Location Antarctica Area 78 ha (190 acres) Width 0.85 km (0.528 mi) Island group South Shetland Islands | Archipelago South Shetland Islands Length 1.4 km (0.87 mi) Population Uninhabited | |
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Heywood Island is the largest of the islands off the north coast of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is named after Captain Peter Heywood, RN (1773–1831), commanding HMS Nereus off the east coast of South America in 1810-13, formerly a midshipman in HMS Bounty under Captain William Bligh. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers operating from nearby Clothier Harbour.
Contents
Map of Heywood Island, Antarctica
Description
The island lies 2.88 km (1.79 mi) west by north of Catharina Point, Robert Island, 2.24 km (1.39 mi) north-west of Hammer Point, Robert Island, 470 m (510 yd) north-north-east of Rogozen Island, 4.12 km (2.56 mi) north-north-east of Fort William, Robert Island and 5.35 km (3.32 mi) east-north-east of Table Island (British mapping in 1822, 1935, 1962 and 1968, American in 1942, Argentine in 1946 and 1957, Chilean in 1957 and 1971, and Bulgarian in 2009). It is 1.4 by 0.85 km (0.87 by 0.53 mi) long with a surface area of 78 hectares (190 acres). It is ice-free, low and horseshoe-shaped, its west coast indented for 1 km by Vrabcha Cove.
Important Bird Area
The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports one of the largest chinstrap penguin colonies on the Antarctic Peninsula with around 90,000 pairs.