Melchior Islands (MELC)
64˚19’S, 62˚57’W Magnetic declination: 15.5˚E Inventory subarea: NW Inventory acronym: MELC Site Sensitivity: LOW Location — History — Features A group of many low, ice-covered islands lying near the center of Dallman Bay in the Palmer Archipelago. They were first seen but not named by Dallman’s German expedition in 1873-4. The islands were resighted and roughly charted by Charcot during the French Antarctic expedition, 1903-5, and he originally gave this name, that of a French Navy admiral, to the large, easternmost island. Later surveys proved that these were really two islands, now called Eta and Omega Islands, and Melchior has become established as the name for the entire group. Landing Characteristics A paucity of wildlife. There is an Argentine research facility. Deeper offshore waters of Dallman Bay attract humpback whales, and there may be spectacular, grounded icebergs. Antarctic Site Inventory Effort Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003: 1. January 26, 1996 RD RP Livonia Assessment and monitoring. Preliminary surveying and censusing. Fauna — Flora — Censuses Penguins & flying birds . None noted. Kelp gulls observed, but nests not discovered. No site-specific penguin populations are listed in Woehler (1993, 1996). Seals . Antarctic fur seals may haul-out on exposed rocks. Flora . None noted. Conservation Aspects Site sensitivities . None noted. Visitation Aspects Numbers of tourist zodiac landings and participating visitors, 1989-2003:
Proximate visitor sites. There are no immediately proximate, alternative visitor sites. Cuverville, Orne, and Danco Islands lie well S. |
