Eklund Islands facts for kids
The Eklund Islands (73°16′S 71°50′W / 73.267°S 71.833°W) are a group of islands in a very cold part of the world. They poke up through the ice near the southwest end of George VI Sound, which is a long, narrow body of water, located south of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Discovering the Eklund Islands
The largest island in this group was first found in December 1940. It was discovered by two explorers named Finn Ronne and Carl R. Eklund. They were part of the United States Antarctic Service expedition.
This expedition involved a long journey by sledge, covering about 1,765 kilometers (1,097 miles). They traveled south from Stonington Island to the southwest part of George VI Sound and then returned.
At that time, the large island they found was the only land sticking out of the ice. Finn Ronne decided to name this island after Carl R. Eklund. Carl was an important member of their team, working as an ornithologist (someone who studies birds) and an assistant biologist.
More Islands Appear
Years later, in 1949, two other explorers, V. E. Fuchs and R. J. Adie, visited the same area. They were part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey. They also traveled by sledge to the southwest part of George VI Sound.
By this time, some of the ice in the sound had melted or moved away. This "recession of the ice" allowed them to see more clearly. They realized that the island Ronne and Eklund had found was actually the biggest one in a group of islands. Most of these islands were still covered in ice.
Naming the Island Group
Because of these later discoveries, the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names made a decision. They suggested that the name "Eklund" should be used for the entire group of islands, not just the single large island that was first discovered. This way, Carl R. Eklund's name honors the whole group.
