Bulgarian Beach

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Bulgarian Beach (Balgarsko Kraybrezhie \'b&l-gar-sko krI-'bre-zhi-e\) is a coast in eastern Livingston Island, extending 2.3 km from Hespérides Point to the southwest to Perunika Glacier to the northeast.

 Sinemorets Hill and St. Kliment Ohridski
Sinemorets Hill and St. Kliment Ohridski

The beach omprises four predominantly boulder beaches, separated by a shore rock known locally as Greenpeace Rock, which rises to 6m and is located 800 m northeast of Hespérides Point, by Spanish Point and by a minor nameless point lying 400 m to east by northeast of the latter. The last beach is a narrow strip under the cliff of a part of Perunika Glacier terminating on the coast. Bulgarian Beach is surmounted by a chain of five hills comprising Hesperides Hill, a nameless hill rising to 36m, Sinemorets Hill, Spanish Knoll and Belozem Hill. In summer the area is predominantly snow-free and crossed by four meltwater streams draining the north-western slope of the Balkan Snowfield, with stream mouths located at the western extremities of each beach. The first beach, locally known as Base Beach, is partly occupied by Grand Lagoon formed by Rezovski Creek. Access by dinghies to Base Beach, used for transfer of people and cargo to the Bulgarian base St. Kliment Ohridski, is sometimes rendered difficult by shallow waters.

The area would have been known and possibly visited in the early nineteenth century by English and American sealers frequenting South Bay and particularly the nearby Johnsons Dock. It was mapped in detail by the Spanish Servicio Geográfico del Ejército in 1991 following earlier British, Argentine and Chilean mappings. Bulgarian mapping of the St. Kliment Ohridski Base vicinity at a larger scale from a topographic survey made from January 31 to February 4, 1996.

[edit] Location

 Bulgarian Beach and Balkan Snowfield seen from Mt. Friesland
Bulgarian Beach and Balkan Snowfield seen from Mt. Friesland

The midpoint of the beach is at 62°38′12″S, 60°21′36″W. (from a 1995-96 Bulgarian topographic survey)

[edit] External links

This article includes information from the Antarctic Place-names Commission of Bulgaria which is used with permission.