![]() Orthographic projection over the Windmill Islands | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Vincennes Bay |
Coordinates | 66°20′S110°28′E / 66.333°S 110.467°E |
Administration | |
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Demographics | |
Population | Uninhabited |
The Windmill Islands are an Antarctic group of rocky islands and rocks about 11.1 kilometres (6 nmi) wide, paralleling the coast of Wilkes Land for 31.5 kilometres (17 nmi) immediately north of Vanderford Glacier along the east side of Vincennes Bay. Kirkby Shoal is a small shoal area with depths of less than 18 metres (59 ft) extending about 140 metres (459 ft) westwards and SSW, about 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) from the summit of Shirley Island, Windmill Islands, and 0.24 kilometres (0.15 mi) NW of Stonehocker Point, Clark Peninsula.
The Windmill Islands were mapped from aerial photographs taken by USN Operation Highjump, 1946–47. So named by the US-ACAN because personnel of Operation Windmill, 1947–48, landed on Holl Island at the southwest end of the group to establish ground control for USN Operation Highjump photographs. The term "Operation Windmill" is a popular expression which developed after the expedition disbanded and refers to the extensive use of helicopters made by this group. The official title of this expedition was the 'Second Antarctic Development Project', U.S. Navy Task Force 39, 1947–48.
Some of the main geographic features of the archipelago are:
Holl Island is a rocky, triangular-shaped Antarctic island, 3.1 km (1.7 nmi) long, marking the south-western end of the Windmill Islands.
Boffa Island is a rocky, ridge-like Antarctic island, 1.5 km (0.8 nmi) long, lying half a kilometre east of Browning Peninsula between Bosner and Birkenhauer Islands, in the south part of the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. Named by the US-ACAN for W. C. Boffa, observer with the then Army Strategic Air Command (SAC), who assisted Operation Windmill parties in establishing astronomical control stations in the area in January 1948.
Herring Island is an Antarctic rocky island, 3.7 km (2 nmi) long, lying 1.9 km (1 nmi) east of Cloyd Island in the south part of the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. Named by the US-ACAN for Lt. Charles C. Herring, USN, photographic officer with Operation Windmill parties which obtained air and ground photos of the area in January 1948.
Bosner Island is an Antarctic rocky island, 0.6 km (0.3 nmi) long, lying 0.19 km (0.1 nmi) northwest of Boffa Island and half a kilometre east of Browning Peninsula in the south part of the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. Named by the US-ACAN for Paul Bosner, member of one of the two Operation Windmill photographic units which obtained aerial and ground photos of the area in January 1948.
Bousquet Island, 0.6 kilometres (0.3 nmi) long, lies immediately east of Herring Island in the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump in 1946 and 1947. Named by C. R. Eklund, station scientific leader, for Utilities Man 2nd Class Edward A. Bousquet, USN, a Navy Support force member of the 1957 wintering party at Wilkes Station during the International Geophysical Year (IGY).
Bøving Island is a small Antarctic island in the south part of Newcomb Bay, lying 0.2 km (0.1 nmi) east of McMullin Island in the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump in 1946 and 1947. Named by ANCA for F. Bøving, third officer on MV Thala Dan in 1965, who assisted in a hydrographic survey in the vicinity.
Cloyd Island is a rocky Antarctic island, 1.1 km (0.6 nmi) long, between Ford and Herring Islands in the south part of the Windmill Islands off the Budd Coast. It was first mapped from aerial photographs taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill, 1947–1948. Named by the US-ACAN for J. R. Cloyd, Army Transport Service observer with Operation Windmill which established astronomical control stations in the area in January 1948.
Denison Island is an Antarctic island lying 0.5 kilometres (0.25 nmi) west of Beall Island in the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. It was named by the US-ACAN for Dean R. Denison, auroral scientist and member of the Wilkes Station party of 1958.
Ford Island is a rocky Antarctic island, 2.4 km (1.3 nmi) long, between O'Connor and Cloyd Islands in the southern part of the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. It was named by the US-ACAN for Homer D. Ford, photographic officer with the eastern task group of Operation Highjump and assistant photographic officer with the Operation Windmill parties which obtained air and ground photos of this area in January 1948.
