Shetland Islands)
The Aitcho Islands are a group of minor islands on the west side of the north entrance to English Strait separating Greenwich Island and Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, which are situated between Dee Island to the south and Table Island to the north...
on the west side of English Strait
English Strait
English Strait is the 17 km long and 2 km wide strait lying between Greenwich Island and Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Trending southeast-northwest, and entered between Santa Cruz Point and Edwards Point in the south, and Fort William Point and Okol Rocks,...
in the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, Antarctica. Extending 910 by, surface area 36 hectares (89 acre). The area, visited by American and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sealers
Seal hunting
Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. The hunt is currently practiced in five countries: Canada, where most of the world's seal hunting takes place, Namibia, the Danish region of Greenland, Norway and Russia...
in the early 19th century, nowadays has become a popular tourist site frequented by Antarctic cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s.
The feature's name derives from 'Cecilias Straits' applied to English Strait by Captain John Davis
John Davis (sealer)
Captain John Davis was a seal hunter from Connecticut, USA who captained men who may have been the first to have set foot on Antarctica on 7 February 1821 shortly after the first sightings of the new continent by Fabian von Bellingshausen, Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, Edward Bransfield and Nathaniel...
after the shallop Cecilia, tender to his ship Huron that visited the South Shetlands in 1820-22. It was from the Cecilia that the first landing on the Antarctic mainland was made at Hughes Bay
Hughes Bay
Hughes Bay is the 42 km wide bay indenting for 20 km Danco Coast on the west side of Graham Land, Antarctica, lying south of Chavdar Peninsula and north of Pefaur Peninsula, and entered between Cape Sterneck and Cape Murray....
on 7 February 1921.
Location
The midpoint is located at 62°24′46.2"S 59°43′42.6"W and the island is lying 3.07 km (1.9 mi) north of Spark PointSpark Point
Spark Point, also Canto Point, is a rocky point forming the northwest side of the entrance to both Discovery Bay and Galápagos Cove, and the east side of the entrance to Jambelí Cove in the northeast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The point ends up in a conspicuous...
, Greenwich Island
Greenwich Island (South Shetland Islands)
Greenwich Island is an island long and from wide, lying between Robert Island and Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands. Surface area...
, 2.07 km (1.3 mi) east-northeast of Dee Island
Dee Island
Dee Island is the ice-free island lying between Greenwich Island and Aitcho Islands in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and is separated from Greenwich Island to the south by the wide Orión Passage and from Aitcho Islands to the northeast by the wide Villalón Passage. Extending , with the...
, 280 m (306.2 yd) southeast of Barrientos Island
Barrientos Island
Barrientos Island is an ice-free island in the Aitcho group on the west side of English Strait in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Extending , surface area . The area was visited by early 19th century sealers...
, 3.39 km (2.1 mi) southwest of Debelyanov Point
Debelyanov Point
Debelyanov Point is a point forming the northwest side of the entrance to Mitchell Cove in Robert Island, South Shetland Islands. Situated 2.8 km northwest of Negra Point and 3.81 km southeast of Fort William Point. Bulgarian early mapping in 2008. Named after the Bulgarian poet...
, Robert Island
Robert Island (South Shetland Islands)
Robert Island or Mitchells Island or Polotsk Island or Roberts Island is an island long and wide, situated between Nelson Island and Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands. Robert Island is located at . Surface area...
and 4.83 km (3 mi) west of Negra Point
Negra Point
Negra Point is the ice-free tipped point on the southwest coast of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica forming the southeast side of the entrance to Mitchell Cove...
, Robert Island
Robert Island (South Shetland Islands)
Robert Island or Mitchells Island or Polotsk Island or Roberts Island is an island long and wide, situated between Nelson Island and Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands. Robert Island is located at . Surface area...
(Chilean mapping in 1961, British in 1968, Argentine in 1980, and Bulgarian in 2005 and 2009).
See also
- Aitcho Islands
- Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
- List of Antarctic islands south of 60° S
- SCARScientific Committee on Antarctic ResearchThe Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research is an interdisciplinary body of the International Council for Science . It was established in February 1958 to continue the international coordination of Antarctic scientific activities that had begun during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58...
- South Shetland IslandsSouth Shetland IslandsThe South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
- Territorial claims in Antarctica
Map
- L.L. Ivanov et al. Antarctica: Livingston Island and Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands. Scale 1:100000 topographic map. Sofia: Antarctic Place-names Commission of Bulgaria, 2005.