Potmess Rocks is a group of large rocks lying northwest of Robert Island

Robert Island (South Shetland Islands)

Robert Island or Mitchells Island or Polotsk Island or Roberts Island is an island long and wide, situated between Nelson Island and Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands. Robert Island is located at . Surface area...

 in the South Shetland Islands

South Shetland Islands

The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...

, Antarctica. The group is extending 1.3 by, featuring the conspicuous rocks named Asses Ears in the north. The area was visited by early 19th century sealers

Seal hunting

Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. The hunt is currently practiced in five countries: Canada, where most of the world's seal hunting takes place, Namibia, the Danish region of Greenland, Norway and Russia...

 operating from nearby Clothier Harbour

Clothier Harbour

Clothier Harbour is the 1.5 km wide bay indenting for 1 km the north coast of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica between Hammer Point on the northeast and Onogur Islands on the southwest...

.

The feature's name derived from the midday stew served on the launch Nimrod during the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 hydrographic survey of the rocks in 1967.

Location

The rocks are centred at 62°19′07"S 59°45′16"W which is 3 km (1.86 mi) west of Heywood Island

Heywood Island

Heywood Island is the largest of the islands off the north coast of Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica extending , with a surface area of . The feature is ice-free, low and horseshoe-shaped, its west coast indented for 1 km by Vrabcha Cove...

, 2.9 km (1.8 mi) northwest of Rogozen Island

Rogozen Island

Rogozen Island is a conspicuous island off the north coast of Robert Island, South Shetland Islands situated south-southwest of Heywood Island and north-northeast of Cornwall Island. Extending in east-west direction and wide. Surface area ....

, 6.06 km (3.8 mi) north-northwest of Fort William

Fort William (Robert Island)

Fort William Point is the conspicuous flat-topped rocky headland forming the northwest extremity of Coppermine Peninsula and Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica...

 and 3.28 km (2 mi) northeast of Table Island

Table Island (South Shetland Islands)

Table Island is a conspicuous flat-topped, rocky island lying north of Greenwich Island and north-northwest of the Aitcho group on the west side of English Strait in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The island is rising to over and extending , with a surface area of . Turmoil Rock is...

(British mapping in 1822, 1935 and 1968, Argentine in 1948, 1953 and 1980, Chilean in 1948 and 1971, and Bulgarian in 2009).

Maps

• Chart of South Shetland including Coronation Island, &c. from the exploration of the sloop Dove in the years 1821 and 1822 by George Powell Commander of the same. Scale ca. 1:200000. London: Laurie, 1822.
• L.L. Ivanov. Antarctica: Livingston Island and Greenwich, Robert, Snow and Smith Islands. Scale 1:120000 topographic map. Troyan: Manfred Wörner Foundation, 2009. ISBN 978-954-92032-6-4

External links

• Composite Antarctic Gazetteer.