Cape Royds

Cape Royds 77˚33’10.7S, 166˚10’6.5E West Coast of Ross Island, McMurdo Sound

Key features- Historic hut and associated artefacts from British Antarctic (Nimrod) Expedition 1907-1909 led by Sir Ernest Shackleton (ASPA 157)- Views of the southernmost Adelie penguin colony (ASPA 121)- Views of Mt Erebus and the Transantarctic Mountains

Dunlop Island Cape Bird

Ross Island

Mt ErebusCape Evans

Bratina islandBrown Peninsula

Black island

White Island

McMurdo ice Shelf Ross Ice Shelf

Kilometres

0 40

McMurdo Sound

McMurdo Station (US)

Hut Point PeninsulaScott Base (NZ)

Mt Terror

Cape MacKay

Cape Crozier

Spike Cape

Gneiss Point

Marble Point

Cape Bernacchi

New Harbour

Butter Point

Garwood Valley

Marshall Valley

Miers Valley

Bowers Piedmont Glacier

Cape Royds

Description

Topography Cape Royds is a strip of phonolitic, ice free land on the western most point of Ross Island. Mt Erebus is the dominant feature on the landscape, and is responsible for the volcanic geology of the Cape.

Fauna Confirmed breeders: Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and south polar skuas (Catharacta maccormicki).

Regularly haul out: Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii).

Other: Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri), snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea), Antarctic petrels (Thalassoica Antarctica), and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) have been seen in the area. A polynya off Cape Royds supports a rich and diverse marine fauna.

Flora The southernmost recorded green snow algae in the Ross Sea region occur near the penguin colony at Cape Royds. Crustose lichens, common only in a few sites in the region have been recorded in the area.

oThEr Cape Royds is one of the principal areas of early human activity in Antarctica. The hut built by the British Antarctic Nimrod Expedition remains at Cape Royds as an important symbol of the heroic era of Antarctic Exploration. Numerous artefacts are distributed around the Cape.

Visitor Impact

Known impacTs Disturbance to the penguin colony, disturbance to historic artefacts, cumulative effects of human presence in and around the hut, tracking and ground compaction.

poTEnTial impacTs Disturbance to sensitive flora and fauna communities, damage to hut and associated artefacts, fire, importation of non-native species, litter, disturbance to research, tracking and ground compaction, noise.

Landing Requirements

ships* Ships carrying 200 or fewer passengers. One ship at a time. Maximum two ships per day (midnight to midnight).

VisiTors No more than 100 visitors ashore at any time, exclusive of expedition guides and leaders. Entry into ASPA 157 and 121 is prohibited except in accordance with a permit which must be carried on site. Permits to enter ASPA 121 will not be given for recreational visits; visitors to ASPA 157 must avoid ASPA 121. The annual max. number of visitors into ASPA 157 is 2000, the max. number of people in ASPA 157 at any one time is 40, and the max. number of people inside the hut at any one time is 8 people (inclusive of guides and expedition leaders). All visits to ASPA 157 must be accompanied by an experienced guide. Consult the ASPA Management Plans and permits for further information.

Visitor Area

landing arEa Access by foot or small boat should be made from Backdoor Bay (taking care to avoid the marine extent of ASPA 121) following the walking route depicted in map 2. Helicopters should land at the primary landing pad (166˚10’22.9E, 77˚33’03.5S, see map 2), 250m northeast of the northern point of Pony Lake. Over flight of ASPA 121 is prohibited for single engine helicopters below 750m (2,500’) and for dual engine helicopters below 1,000m (3,300’). Minimum horizontal approach to ASPA 121 is 500m (1,600’) for single and 750m (2,500’) for dual engine helicopters.

closEd arEas ASPAs are closed except to permit holders. Permit holders must be careful to adhere to the requirements and visitor numbers specified in the management plans.

guidEd walKing arEas Visitors entering the hut must be accompanied by a guide. Particular care should be taken when guiding passengers along the preferred walking routes to the areas suitable for viewing penguins, to the helicopter landing site and to Backdoor Bay to avoid skua nesting sites and vegetation and to ensure visitors stay on the preferred walking routes.

