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History of Horseshoe Island (Station Y)

Introduction

The base at Horseshoe Island was established by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey in 1955. This was part of the push to increase UK scientific activity ahead of International Geophysical Year, 1957-58, with a number of bases opened during this period. This included Anvers Island (Base N), also in Marguerite Bay, which was opened that same year. Horseshoe Island was primarily used for geology and survey, and provided meteorological observations that linked a chain of met stations. The combined survey task of Horseshoe Island and Detaille Island (Base W) was to establish a ground control network for the air photography being carried out by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition (FIDASE), 1955-57.

Location

Position: Lat. 67° 48′ S, Long. 67° 17′ W
General location: Sally Cove, Horseshoe Island, Bourgeois Fjord, Marguerite Bay

Purpose

Survey, geology and meteorology.

Derek Searle surveying on east side of 'Gendarme Bay', Horseshoe Island, 1956. By 1957, Searle had completely mapped Horseshoe and Lagotellerie Islands, producing a detailed contour map for geology to a scale of 1:25,000.(Archives ref: AD6/19/2/Y4/3; Photographer: Francis Ryan)
Derek Searle surveying on east side of ‘Gendarme Bay’, Horseshoe Island, 1956. (Archives ref: AD6/19/2/Y4/3; Photographer: Francis Ryan)

Occupied

  • 11 March 1955 – 21 August 1960
  • 7 March 1969 – 11 July 1969

Closed in 1960 when personnel transferred to Stonington Island (Station E). Reopened briefly in 1969 to complete local survey work.

Buildings

Unnamed.

Memorials

S E Black, D Statham and G Stride, 27 May 1958: single cross on Beacon Hill.

Current status

Closed. Used occasionally by BAS personnel on field trips from Rothera (Station R). Site cleaned up by BAS Mar 1995. Designated as Historic Site No. 63 under the Antarctic Treaty, 19 May 1995 (includes Blaiklock Island refuge). Building conservation work undertaken in Mar 1997. Inspected for BAS by a conservation architect in Jan 2007. It has been managed by UKAHT since Oct 2014 under a Memorandum of Understanding with BAS.

Associated refuge

Blaiklock Island

For full listing of all station histories, see History of British stations and refuges.

Horseshoe Island station complex, 1956. (Photographer: Francis Ryan; Archives ref: AD6/19/2/Y4/2)
Horseshoe Island station complex, 1956. (Photographer: Francis Ryan; Archives ref: AD6/19/2/Y4/2)