Sturge Island (67°25′S 164°44′E / 67.417°S 164.733°E / -67.417; 164.733Coordinates: 67°25′S 164°44′E / 67.417°S 164.733°E / -67.417; 164.733) is one of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean. It lies 25 kilometres (16 mi) southeast of Buckle Island and 95 kilometres (59 mi) northeast of Belousov Point on the Antarctic mainland. The islands were discovered by John Balleny in 1839.
The island is roughly a parallelogram in shape, with long east and west coasts and shorter coasts facing northwest and southeast. It is approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) in width, and its maximum length is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), between Cape Freeman in the north and Cape Smyth in the south.
The island's highest point reaches 1,705 m (5,594 ft) or 1,524 m (5,000 ft) (the unclimbed Brown Peak). This is the highest point in the Balleny chain.
The island forms part of the Ross Dependency, claimed by New Zealand (see claims on Antarctica).
Famous quotes containing the word island:
“We approached the Indian Island through the narrow strait called “Cook.” He said, “I ‘xpect we take in some water there, river so high,—never see it so high at this season. Very rough water there, but short; swamp steamboat once. Don’t paddle till I tell you, then you paddle right along.” It was a very short rapid. When we were in the midst of it he shouted “paddle,” and we shot through without taking in a drop.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)