Landsat Island
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Landsat Island is a small uninhabited island located 20 km off the northeast coast of Labrador (part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador). Discovered in 1976 by analyzing imagery from the Landsat 1 satellite, the island comprises a total area of only 25m×45m.
[edit] Discovery
In 1976, a Canadian coastal survey was carried out using data from the Landsat 1 satellite. Analysis of the data revealed the existence of several previously uncharted features including Landsat Island, which was subsequently named after the satellite. Verification of the island's existence fell to Dr. Frank Hall of the Canadian Hydrographic Service. The following is an account of Dr. Hall's expedition to Landsat Island as given by Scott Reid during a Canadian Parliament session:
| “ | "[Dr. Hall] was strapped into a harness and lowered from a helicopter down to the island. This was quite a frozen island and it was completely covered with ice. As he was lowered out of the helicopter a polar bear took a swat at him. The bear was on the highest point on the island and it was hard for him to see because it was white. Hall yanked at the cable and got himself hauled up. He said he very nearly became the first person to end his life on Landsat Island." | ” |
Landsat Island marks the eastern most point of the Canadian land mass on the Labrador coast. As such, its discovery increased Canada's territory by 68 km².
[edit] Flora and Fauna
As Landsat Island is completely covered with ice, no plants are known to exist there. However, as stated above, polar bears apparently frequent the island; it was in fact suggested that the island be named Polar Island due to Dr. Frank Hall's encounter with one of the animals. As of 2006 no extensive studies of flora or fauna have been conducted at Landsat Island.
