Croft Bay
{{Short description|Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Croft Bay
| image = File:James Ross Island group, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Image fusion of Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel 1A SAR images.png
| image_size =
| caption = James Ross Island. Croft Bay in the north center, extending deep into the island
| location =
| group =
| coordinates = {{Coord|64|0|S|57|45|W|source:GNIS|name=Croft Bay|display=inline,title}}
| type = Bay
| part_of =
| basin_countries =
| length =
| width =
| pushpin_map = Antarctica
| pushpin_label_position =
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}}
Croft Bay ({{Coord|64|0|S|57|45|W|source:GNIS|name=Croft Bay}}) is a bay which indents the north-central side of James Ross Island and forms the southern part of Herbert Sound, south of the northeastern end of the Antarctic Peninsula.{{sfn|Alberts|1995|p=162}}
{{TOC limit|2}}
Location
Croft Bay deeply indents the north shore of James Ross Island, which lies to the southwest of Trinity Peninsula, at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula in Graham Land.
The bay opens into Herbert Sound, to the north, which separates in from Vega Island.
The Ulu Peninsula defines its west margin.{{sfn|Graham Land and South Shetland BAS}}
Exploration and name
Croft Bay was discovered in 1903 by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Otto Nordenskiöld.
It was charted in 1945 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), who named it for William Noble Croft, a FIDS geologist at Hope Bay in 1946.{{sfn|Alberts|1995|p=162}}
Features
{{geogroup}}
=Blancmange Hill=
{{coord|64|00|S|57|40|W}}.
An outstanding ice-free coastal landmark located {{convert|3|nmi}} northeast of Stark Point on the east side of Croft Bay.
Named bythe UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) following FIDS surveys taken 1958–1961.
The name is descriptive since the feature resembles a blancmange.{{sfn|Alberts|1995|p=73}}
=Stark Point=
{{coord|64|02|S|57|44|W}}.
A rocky point on the east side of Croft Bay.
It is formed by almost vertical cliffs which rise from the sea to {{convert|285|m}}.
Surveyed by FIDS in August 1953.
The descriptive name was applied by UK-APC.{{sfn|Alberts|1995|p=708}}
=Dreadnought Point=
{{coord|64|00|S|57|48|W}}.
A prominent rocky point on the west side of Croft Bay.
Surveyed by FIDS in August 1953.
The UK-APC name is descriptive; the appearance of the feature is reminiscent of the bows of the early ironclads (battleships).{{sfn|Alberts|1995|p=199}}
=Saint Martha Cove=
=Andreassen Point=
{{coord|63|54|S|57|46|W}}.
A low ice-free point in northern James Ross Island, fronting on Herbert Sound, {{convert|8|nmi}} south of Cape Lachman.
Probably first seen by Otto Nordenskiöld in 1903.
Surveyed by FIDS in 1945.
Named by UK-APC for F.L. Andreassen, first mate on the Antarctic, the ship of the SwedAE, 1901–1904.{{sfn|Alberts|1995|p=20}}
References
{{Reflist|25em}}
Sources
{{refbegin}}
- {{citation|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/fedgov/70039167/report.pdf |accessdate=2023-12-03 |edition=2
|editor-last=Alberts |title=Geographic Names of the Antarctic |editor-first=Fred G.
|publisher=United States Board on Geographic Names |year=1995}} {{Include-USGov |agency=United States Board on Geographic Names}}
- {{citation |url=https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/7696/ |accessdate=2024-05-03
|title=Graham Land and South Shetland Islands |publisher=BAS: British Antarctic Survey |year=2005 |ref={{harvid|Graham Land and South Shetland BAS}} }}
{{refend}}
{{Include-USGov |agency=United States Geological Survey}}