Cleft Island is a small island to the north of the Bølingen Islands, lying 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast of Lichen Island

Lichen Island

Lichen Island is a small island lying 5 nautical miles north of the Bolingen Islands and 2.5 nautical miles northwest of Cleft Island in southern Prydz Bay. First visited by an ANARE party led by Phillip Law on February 5, 1955. So named by Law because of the rich growth of lichens found there....

 in southern Prydz Bay

Prydz Bay

Prydz Bay is a deep embayment of Antarctica between the Lars Christensen Coast and Ingrid Christensen Coast. Portions of the bay were sighted in January and February 1931 by Norwegian whalers and the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition...

. The island is split by a deep channel about 6 metres (19.7 ft) wide. The island was plotted from air photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936–37, and called Lorten by Norwegian cartographers. The feature was visited by an Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions

Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions

The Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions is the historical name for the Australian Antarctic Program administered for Australia by the Australian Antarctic Division .-The ANARE Name:...

 party from the Nella Dan

Nella Dan

MV Nella Dan was one of the famous 'Dan' ships of the Danish J. Lauritzen A/S Lines that were almost synonymous with ANARE shipping through the early years of Australia's official Antarctic program...

in February 1966 and renamed with reference to the deep channel.