Hannah Point, Livingston Island (HANN)

62˚39’S, 60˚37’W

Magnetic declination: 13.0˚E

Inventory subarea: SH

Inventory acronym: HANN

Species Diversity: HIGH

Site Sensitivity: HIGH             Note : Restricted visitor space.

 

Location — History — Features

This point forms the E side of the entrance to Walker Bay on the S coast of Livingston Island. It is named after the sealing vessel Hannah of Liverpool, which visited the South Shetland Islands and wrecked on this site in 1820. The regular landing site is a small, steep-faced, pocket beach about 50 meters wide. The beach rises to the ridge of a narrow isthmus between very steep, pointed peaks. W of this beach, the land surface slopes upward along a more-or-less planar surface to a knife-edged ridge on the N edge of this peninsula, from which nearly vertical sea cliffs plunge to the sea, 30-50 meters below. A narrow beach stretches along the base of these cliffs. The shingle beach at the landing site and the N beach below the southern giant petrel ridge are composed of dark, rounded, fine-grained basaltic cobbles and pebbles. The ground to the W is basaltic, and covered extensively with Prasiola crispa , which yields a green background to the extensive gentoo penguin colony found between the landing beach and inner Walker Bay. There are several round-bottomed gullies, deep in sandy and muddy material, along these upward slopes. The slopes appear to be eroding. Above the landing beach is an obvious jaspar spur. The upper slopes are littered with limpet shells, presumably dropped by the resident, nesting kelp gulls.

Easily observed, nesting macaroni penguins, which are rare in the Antarctic Peninsula, but relatively common at Elephant Island and extraordinarily abundant at South Georgia.

Landing Characteristics

Uncharted water near shore. Hazardous rocks along the shoreline toward inner Walker Bay may be exposed, depending on the tide. Narrow and exposed landing beach crowded with wildlife, prone to swells in moderate to high W-NW wind. Very restricted visitor space on the beach and at higher elevations because of topography and high biological density. Much erosion and loose scree on higher slopes, ridges. Cliff edges eroding and crumbling.

Antarctic Site Inventory Effort

Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003:

1.    December 9, 1994    RN BH        Alla Tarasova

2.    January 23, 1995        RN RD        Explorer

3.    November 18, 1995    RN LB        Explorer

4.    November 30, 1995    BH        W. Discoverer

5.    December 12, 1995    BH        W. Discoverer

6.    January 27, 1996        RD RP        Livonia

7.    December 3, 1996    RN SF        W. Discoverer

8.    January 30, 1997        LB        Hanseatic

9.    December 3, 1997    RN SF        Explorer

10.    December 7, 1998    RN SF        Explorer

11.    December 18, 1999    RN        Cal Star

12.    January 14, 2000        SF        Cal Star

13.    January 18, 2000        RD        Explorer

14.    January 25, 2000        RN        Shuleykin

15.    December 15, 2000    RN        Cal Star

16.    December 30, 2000    SF LF        Cal Star

Assessment and monitoring. Surveyed, mapped, and photodocumented (aerial and terrestrial). Regular, site-wide censusing of gentoo, chinstrap (in 12 groups), and macaroni penguins, southern giant petrels, and blue-eyed shags. More thorough ground-survey of floral communities needed.

Fauna — Flora — Censuses

Penguins & flying birds . Confirmed nesting species include chinstrap, gentoo, and macaroni penguins, blue-eyed shag, snowy sheathbill, kelp gull, pintado petrel, skuas, spp., and southern giant petrel. Antarctic terns nest elsewhere in Walker Bay. Wilson’s storm-petrels have been observed on the higher slopes and presumably breed.

Historic censuses reported in Woehler (1993) include: gentoo penguin, 1,016 N1, 1987; chinstrap penguin, 1,500 N3, 1987; and macaroni penguin, 8 N1, 1987.

