Devil Island (DEVI)
63˚48’S, 57˚17’W Magnetic declination: 11.6˚E Inventory subarea: NE Inventory acronym: DEVI Site Sensitivity: LOW Location — History — Features A narrow, 1-mile-long island with a low summit on each end, lying in the middle of a small bay one mile SE of Cape Well-Met, Vega Island, S of the NE end of the Antarctic Peninsula. The island was discovered and named by Nordenskjøld’s 1901-4 Swedish Antarctic Expedition. Access to this site depends on the extent of ice in Erebus & Terror Gulf. Landing Characteristics Cobble beach on N side of the island. Narrow cut passes to S side, yielding excellent views of Vega Island. There are many low-lying rocks just offshore, and substantial tidal action. The rocks necessitate careful approaches and the site may be inaccessible because of ice conditions. Adélie penguins nest on the N side. Antarctic Site Inventory Effort Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003: 1. January 20, 1996 RN BH Endurance 2. February 23, 1997 RN ST Explorer 3. January 11, 2000 SF Cal Star 4. January 17, 2000 RD Explorer 5. January 10, 2001 SF Cal Star 6. January 11, 2001 SF Cal Star 7. January 12, 2002 RP WT Endeavour 8. January 24, 2002 RD LS Endeavour 9. January 20, 2003 RD Endeavour 10. February 17, 2003 MB Endeavour Assessment and monitoring. Preliminary surveying, mapping, censusing, and photodocumentation (aerial and tyerrestrial). Regular Adélie penguin census groups not yet identified. Fauna — Flora — Censuses Penguins & flying birds. Adélie penguins and Antarctic brown skuas are confirmed breeders. One nesting skua pair appeared to be of hybrid lineage. Kelp gulls and Wilson’s storm-petrels also flying about, but nesting was not confirmed. No site-specific population counts are reported in Woehler (1993). Antarctic Site Inventory censuses: Adélie penguin 10,320 C2 1996 Jan 8,501 C1 2000 Jan Seals. None observed. Flora. Primarily Xanthoria , spp., with some Caloplaca , spp. mixed-in, on seaward-facing slopes. Prasiola and occasional moss, spp. patches also noted. Skuas utilized the moss patches for breeding. Conservation Aspects Site sensitivities. Adélie penguins may be approached readily, and landing beach may be crowded with penguins if ice packs the shoreline. Pointers for avoiding disruptions:
Visitation Aspects Numbers of tourist zodiac landings and participating visitors, 1989-2003:
Proximate visitor sites . On the Trinity Peninsula: Jade Point, Crystal Hill, Bald Head, Camp Hill, and View Point; Cape Burd on the Tabarin Peninsula; and False Island Point on Vega Island. |
