Santa Cruz Point

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Location of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands. Greenwich-Island-location-map.png
Location of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands.
Santa Cruz Point (on the right) from English Strait. English-Strait.jpg
Santa Cruz Point (on the right) from English Strait.
Topographic map of Livingston Island, Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands. Livingston-Island-Map-2010.jpg
Topographic map of Livingston Island, Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands.

Santa Cruz Point, also Spencer Bluff, is a rocky point forming the east extremity of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and the southwest side of the entrance to English Strait. Surmounted by Bogdan Ridge on the west.

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.

Antarctica Polar continent in the Earths southern hemisphere

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 14,000,000 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.

English Strait strait in the South Shetland Islands

English Strait is the 10.5-mile (17-km) long and 1.2-mile (2-km) wide strait lying between Greenwich Island and Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Trending southeast-northwest, and entered between Santa Cruz Point and Edwards Point in the south, and Fort William Point and Okol Rocks, Aitcho Islands in the north. The name dates back to 1822 and is established in international usage.

Contents

The name appears on a 1949 Argentine chart, probably for the Argentine vessel Santa Cruz that visited the South Shetlands in 1948.

Location

The point is located at 62°30′01″S59°33′13″W / 62.50028°S 59.55361°W / -62.50028; -59.55361 which is 4.9 km north by east of Fort Point, 6.35 km southeast of Ash Point, 6.53 km south of Beron Point, Robert Island and 5 km southwest of Edwards Point, Robert Island. British mapping in 1968, Chilean in 1971, Argentine in 1980, and Bulgarian in 2005 and 2009.

Fort Point (Greenwich Island)

Fort Point is a conspicuous rocky point rising to 85 m and linked by a low 700 m isthmus to the southeast coast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The feature's name is descriptive, replacing the earlier version 'Castle Rock'.

Ash Point

Ash Point is a rounded low ice-free point forming the southeast side of the entrance to Discovery Bay in the northeast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica with an adjacent ice-free area of 201 hectares. Letelier Bank is lying off Ash Point, while Bascopé Point is situated 460 m (503 yd)to the southwest, with the 1 km (0.62 mi) wide Rojas Cove indenting for 310 m (339 yd) the coast between that point and Guesalaga Peninsula. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Beron Point

Beron Point is a point on the southwest coast of Robert Island, Antarctica situated 4.5 km southeast of Negra Point, 1.7 km west of Bajo Nunatak, 1.8 km west-northwest of Zahari Point, and 3.7 km northwest of Edwards Point, as well as 5 km northeast of Ash Point on Greenwich Island. Its shape has been enhanced by a recent glacier retreat north-northwest of the point. It was named after the prominent Bulgarian scientist and educator Dr. Petar Beron (1795–1871).

Maps

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Murgash Glacier

Murgash Glacier is the 3.4 km long and 3.2 km wide glacier on Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica situated southeast of Yakoruda Glacier, south of Teteven Glacier, southwest of Traub Glacier and west-northwest of Bravo Glacier. It is bounded by Lloyd Hill on the northwest, Tile Ridge on the east and Hebrizelm Hill on the southeast, and drains southwards into Kramolin Cove in McFarlane Strait between Yovkov Point and Kaspichan Point.

Rila Point

Rila Point is a low, ice-free point on the south coast of Moon Bay, projecting 330 m west-northwestwards from Burgas Peninsula on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, and forming the east side of the entrance to Bruix Cove. The point is named after Rila Mountain, Bulgaria.

Wulfila Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Wulfila Glacier is located on the southern slopes of Breznik Heights, Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, south-southwest of Solis Glacier and west of Zheravna Glacier. It is bounded by Oborishte Ridge to the northwest, Nevlya Peak to the north, Terter Peak and Razgrad Peak to the northeast, and Ephraim Bluff to the southeast. The glacier extends 3 km in northwest-southeast direction and 2 km in northeast-southwest direction, draining southwestwards into McFarlane Strait between Ephraim Bluff and the base of Provadiya Hook.

Bogdan Ridge

Bogdan Ridge is a conspicuous rocky ridge of elevation 440 m forming the northeast extremity of Breznik Heights, Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The ridge extends 1.3 km westwards from Santa Cruz Point and surmounts Gruev Cove to the south.

Barrientos Island

Barrientos Island is an ice-free island in the Aitcho group on the west side of English Strait in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Extending 1.71 by 0.54 km, surface area 65 hectares. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers. Barrientos Island is a popular tourist site frequented by Antarctic cruise ships.

Micalvi Cove cove

Micalvi Cove is a 1.9 km wide cove indenting for 1.35 km the southwest coast of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica next northwest of Kermen Peninsula, and entered between Edwards Point and Zahari Point. Avren Rocks are situated in the interior of the cove. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Edwards Point

Edwards Point is a rocky point in the south extremity of Kermen Peninsula and Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The point is a southeast entrance point of English Strait and forms the west side of the entrance to Devesil Bight and the southeast side of the entrance to Micalvi Cove. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Spark Point

Spark Point, also Canto Point, is a rocky point forming the northwest side of the entrance to both Discovery Bay and Galápagos Cove, and the east side of the entrance to Jambelí Cove in the northeast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The point ends up in a conspicuous monolithic formation and has an adjacent ice-free area of 164 hectares. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Bajo Nunatak

Bajo Nunatak is a conspicuous rocky peak rising to 210 m at the south edge of the ice cap of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The nunatak surmounts Zahari Point to the southeast, Micalvi Cove to the east-southeast, and English Strait to the southwest.

Cecilia Island

Cecilia Island is the ice-free southernmost island of the Aitcho group on the west side of English Strait in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Extending 910 by 450 m, surface area 36 hectares. The area, visited by American and English sealers in the early 19th century, nowadays has become a popular tourist site frequented by Antarctic cruise ships.

Ongley Island

Ongley Island is a rugged rocky island lying off the north coast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Extending 1.35 km (0.84 mi) in west-northwest direction and 470 m (510 yd) wide, with a surface area of 44 hectares. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Romeo Island

Romeo Island is a rocky island lying off the north coast of Greenwich Island and west of Aitcho Islands in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Extending 1.35 km (0.84 mi) in west-northwest direction and 470 m (510 yd) wide, with a surface area of 44 hectares. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers.

Polish Bluff

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

Hardy Cove cove

Hardy Cove is the 950 m wide cove indenting for 1.37 km the east coast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and surmounted by Parchevich Ridge to the north and Ilarion Ridge to the south. The cove was known to the early 19th century sealers.

La Morenita (Antarctica)

La Morenita is a conspicuous rocky hill rising to 93 m in the southwest extremity of Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It surmounts the Argentine Antarctic base Cámara situated in its northern foothills, Menguante Cove to the northeast and Mugla Passage to the south. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from nearby Yankee Harbour.

Gabriel Hill

Gabriel Hill is the summit of Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is a rocky hill rising to 101 m in the island’s northwest extremity and surmounting Moon Bay to the west and Menguante Cove to the southeast. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from nearby Yankee Harbour.

Xenia Hill

Xenia Hill is the rocky hill rising to 96 m in the northeast extremity of Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It surmounts McFarlane Strait to the north and east, and Menguante Cove to the south-southeast. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from nearby Yankee Harbour.

Guayaquil Bay bay on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

Guayaquil Bay is the 2.59 km wide bay indenting for 1.25 km the north coast of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and entered between Agüedo Point and Orión Point. The bay is used by ships servicing the Ecuadorian Antarctic base Pedro Vicente Maldonado situated 560 m south-southwest of Orión Point. The area was visited by 19th century sealers operating from nearby Clothier Harbour.

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