Landsat 9 Sees Buccaneer Archipelago
The operational land imaging on Landsat 9 captured this image of the Buccaneer archipelago on June 11, 2025. The scene summarizes the striking interactions between the earth and the water in the region where King Sound opens onto the Indian Ocean.
The powerful tide currents arouse sediments in shallow areas, producing the beautiful turquoise whirlwinds visible in this image. This power, however, can be dangerous for sailors and divers while water tears the limited passages of the archipelago. A sadly famous place of turbulence, known as “Hell’s Gate”, lies in the passage between the Gerald Peninsula and the Muddle Islands.
Find out more about this archipelago in Australia-Western.
Text credit: Kathryn Hansen
Image credit: Garrison de la Nasa / Michala; US Geological Survey
