 Location of Aitcho Islands in the South Shetland Islands. | |
  Holmes Rock Location of Holmes Rock  Holmes Rock Holmes Rock (Antarctica) | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 62°22′58.8″S59°50′06″W / 62.383000°S 59.83500°W Coordinates: 62°22′58.8″S59°50′06″W / 62.383000°S 59.83500°W |
| Archipelago | South Shetland Islands |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Holmes Rock is rising to 45 m (49 yd) north of Greenwich Island and west of Aitcho group in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.
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. The group is separated from Dee Island and Sierra Island to the southwest by Villalón Passage. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from nearby Clothier Harbour. During the austral summer the islands are often visited by Antarctic cruise ships with tourists who land to watch wildlife.
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.
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14,200,000 square kilometres, it is the fifth-largest continent. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Contents
The feature is named after Captain Jeremiah Holmes, Master of the American sealing vessel Emeline that visited the South Shetlands in 1820-21 and operated from nearby Clothier Harbour.
Clothier Harbour is the 1.5 km wide bay indenting for 1 km the north coast of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica between Hammer Point on the northeast and Onogur Islands on the southwest. The harbour was used as a safe base by American sealing ships in 1820-21.
