Griffin Cove

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Location of Varna Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands. Varna-Peninsula-location-map.png
Location of Varna Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands.
Griffin Cove (third left) from Miziya Peak, with Williams Point and Zed Islands in the background. Williams-Point.jpg
Griffin Cove (third left) from Miziya Peak, with Williams Point and Zed Islands in the background.

Griffin Cove is the 800 m wide cove indenting for 260 m the northwest coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and entered between Gargoyle Bastion to the northeast and Organpipe Point to the southwest.

Varna Peninsula

Varna Peninsula is a roughly rectangular predominantly ice-covered peninsula forming the northeast extremity of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is bounded by Hero Bay to the northwest, by Moon Bay to the southeast, and by McFarlane Strait to the northeast.

Livingston Island Island of the South Shetland Islands

Livingston Island is an Antarctic island, part of the South Shetlands Archipelago in the Southern Ocean. It was the first land discovered south of 60° south latitude in 1819, a historic event that marked the end of a centuries-long pursuit of the mythical Terra Australis Incognita and the beginning of the exploration and utilization of real Antarctica. The name Livingston, although of unknown derivation, has been well established in international usage since the early 1820s.

South Shetland Islands A group of islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula

The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands with a total area of 3,687 square kilometres (1,424 sq mi). They lie about 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of the Antarctic Peninsula, and between 430 kilometres (270 mi) to 900 kilometres (560 mi) south-west from the nearest point of the South Orkney Islands. 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 non-military purposes.

Contents

The feature is named after the griffin, a legendary bird often portrayed as a monster.

Griffin Legendary animal

The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and sometimes an eagle's talons as its front feet. Because the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle the king of birds by the Middle Ages the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Since classical antiquity, Griffins were known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions.

Location

The cove is centred at 62°28′09.1″S60°08′40.4″W / 62.469194°S 60.144556°W / -62.469194; -60.144556 which is 17.15 km northeast of Siddins Point and 1.95 km south by west of Williams Point (British mapping in 1968, and Bulgarian mapping in 2005 and 2009).

Siddins Point

Siddins Point is a point projecting into the middle of the head of Hero Bay on the north coast of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1958 for Captain Richard Siddins, Master of the Australian sealer Lynx of Sydney, who visited the South Shetland Islands in 1820-21 and 1821-22. Until 2011 the name was incorrectly spelt 'Siddons Point'.

Williams Point

Williams Point is the point forming both the north extremity of Varna Peninsula and the northeast tip of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Separated from Zed Islands to the north by Iglika Passage.

Maps

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Radomir Knoll

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Ballester Point

Ballester Point is a point forming the south side of the entrance to Johnsons Dock and the northeast side of the entrance to Española Cove in Hurd Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from Johnsons Dock.

Lister Cove cove

Lister Cove is a 2.1 km wide cove indenting for 1.55 km the northeast coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica south of Pomorie Point and north of Karavelova Point. The cove is fed by Rose Valley Glacier.

Dragon Cove cove

Dragon Cove is a 550 m wide cove indenting for 600 m the northeast coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica entered between Sigritsa Point and Ficheto Point. Surmounted by Sayer Nunatak on the southwest. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Johnsons Dock cove

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Sayer Nunatak

Sayer Nunatak is a rocky peak rising to 210 m south of Williams Point on Varna Peninsula, at the north edge of the ice cap of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The nunatak is forming the north extremity of Vidin Heights and surmounting Dragon Cove to the northeast, Griffin Cove to the north-northwest and Charybdis Cove to the southwest.

Polish Bluff

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Henry Bluff

Henry Bluff is a point forming the southwest side of the entrance to Argentina Cove and the north side of the entrance to Las Palmas Cove in Hurd Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The point is dominated by a prominent monolithic formation rising to 163 m and named El Peñón by personnel of the nearby Spanish Antarctic Base. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from nearby Johnsons Dock.

Española Cove cove

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Argentina Cove cove

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Slab Point

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Organpipe Point

Organpipe Point is a prominent east-west trending headland rising to about 60 or 70 m on the northwest coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and forming the north side of the entrance to Charybdis Cove and the southwest side of the entrance to Griffin Cove.

Gargoyle Bastion

Gargoyle Bastion is a rocky headland rising to 60 m on the northwest coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and forming the south side of the entrance to Hydra Cove and the northeast side of the entrance to Griffin Cove. It has sub-vertical cliff faces to seaward, and is flanked to north and south by rock cliffs.

Charybdis Cove cove in the South Shetland Islands

Charybdis Cove is the 1.2 km wide cove indenting for 580 m the northwest coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and entered between Organpipe Point to the north and Slab Point to the south.

Hydra Cove cove

Hydra Cove is a small cove indenting for 200 m the northwest coast of Varna Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and entered north of Gargoyle Bastion.

Buena Nueva Cove cove

Buena Nueva Cove is a small open cove, 900 m wide and indenting for 200 m the northwest coast of False Bay, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica southeast of MacGregor Peaks and east of Castro Peak on Hurd Peninsula. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Glaciar Rocoso Cove cove

Glaciar Rocoso Cove is a small open cove, part of False Bay, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is 920 m wide and indenting for 180 m the southeast coast of Hurd Peninsula east-northeast of Binn Peak and south-southwest of Nusha Hill. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

References