Arms of the British Antarctic Territory

Telmo Island

(Shirreff Cove)

British Antarctic Territory

Location: 62° 28' 25" S 60° 49' 31" W
forming W side of Shirreff Cove, N Livingston Island, was described in 1821 by Fildes, who also recorded that some spars and an anchor stock of the Spanish ship San Telmo (Capt. Joaquin Toledo) were found by sealers on Half Moon Beach (q.v.) at about that time. San Telmo left Cadiz in company with Alexandro, Primeroso-Mariana and Prueba on a voyage to Lima, 10 May 1819, but became dismasted and without steerage in a storm in Drake passage. She was taken in tow by Primeroso-Mariana in c. 61°S 60°W but, the tow failing, she was finally left to her fate in c. 62°S, 4 September 1819. Following air photography by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition, 1956-57, the island was named after the Spanish ship.