Cape Smyth facts for kids
Cape Smyth (67°37′S 164°40′E / 67.617°S 164.667°E) is the southernmost tip of Sturge Island. This island is part of the Balleny Islands, a group of islands in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.
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What is Cape Smyth?
Cape Smyth is the very end point, or "extremity," of Sturge Island. Think of it as the island's toe! It's located in a very cold and remote part of the world, close to Antarctica.
How Cape Smyth Got Its Name
Early Discoveries
In 1841, a famous explorer named Captain James Clark Ross was sailing near the Balleny Islands. He saw Sturge Island from far away and thought it was actually three separate islands. He named the southernmost one "Smyth Island." He did this to honor his friend, Captain William Henry Smyth, who was a captain in the Royal Navy and the head of the Royal Astronomical Society.
The Correction
Many years later, in 1904, another well-known explorer, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, explored the area more closely. He discovered that what Captain Ross thought were three islands was actually just one large island: Sturge Island. Captain Scott then decided to use the name "Smyth" for the southernmost point of Sturge Island, calling it "Cape Smyth." This way, Captain Smyth's name was still used for this important landmark.
Other Places Named Smyth
It's interesting to know that there are other places around the world also named Cape Smyth or something similar!
- One is a point on Melville Island in Canada's Northwest Territories.
- Another is a place in Alaska, USA, near Point Barrow. The local Inuit people call it 'Nuwak', which means 'north point'. This Alaskan point was also briefly called 'Cape North'. It was named by Captain Frederick Beechey in 1826 for a different William Smyth, who was a surveyor on his ship.
