Granite Harbour (76°53′S 162°44′E) is a bay in the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica, about 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) long, entered between Cape Archer and Cape Roberts. It was discovered and named by the British National Antarctic Expedition (BrNAE) of 1901–04 in the Discovery in January 1902, while searching for safe winter quarters for the ship. The name derives from the great granite boulders found on its shores.
Features
Granite Harbor extends from Cape Archer at the south tip of Evans Piedmont Glacier to Cape Roberts on the north of Wilson Piedmont Glacier.
Its main inflow is Mackay Glacier, which terminates in Mackay Glacier Tongue, extending into the bay.
Features to the north of this glacier include Tiger Island, Benson Glacier, Lion Island, Hunt Glacier, Dreikanter Head, Marston Glacier, Kar Plateau and Point Retreat.
Features to the south include Cuff Cape, The Flatiron, Devils Punchbowl, Finger Point, New Glacier, Discovery Bluff, Avalanche Bay, Couloir Cliffs, First View Point and Cape Roberts.
Prominent nearby peaks include Red Buttress Peak, Doublefinger Peak, Mount Marston, Mount England and Haystack Mountain.
Northern features
Features to the north of the mouth of Mackay Glacier are, from northeast to southwest:
Cape Archer
76°51′S 162°52′E.
Cape which marks the north side of the entrance to Granite Harbor.
Named by the Northern Party of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910–13 for W.W. Archer, chief steward of the expedition.
Stevens Cliff
76.8333333°S 162.6666667°E / -76.8333333; 162.6666667.
A cliff between Tiger Island and Cape Archer along the north side of Granite Harbor. The cliff is straight, 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) long and rises 200 metres (660 ft) above the sea.
Named after Alan R. Stevens, Chief, Science and Application Branch, National Mapping Division.
As chief of the Science and Application Branch, he was instrumental to United States Geological Survey (USGS) Antarctic mapping and geodesy programs during the 1990s.
He worked in the McMurdo Sound area as a member of the USGS 1994-95 Antarctic field program.
Tiger Island
76°47′S 162°28′E.
An island 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) north of Lion Island on the north side of Granite Harbor.
The New Zealand Northern Survey-Party of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1956–58) established a survey station on its highest point in October 1957.
They named it in analogy with nearby Lion Island.
Lion Island
76°51′S 162°33′E.
A small island lying east of the mouth of Hunt Glacier in Granite Harbor.
Named by the British Antarctic Expedition 1910–13.
Hunt Glacier
76°52′S 162°25′E.
A small, deeply entrenched glacier on the east coast of Victoria Land, entering Granite Harbor north of Dreikanter Head.
Mapped by the British Antarctic Expedition 1910–13.
Probably named for H.A. Hunt, Australian meteorologist who assisted in writing the scientific reports of the British Antarctic Expedition1907-09.
Dreikanter Head
76°53′S 162°30′E.
A dark triangular headland between the mouths of Hunt Glacier and Marston Glacier, on the west side of Granite Harbor.
The triangular appearance of the feature when viewed from the southeast suggests the name; "Dreikantig" is a German word meaning three-edged.
Marston Glacier
76°54′S 162°30′E.
A glacier draining eastward from Mount Marston and Doublefinger Peak and entering Granite Harbor between Dreikanter Head and the Kar Plateau.
The New Zealand Northern Survey Party of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1956–58) ascended this glacier en route to Mount Marston in October 1957.
They named it for its proximity to that mountain.
Kar Plateau
76°56′S 162°20′E.
A small, mainly snow-covered plateau with an almost vertical rock scarp marking its southern side, standing on the west side of Granite Harbor, just north of the terminus of Mackay Glacier.
The plateau rises gently toward the northwest to the heights of Mount Marston. Mapped and named by the British Antarctic Expedition 1910–13.
"Kar" is a Turkish word meaning snow.
Point Retreat
76°55′S 162°33′E.
A point at the east extremity of the Kar Plateau, in Granite Harbor.
Named by the British Antarctic Expedition 1910–13.
Southern features
Features to the south of the mouth of Mackay Glacier are, from northwest to southeast:
Cuff Cape
76°59′S 162°21′E.
A dark rock point emerging from the icy coast of Victoria Land, immediately south of Mackay Glacier.
Mapped by the British Antarctic Expedition 1910-13 and so named because the dark rock resembles a hand extending from a snowy cuff.
The Flatiron
77°01′S 162°23′E.
Rocky, triangular-shaped headland which overlooks the SW part of Granite Harbor.