What to see and do at the Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica

The Palmer Archipelago is a group of islands off the northwestern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula

The Palmer Archipelago is also known as the Antarctic Archipelago. It stretches from Tower Island in the north to Anvers Island in the south. It is separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Gerlache and Bismarck straits.

On 1/29/2024, we cruised through the  passage between Anvers Island and Brabant Island and into the Gerlache Strait to Paradise Bay on the mainland of Antarctica.

Palmer Archipelago was named by Adrien de Gerlache who was the leader of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition in 1898. He named it the Palmer Archipelago for American Captain Nathaniel Palmer, who navigated the waters in 1820.

Anvers Island is the largest in the Palmer Archipelago of Antarctica.  It a high, mountainous island 38 miles long. Palmer Station is a US research station on Anvers Island.

Brabant Island is the second largest island of the Palmer Archipelago lying just north of Anvers Island.  It is 31 miles long and Mount Parry is the tallest mountain on the island as it rises up to a height of 8,268 ft.