Antarctic Site Inventory censuses:

Chinstrap penguin (total, 12 groups, site-wide)

1,158    N1    1996 Dec

1,137    N1    1997 Dec

1,061    N1    1999 Dec

1,341    C1    2000 Jan

1,045    N1    2000 Dec

Gentoo penguin (site-wide)

1.123    N1    1996 Dec

1,350    N1    1997 Dec

Macaroni penguin (site-wide, found nesting in chinstrap penguin groups)

8    N1    1995 Nov

6    N1    1995 Dec

6    N1    1996 Dec

6    N1    1997 Dec

5    N1    1999 Dec

3    C1    1995 Jan

4    C1    1996 Jan

3    C1    2000 Jan

4    N1    2000 Dec

Southern giant petrel (site-wide)

117    N1    1997 Dec

110    N1    1999 Jan

126    N1    1999 Dec

111    N1    2000 Jan

123    N1    2000 Dec

Blue-eyed shag (small colony at W end)

10    N1    1994 Dec

  7    N1    1995 Nov

  5    N1    1995 Dec

  5    N1    1996 Dec

  7    N1    1997 Dec

  5    N1    1998 Dec

  7    N1    1999 Dec

  5    N1    2000 Jan

  2    C1    1999 Dec

  8    C1    2000 Jan

  9    C1    2000 Jan

  3    N1    2000 Dec

Seals . The site presents a few, regularly occupied southern elephant seal wallows, and its beaches occasionally have hauled-out Weddell and Antarctic fur seals.

Flora . Prasiola is extensive. Xanthoria , spp. and other crustose lichens adorn many rocks and outcrops, and there are patches of Colobanthus and Deschampsia .

Conservation Aspects

Site sensitivities. Very restricted visitor space on the landing beach, where numbers of penguins are moving back and forth, and on higher ground above and immediately E and W of the beach, where penguins nest in densely packed colonies. Nesting chinstrap, gentoo, and macaroni penguins are easily approached and disturbed, especially in November and early December when adults will be incubating eggs; subsequently, adults will be guarding and provisioning chicks at the nest, then in crèche.

Southern giant petrels within 100 meters of the landing beach and on slopes and ridges above and E of the landing beach are easily approached and disturbed; in November and December they will be incubating eggs. Kelp gulls on widely scattered nests are easily approached and disturbed; in November and early December adults will be incubating eggs and, subsequently, guarding and provisioning chicks.

Blue-eyed shags on the far W point are easily approached and disturbed; in November and early December adults will be incubating eggs and, subsequently, guarding and provisioning chicks. Skuas nesting on widely scattered territories at higher elevations are easily approached and disturbed, particularly, later in the season (from mid-January) when adults are fiercely protecting young. Snowy sheathbills nesting in rock caves and crevices are easily approached and disturbed. Wallowing southern elephant seals E of the narrow landing beach (occasionally, among the penguins) are easily approached and disturbed. Antarctic fur seals may be found on the beach and among the penguins.

Pointers for avoiding disruptions.

• Strictly control landings on the narrow, exposed beach by organizing small groups of no more than 20 visitors, which are well spaced, with one guide per group, all following the same path, and not allowing any free wandering.
• Alternatively, make zodiac landings further E, beyond the main elephant seal wallow, toward inner Walker Bay.
• Do not impede penguins’ access to and from the water.
• Walk slowly and carefully around nesting, crèching, or molting penguins.
• Avoid and stay clear of nesting southern giant petrels.
• Stay clear of — and do not hike upon or wander over — ridges, scree slopes, and cliff edges.
• Walk slowly and carefully around nesting sheathbills.
• Avoid and stay clear of wallowing southern elephant seals.
• Avoid and stay clear of Antarctic fur seals, which should be given a wide berth and should not be approached.

Visitation Aspects

Numbers of tourist zodiac landings and participating visitors, 1989-2003:

 

 

Proximate visitor sites. Half Moon Island is located to the N, between Livingston Island and Greenwich Island.