Bransfield Strait is a body of water about 60 miles wide extending for 200 miles in a general northeast-southwest direction between the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. It was named in about 1825 by James Weddell, Master, RN, for Edward Bransfield, Master, RN, who charted the South Shetland Islands in 1820. It is called Mar de la Flota by Argentina. The undersea trough through the strait is known as Bransfield Trough
The Bransfield Strait borders Livingston Island, an Antarctic island in the South Shetland Islands, Western Antarctica lying between Greenwich Island and Snow Islands. Livingston Island contains huge colonies of chinstrap, gentoo, and macaroni penguins, as well as large flocks of skuas, southern giant petrels, sheathbills, and nesting kemp gulls. The waters teem with humpback whales, southern elephant seals, leopard seals, and Weddell seals.
Cruise Season – Nov - April
Currency – Pound Sterling (GBP)
Language – English
Land Area – 974 km² approx
Population – 0
Electricity – 2 vertical square pins and one perpendicular below British style
Time – None
International Country Telephone Code – + 44
Port Location – Cruise ships often frequent Hannah point on the south coast of Livingston.
Transport Links – Access to the South Shetland Islands is from the Port of Ushuaia , Argentina.