Fossil Bluff is a seasonal British aircraft refuelling station located on the east coast of

Alexander Island Alexander Island, which is also known as Alexander I Island, Alexander I Land, Alexander Land, Alexander I Archipelago, and Zemlja Alexandra I, is the largest island of Antarctica. It lies in the Bellingshausen Sea west of Palmer Land, Antar ...

in Antarctica. In operation since 1961, its facilities provide fuel, storage, and ancillary support for British exploration and operations during the summer season, October through March. The site is adjacent to a natural, north–south travelling route along the George VI Ice Shelf. Fossil Bluff is a collection of buildings and facilities, at the centre of which lies Fossil Bluff Station.

Geography

Fossil Bluff hut sits at the foot of a

scree Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ha ...

-covered ridge overlooking

George VI Sound George VI Sound or Canal Jorge VI or Canal Presidente Sarmiento or Canal Seaver or King George VI Sound or King George the Sixth Sound is a major bay/ fault depression, 300 miles (483 km) long and mainly covered by a permanent ice shelf. It ...

which separates mountainous

from

Palmer Land Palmer Land () is the portion of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica that lies south of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This application of Palmer Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between the Advisory Committee on Antarctic ...

. George VI Ice Shelf occupies the sound and provides a north–south route for travelling parties except in high summer when the ice shelf's surface is flooded with meltwater. To the west and north-west lie

Planet Heights Planet Heights () is a series of summits running along an ice-free ridge, extending 24 nautical miles (44 km) in a north-south direction between the southernmost extremity of the LeMay Range and George VI Sound in the east part of Alexander I ...

, an extensive range of mountains rising to over . Immediately to the west lies

Giza Peak Giza Peak () is a peak rising to about on the east side of the Fossil Bluff massif, eastern Alexander Island, Antarctica. For many years this peak was known to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) workers as "Sphinx," a name already in use. To av ...

and the snow-free Promenade Screes. The Screes are criss-crossed with pathways, and are frequently the destination of short walks from the nearby field station.

History

The base has been in use intermittently since 20 February 1961. Occupied during the winters of 1961, 1962, and 1969–75, it has been used every summer since 1975. The first people to overwinter in 1961 were Cliff Pearce and John Smith (meteorologists) and Brian Taylor (geologist) who carried out a thorough and systematic investigation of the local geology. Fossil Bluff capacity is four people, but when occupied is inhabited by two or three. Kg hut new view

Fossil Bluff Skiway

Fossil Bluff is a forward-operating facility for refuelling aircraft and is operated by

Rothera station The Rothera Research Station is a British Antarctic Survey (BAS) base on the Antarctic Peninsula, located at Rothera Point, Adelaide Island. Rothera also serves as the capital of the British Antarctic Territory, a British Overseas Territory. ...

during the Antarctic summer season between October and March. There is a unprepared skiway marked by drums south of the station.

De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then rest ...

aircraft ferry drums of fuel from

Rothera Research Station The Rothera Research Station is a British Antarctic Survey (BAS) base on the Antarctic Peninsula, located at Rothera Point, Adelaide Island. Rothera also serves as the capital of the British Antarctic Territory, a British Overseas Territor ...

to Fossil Bluff each summer to maintain the size of the fuel depot. The station is 90 minutes flying time from

. It is used extensively as a jumping-off point for further operations into Antarctica. The next 'traditional' stop for the Twin Otters is Sky Blu, 85 minutes away.

References

External links

British Antarctic Survey - Fossil Bluff Web PageBAS Online Palaeontology Collection
{{Antarctica Outposts of Antarctica Alexander Island British Antarctic Survey 1961 establishments in Antarctica

Geography

History

Fossil Bluff Skiway

See also

References

External links