Choiseul Sound
Choiseul Sound (/ˈtʃɪzəl/ CHIZZ-əl) is a stretch of sea in the Falkland Islands. It runs parallel to Eagle Passage and is between Lafonia and the north of East Falkland. Lively Island is in its mouth.[1] At its entrance, on the northern shore, is the Bertha's Beach Important Bird Area which is also a Ramsar site, recognising it as a wetland of international importance.[2] Just to the west of Bertha's Beach is Mare Harbour; a Royal Naval facility that receives military shipping.[3] Choiseul Sound and Brenton Loch almost sever East Falkland in two, with a narrow isthmus with Darwin and Goose Green between the two bodies of water.[4][5]
It was named by Louis de Bougainville after the French Foreign Secretary, Étienne François, duc de Choiseul.[6] In 1845, Samuel Fisher Lafone, purchased the land south of Choiseul Sound (Lafonia) and all the islands within the sound from Queen Victoria.[7] In the Second World War, the ships HMS Fitzroy and HMS Scoresby had a layover in Choiseul Sound before proceeding to the Antarctic on Operation Tabarin.[8] During the Falklands War, several Argentine aircraft were shot down over Choiseul Sound by Royal Navy Harriers.[9]
The name is pronounced "Chisel" in Falkland Islands dialect.[10] The Hispanicized name for the sound is Seno Choiseul.[11] The sound is 2 miles (3.2 km) wide and 20 miles (32 km) long.[12] An inlet 400 metres (1,300 ft) north of Scott island in Choiseul Sound is named after a member of the British Armed Forces who died in Choiseul Sound in the Falklands War.[13][14]
References
[edit]- ^ The South America pilot. Part I. East coast of South America: from Cape St. Roque to Cape Virgins, including Falkland, South Georgia, Sandwich, and South Shetland Islands. London: Darling & Son. 1893. p. 386. OCLC 37335706.
- ^ "KHM East Cove Port". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ^ Wagstaff, William (2001). Falkland Islands : the Bradt travel guide. Chalfont St Peter: Bradt. p. 17. ISBN 1841620378.
- ^ Strange, Ian J. (1987). The Falkland Islands and their natural history. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 130. ISBN 0715388339.
- ^ The South America pilot. Part I. East coast of South America : from Cape St. Roque to Cape Virgins, including Falkland, South Georgia, Sandwich, and South Shetland Islands. London: Darling & Son. 1893. p. 396. OCLC 37335706.
- ^ "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS - Part 2 - Fort St. Louis and Port Egmont". falklands.info. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2007.
- ^ Boyson, V. F. (1924). The Falkland Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 116. OCLC 1999198.
- ^ Haddelsey, Stephen (2014). Operation Tabarin: Britain's secret wartime expedition to Antarctica, 1943 - 45. Stroud: The History Press. p. 14. ISBN 0752493566.
- ^ Woodward, Sandy (1992). One hundred days: the memoirs of the Falklands battle group commander. London: Fontana. p. 322. ISBN 0006378412.
- ^ Munro, Richard (1988). The place names of the Falkland Islands. Bluntisham: Bluntisham Books. p. 18. ISBN 187199909X.
- ^ Dildy, Doug; Calcaterra, Pablo; Laurier, Jim; Hector, Gareth (2017). Sea Harrier FSR 1 vs Mirage III/Dagger: South Atlantic 1982. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p. 54. ISBN 9781472818898.
- ^ Huxley, Anthony (1962). standard encyclopedia of the world's oceans and islands. New York: Putnams. p. 334.
- ^ "2023 GOR IP JohnstonBR – South Atlantic Medal Association (82)". sama82.org.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ^ "Falklands landing craft tragedy remembered 40 years on". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
External links
[edit]- Choiseul Sound Satellite picture at the Wayback Machine (archived 23 December 2010)