Mitchell Cove, Robert Island (MITC)

62˚24’S, 59˚40’W

Magnetic declination: 13.5˚E

Inventory subarea: SH

Inventory acronym: MITC

Site Sensitivity: LOW

Location — History — Features

Cove on NW end of Robert Island.

Landing Characteristics

Cobble landing beach, with fragile substrate and glacial silt moraine.

Antarctic Site Inventory Effort

Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003:

1. December 26, 2001 JC LGC Endeavour

2. January 6, 2002 RP Endeavour

3. December 29, 2002 RP Endeavour

4. January 8, 2003 SF Endeavour

Assessment and monitoring . Only preliminary surveying and censusing have been accomplished.

Fauna — Flora — Censuses

Penguins & flying birds . South polar and Antarctic brown skua, Wilson’s storm-petrel, and Antarctic terns are confirmed breeders. Kelp gulls observed, but nests not observed. Chinstrap, gentoo, and Adélie penguins observed wandering on the beach, but not observed nesting.

Seals . None observed.

Flora . Dense beds of moss, spp. both on lower slopes and higher elevations. Dense patches of Usnea , spp. at higher elevations.

Conservation Aspects

Site sensitivities. Substrate is fragile, requiring walking and hiking in melt streams. Dense moss beds and lichens patches. Antarctic terns

Pointers for avoiding disruptions.

Watch footsteps carefully, especially when snow cover is absent, to avoid trampling moss and lichens.
Stay clear of — and do not hike near — areas where terns are nesting.

Visitation Aspects

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

	Zodiac Landings	Participating Visitors
14-Season Total, 1989-2003	0	0

Note : Inventory researchers visited this site twice from a tour ship during the 2001-02 season; however, these landings are, inexplicably, not listed in the NSF compilations.

Proximate visitor sites . Yankee Harbor and Fort Point on Greenwich Island; Robert Point and Mitchell Cove on Robert Island; and the Aitcho Islands.