* A ship is defined as a vessel which carries more than 12 passengers.

A N T A R C T I C T R E A T Y

v i s i t o r s i t e g u i d e

A N T A R C T I C T R E A T Y

v i s i t o r s i t e g u i d e

Crustose Lichens

Visitor Code of Conduct

BEhaViour ashorE Clean boots and remove any wet clothing before entering the hut and leave packs and bags outside. Do not touch, move or sit on anything in the hut. All visitors to the hut must sign the log book. Take care not to tread on any artefacts obscured by snow. No plant or animal materials, food products or chemicals are to be taken into the area, nothing is to be taken from the area, and use of combustion style lanterns, naked flames is prohibited, as is smoking. All waste including human waste must be removed from the area. Do not approach wildlife closer than 5m (or viewing distance consistent with your national programme’s code of conduct), increase the distance if the animal is disturbed, and take particular care around nesting birds. Keep noise to a minimum. Do not leave preferred walking routes.

cauTionary noTEs Be aware of the ASPA boundaries, especially the boundary between the ASPAs and the marine extent of ASPA 121.

Cape Royds

Cape Royds 77˚33’10.7S, 166˚10’6.5E West Coast of Ross Island, McMurdo Sound

Inside Shackleton’s Hut Adelie Penguin Colony

Pony Lake

30

10

20

10

H

H

Ross IslandMt Erebus

Scott Base (NZ)

McMurdoStation

(US)

MAP 1ASPA 121

Cape Royds

ASPA 121Cape Royds

INSET 2

CapeBird

CapeCrozier

Ross Ice

Shelf

Shelter (NZ) and preferred campsite

ASPA 157Backdoor Bay

(Entry by Permit)

DerrickPoint

BackdoorBay

ArrivalBay

Flagstaff Point

IT3

Depot (Shackleton’s)

Cape Royds

(ENTRY BY PERMIT)

OVERFLIGHT RESTRICTIONS APPLY WITHIN THIS AREA

CONSULT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Map 1: ASPA No. 121 Cape Royds, Ross Island Boundaries and topography

Shacketon’s HutHistoric Site& Monument

No. 15

Primary helicopterlanding site

ASMA No. 2McMurdoDry Valleys

ROSSSEA

Cape Adare

INSET 1

INSET 2

VIC

TORI

A

LAN

D

Mario Zucchelli (IT)

Estimated coastline

Contour interval: 10m

Protected area boundary

Penguin nesting areas

Areas suitable for viewing penguins

Lakes/ponds

Buildings

Preferred walking routes

Designated helicopter pads

Survey marks

Signposts

Landing place

Ship anchorage

IT2

ROSS SEA

Ross IceShelf

30

30

20

10

10 20 20

20

20

20

10

Lakes/ponds

Penguin nesting areas (1990)

Areas suitable for viewing penguins

BuildingsSurvey marks

Signposts

Primary Pad (all aircraft, year round)

Access from Backdoor BaySecondary Pad

(use discouraged 1 Nov – 1 Mar)

Shelter (NZ) and preferred campsite

Note: Overflight restrictions apply within this area. Consult management Plan

Depot (Shackleton’s)

Flagstaff Hill

Boundary of marine area

ASPA157 –Historic Hut, Cape Royds, Historic Site and Monument 15

Arrival Bay

Cape Royds

IT3

McMurdoSound

Derrick Point

0 meters 50

H

H

H

Pony Lake

ASPA 121

Projection: Lambert conformal conic

Spheroid: WGS 1984

Source: Cape Royds Management plan

IT2

IT1

Preferred walking routes

ASPA 121 Boundary

ASPA 157 boundary

Estimated position of coastline

Designated helicopter pads

Contour interval: 2m

Map 2