Country United Kingdom Type Seasonal | Time zone ART (UTC-3) | |
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Location in Antarctica George VI Sound, Palmer Land Administered by British Antarctic Survey Established 20 February 1961 (1961-02-20) | ||
The Fossil Bluff is a non-permanent seasonal British forward-operating station in Palmer Land, Antarctica.
The bluff is a collection of buildings and facilities, at the centre of which lies the hut. Fossil Bluff hut sits at the foot of a scree-covered ridge overlooking George VI Sound which separates mountainous Alexander Island from Palmer Land. 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, an extensive range of mountains rising to over 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). Immediately to the west lies Giza Peak.
Purpose
Fossil Bluff is a forward facility for refuelling aircraft and is operated by Rothera station during the Antarctic summer season between October and March. There is a 1,200-metre (3,900 ft) unprepared skiway marked by drums 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) south of the station.
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft ferry drums of fuel from Rothera Research Station to Fossil Bluff each summer to maintain the size of the fuel depot. The station is 90 minutes flying time from Rothera Research Station. 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.
Fossil Bluff houses four people in comfort but is normally operated by two to three.
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.