Dellbridge Islands

The Dellbridge Islands are a small group of rocky islands off the west end of Ross Island in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. They lie within the Ross Sea region and form part of the volcanic terrain associated with Ross Island.

The group includes features such as Tent Island, Inaccessible Island and the Razorback Islands, composed of exposed volcanic rock and tussled by sea and ice. The islands are not a recreational destination; they are visited mainly by scientific teams and by some Antarctic cruise operators under strict environmental rules.

The islands were charted and named during early 20th-century British Antarctic exploration and have been re-surveyed by later scientific expeditions. Their geology is tied to the volcanic history of Ross Island and nearby Mount Erebus.

Geographically the Dellbridge Islands lie immediately off the western flank of Ross Island in McMurdo Sound, close to the McMurdo Station and Scott Base area of Antarctica.

• Discovery and geology: Charted during the early 20th-century British National Antarctic Expedition and part of the volcanic landscape associated with Ross Island and Mount Erebus.
• Access and restrictions: Landings and visits are subject to strict Antarctic Treaty environmental controls; the islands are primarily of interest to scientists and occasional guided expedition cruises.

What to See #

• Tent Island: A small rocky island within the Dellbridge group, often visited as part of scientific surveys and noted for exposed volcanic rock.
• Inaccessible Island: A steep, rocky island in the group that is largely inaccessible by landing during heavy seas.
• Razorback Islands: A pair of narrow, ridge-like islands formed of volcanic rock that sit with the other Dellbridge features off Ross Island.