Melchior Islands

The Melchior Islands (English Melchior Islands, Spanish archipiélago Melchior ) is a location in the Southern Ocean between Anvers and Brabant Iceland off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula Island Group. To her are numerous small, ice-covered, uninhabited islands.

Geography

The Melchior Islands belong to the Antarctic island region of the Palmer Archipelago.

Almost all the islands derive their name from the letters of the Greek alphabet (omega island, Alpha Island, Delta Island, Epsiloninsel etc), except for the small Bremen island, which accidentally discovered in 2003 during a cruise from the passengers of Bremen, and officially after this German cruise ship was named.

History

The islands or even Melchior Iceland (the largest island of the group, today's Omega island) were probably discovered by the German whalers Eduard Dallmann in winter 1873/74. After Argentine Antarctic expeditions in 1942 and 1943, named the individual islands and baptized at the same time the whole group archipiélago Melchior. On the Lambda Island Lighthouse Primero de Mayo was built, which stands today as Historic Site and Monument HSM -29 under the protection of the Antarctic Treaty.

Tourism

The Melchior Islands today are often target of Antarctica cruises. In addition to the exploration of rugged islands and icebergs with the boat, the area especially for frequent sightings of humpback whales is known.