Hollin Island is an Antarctic island about 1.9 kilometres (1 nmi) long, lying north of Midgley Island, in the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump in 1946 and 1947. It was named by the US-ACAN for John T. Hollin, glaciologist at Wilkes Station in 1958.
Kilby Island is a rocky Antarctic island, 0.37 kilometres (0.2 nmi) long, lying northeast of McMullin Island in the entrance of Newcomb Bay, in the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. It was named by the US-ACAN for Arthur L. Kilby, who served as photographer with both operations.
Shirley Island is a rocky island lying 200 m (220 yd) north-west of the western end of the Bailey Peninsula, in the Windmill Islands of the Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, Antarctica. It is mostly ice-free with undulating, rocky terrain. It was first mapped from aerial photos taken by the USN's Operation Highjump in February 1947. It was named by the US-ACAN for Q. Shirley, chief photographer's mate on Operation Highjump photographic flights in coastal areas between 14° and 164° E longitude. Kirkby Shoal is a small shoal area with depths of less than 18 meters (59 ft) extending about 140 meters (459 ft) westwards and south-south-west, about 3.4 km (2.1 mi) from the summit of Shirley Island. Launch Channel is the narrow body of water between Bailey Peninsula and the island; with the relatively shallow soundings in the channel restricting its use to smaller craft and suggesting the name.
Pidgeon Island is a rocky Antarctic island, 2 kilometres (1 nmi) long, between Midgley Island and Mitchell Peninsula in the Windmill Islands. It was first mapped from air photos taken by USN Operation Highjump and Operation Windmill in 1947 and 1948. It was named by the US-ACAN for E. C. Pidgeon, Photographer's Mate on Operation Highjump flights in this area and other coastal areas between 14 and 164 East longitude. Thought to be a separate unit, the eastern part of this feature was previously named O'Brien Islet. The name O'Brien is now applied to the bay north of Mitchell Peninsula.
Kirkby Shoal is a small shoal area with depths of less than 10 fathoms (18 m) extending about 150 yards (140 m) westwards and south-southwestwards, about 3.4 km (2.1 mi) from the summit of Shirley Island, Windmill Islands, and 0.15 mi (0.24 km) northwest of Stonehocker Point, Clark Peninsula.
The Swain Islands are a group of small islands and rocks about 3.7 kilometres (2 nmi) in extent, lying 0.9 kilometres (0.5 nmi) north of Clark Peninsula at the northeast end of the Windmill Islands. Delineated from aerial photographs taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump in February 1947. Named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for K. C. Swain who served as air crewman with the central task group of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, 1946–47, and also with USN. Operation Windmill which obtained aerial and ground photographic coverage of the Windmill Islands in January 1948.
Fuller Island is an island in the Highjump Archipelago, 7 kilometres (4 nmi) long and 3 kilometres (1.5 nmi) wide, lying 4 kilometres (2 nmi) south of Thomas Island on the south side of Cacapon Inlet. It was mapped from air photos taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, 1946–47, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for H.F. Fuller, an air crewman on the Operation Highjump seaplane commanded by D.E. Bunger which landed in this area in February 1947.
Molholm Island is an island at the entrance to McGrady Cove in the eastern part of Newcomb Bay, in the Windmill Islands of Antarctica. The island was mapped from air photographs taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump in 1946–47, and was named by Carl R. Eklund for John Molholm, a glaciologist at Wilkes Station in 1957.
Molholm Shoal is a shoal area 0.1 nautical miles (0.2 km) west of Molholm Island in the Windmill Islands of Antarctica. Depths of less than 6 fathoms (11 m) extend for 0.2 nautical miles (0.4 km) in a north–south direction, with depths of 11 feet (3.4 m) near the south end. It was discovered and charted in February 1957 by a party from the USS Glacier, and was named by the Antarctic Names Committee of Australia after nearby Molholm Island.
McMullin Island is a rocky island, 0.6 kilometres (0.3 nmi) long, lying between Shirley Island and Kilby Island in the south part of the entrance to Newcomb Bay, in the Windmill Islands, Antarctica.
Larsen Bank is a shoal with a least depth of 16 metres (52 ft) in the northern part of Newcomb Bay, Antarctica, located 1 kilometre (0.5 nmi) north of Kilby Island in the Windmill Islands.
This article incorporates public domain material from "Windmill Islands". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.