Pickersgill Islands facts for kids
The Pickersgill Islands, so called can be seen on Cook's map (South-Up)
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| Coordinates | 54°37′S 36°45′W / 54.617°S 36.750°W |
| Archipelago | South Georgia |
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United Kingdom
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The Pickersgill Islands are a small group of islands. They are located to the west of the main island of South Georgia. You can find them about 15 kilometers (9 miles) southeast of Annenkov Island. They are also about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) west-southwest of Leon Head on South Georgia.
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The Story Behind the Name
The Pickersgill Islands have an interesting history when it comes to their name. It's a bit like a name got swapped between two different places!
Captain Cook's Discovery
In January 1775, a British expedition led by Captain James Cook explored this area. They discovered an island and named it "Pickersgill's Island." This was in honor of Lieutenant Richard Pickersgill, who was an officer on Cook's ship, HMS Resolution. Today, this island is known as Annenkov Island.
Bellingshausen's Expeditions
Many years later, in 1819, a Russian expedition arrived. This group was led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen. He rediscovered the island that Cook had named "Pickersgill's Island." However, Bellingshausen didn't know Cook had already found it. So, he thought he was the first to discover it. He named it Annenkov Island after Lieutenant Mikhail Annenkov, another officer on his expedition ship.
The Name Swap
During the same 1819 expedition, Bellingshausen also discovered the group of islands we now call the Pickersgill Islands. He mistakenly thought this new group was the "Pickersgill's Island" that Captain Cook had seen in 1775. Because of this mix-up, he charted the largest island in this group as "Pickersgill Island."
Over time, the name "Pickersgill" became officially attached to this group of islands. This is the group located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) southeast of what is now Annenkov Island. So, the name "Pickersgill" moved from the island Cook originally named to this different group of islands. The island Cook first named has been known as Annenkov Island ever since 1819.
See Also
In Spanish: Islas Pickersgill para niños
