Arms of the British Antarctic Territory

Powell Island

(South Orkney Island)

British Antarctic Territory

Location: 60° 40' 59" S 45° W
one of the South Orkney Islands, separated from Coronation Island to the W by Lewthwaite Strait, and from Laurie Island to the E by Washington Strait, was roughly charted by Powell and Palmer in December 1821 and shown correctly as a single island; further charted, 1822-24, as two islands by Weddell who applied the names Cruchleys Island and Dibdins Island to the S and N parts respectively. The island was further charted by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1837-40, in 1838. Named after the co-discoverer Capt. George Powell (1795-1824), Master of the sealing ship Eliza (Eliza Rocks, q.v.), in which he visited the South Shetland Islands, 1820-21, and of the sloop Dove, in which he also visited the South Shetland Islands and, in company with the sloop James Monroe (Capt. N. B. Palmer), discovered and charted the South Orkney Islands, 1821-22. The island was further charted by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. The island was recharted by Discovery Investigations in 1933. In 1967 the S end of the island, S of 60°43'S, was designated as part of SPA No. 15 under the Antarctic Treaty.