Yankee Harbour


Yankee Harbour is a small inner harbour entered from Shopski Cove between Glacier Bluff and Spit Point, indenting the south-west side of Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is long in west-south-west to east-north-east direction, and wide, and is bounded by Provadiya Hook to the south-west, Parvomay Neck to the north and east, and Kladara Beach to the south.

History

Yankee Harbour was known to both American sealers and the British as early as 1820, and this name is now established in international usage. Port Foster, the crater harbour of Deception Island, has at times also been referred to as Yankee Harbour.

Historic site

A plaque commemorating the achievements of Captain Andrew MacFarlane, who in 1820 explored the Antarctic Peninsula area in the brigantine Dragon, has been designated a Historic Site or Monument, following a proposal by Chile and the United Kingdom to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.

Flora and fauna

As well as mosses, lichens and algae, the flowering plants Antarctic hairgrass and Antarctic pearlwort occur. The site has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of about 5000 pairs of gentoo penguins. Skuas, Wilson's storm petrels and snowy sheathbills are also thought to nest there. Southern elephant seals, Weddell seals and Antarctic fur seals regularly haul out on the beaches.

Maps