Crystal Sound

Crystal Sound extends north-east to south-west between the Biscoe Islands and the Loubet Coast of Graham Land in the British Antarctic Territory. The northern limit of the bay is from Cape Evensen to Cape Leblond and the southern limit from Holdfast Point on Roux Island to Liard Island to the Sillard Islands.

A few groups of small islands and skerries lie within the sound, including the Bernal Islands, the Bragg Islands, the Darbel Islands, Davidson Island, the Foote Islands, the Fowler Islands, the Nakaya Islands, the Owston Islands, the Saffery Islands

The channel was sighted at its northern and southern ends by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1908 to 1910 under Charcot. The name Baie Matha was applied collectively to Matha Strait, Darbel Bay and the southern part of the sound as we know it today, and the name Baie Pendleton applied to the northern part of the sound. The name 'Pendleton Strait' appears too on an American chart of 1940, referring to the Grandidier Channel and the present sound, and Matha Bay too in 1946.

The sound was probably first traversed by Penola of the British Graham Land Expedition, after air reconnaissance, in February 1936.

Most of the sound and its islands were photographed from the air by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition in 1957. It was named 'Crystal Sound' in association with the names grouped in this area of scientists who have worked on the structure of ice crystals.

Location

• Location map: 66°27’58"S, 66°39’0"W

References

• Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Crystal Sound