Aspland Island

Aspland Island
South Shetland Islands (British Antarctic Territory)
Location
Location:	61°28’1"S, 55°54’15"W
Highest point:	2,411 feet
Data

Aspland Island is a small island in the South Shetland Islands in the British Antarctic Territory. It lies 4 nautical miles west of Gibbs Island and all to the south-west of Elephant Island in the easternmost group of South Shetland. It is in a cluster of three neighbouring island lying north to south: Aspland Island, Eadie Island and O'Brien Island.

This island rises to a peak 2,411 feet above the sea.

The north-west point of the island is named 'Moonlight Point' 61°27’9"S, 55°56’17"W. It was so named by a party from the Joint Services Expedition to the Elephant Island Group because when they were canoeing from O'Brien Island to Aspland Island on 3 January 1977 the point appeared silhouetted against a full moon.

The island was roughly charted by Bransfield in February-March 1820 and named 'Aspland's Island' by Powell in December 1821, probably after Robert Aspland (1772-1845), a Unitarian minister.

The island was recharted by Discovery Investigations in January-February 1937. It was photographed from the air by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition in 1956-57. The island was visited by the Joint Services Expedition to the Elephant Island Group in January 1977.

Birds

The island forms part of the 'Aspland Island and Eadie Island' Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because both islands support large colonies of chinstrap penguins and southern fulmars.

References

• Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Aspland Island