Mount Belinda

Mount Belinda is an active stratovolcano on Montagu Island in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Rising approximately 1,370 meters, it forms the highest peak of the South Sandwich Islands in the Scotia Sea.

The volcano was first detected as active in October 2001 through satellite thermal monitoring systems, marking its first recorded eruption. Subsequent observations have documented ongoing volcanic activity and multiple eruptive episodes in the years following.

The volcano carries a name rooted in British royal history, reflecting the colonial ties of this remote region. Local naming conventions reveal how distant lands were claimed and remembered by maritime explorers.

The volcano's remote location in the Southern Ocean makes it extremely difficult to access by conventional means. Scientific monitoring relies on satellite imagery and thermal detection systems rather than direct ground observation.

During the 2005 eruption, lava flowed approximately 3.5 kilometers down to the ocean, where extreme temperatures generated massive steam plumes. This dramatic interaction between molten rock and seawater created visible new landforms extending the island's coastline.