Marie Island facts for kids
Marie Island (66°7′S 65°45′W / 66.117°S 65.750°W) is a small island located in the icy continent of Antarctica. It is about 2 nautical miles (4 km) long. You can find it just north of Cape Evensen, along the northwest coast of the Stresher Peninsula. This area is part of Graham Land, a large section of the Antarctic Peninsula.
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Discovering Marie Island
Marie Island is a fascinating part of Antarctica with an interesting naming story. Explorers often name places after important people or events. This island's name honors someone special from a long time ago.
The First "Pointe Marie"
The story of Marie Island's name began with a famous French explorer named Dr. Jean-Baptiste Charcot. He led several expeditions to Antarctica. During his Third French Antarctic Expedition, which took place from 1903 to 1905, Charcot named a coastal spot "Pointe Marie." He chose this name to honor his elder sister, Marie. This "Pointe Marie" was located near Cape Evensen, but it wasn't the island we know today.
A New Location for the Name
Later, Dr. Charcot returned to Antarctica for his Fourth French Antarctic Expedition (1908–1910). During this journey, he decided to reuse the name "Marie." He applied it to the southern tip of an island he called "Ile Waldeck-Rousseau." This island was in roughly the same area as the original "Pointe Marie."
Solving the Antarctic Puzzle
Years later, another group of explorers arrived. The British Graham Land Expedition, active from 1934 to 1937, carefully surveyed the area. They compared their maps with Charcot's older ones. They discovered that Charcot's "Ile Waldeck-Rousseau" was actually a peak on the mainland, not an island. This peak is now known as Waldeck-Rousseau Peak.
To make sure Dr. Charcot's original naming intention was remembered, the British expedition decided to use the name "Marie Island." They gave it to the most noticeable island near Waldeck-Rousseau Peak. This way, the name "Marie" continues to be a part of the Antarctic landscape, honoring the sister of a pioneering explorer.
