Débarquement Rock



Débarquement Rock is an ice-free rock 200 m long and 18.7 m high, marking the northern end of the Dumoulin Islands and the north-eastern end of the Géologie Archipelago.

History
The French Antarctic Expedition, 1837–40, under Captain Jules Dumont d'Urville landed on the western side of the highest of the westernmost rocky islets, to which he gave the name "Rocher du Débarquement". The landing was described by him as taking place on 21 January 1840 at 9 in the evening, though the actual date was 22 January 1840, since d'Urville had forgotten to add a day on his diary when he passed the 180° meridian from the east.

Identification of the islet with d'Urville's "Rocher du Débarquement" has been made on the basis of aerial photographs taken in the course of the US Navy's Operation Highjump (1946–1947), and of surveys and geological studies made by the French Antarctic Expedition in 1950–1952, with the seaward position of Débarquement Rock correlating with the feature named by d'Urville. Analysis of the geological samples brought back by the expedition indicates that the landing took place on one of the Dumoulin Islands (named by d'Urville in honour of the expedition hydrographer Clément Adrien Vincendon-Dumoulin), and the islet is, as described by d'Urville, the north-westernmost and highest of the group, similar in appearance from the west to that portrayed in illustrations contemporary with the original landing.

The islet was designated a historic site (HSM 81) following a proposal by France to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.