Feature Name (see definition): Watkins Island

Feature Class (see definition): Island

Country Code (see definition): AQ (Antarctica)

Feature ID (see definition): 16304

Primary Latitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds (see definition): 66° 22' 00" S

Primary Longitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds (see definition): 067° 06' 00" W

Primary Latitude in decimal degrees (see definition): -66.3666667

Primary Longitude in decimal degrees (see definition): -67.1

Elevation (see definition): No data

Decision Year (see definition): 01/01/1953

Description (see definition): Low, ice-covered island 5 mi long, lying 3 mi SW of Lavoisier Island in the Biscoe Islands. The island was first mapped by the French Antarctic Expedition (FrAE) under Charcot, 1903-05 and 1908-10, but remained unnamed until resighted by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE) under Rymill, 1934-37. He gave the name Mikkelsen Island after Ejnar Mikkelsen, Danish Arctic explorer. In applying the name, Rymill was unaware of the existence of Mikkelsen Islands 75 mi southwestward, named in 1908-10 by Charcot. To avoid confusion of the two, the UK Antarctic Place-names Committee (UK-APC) recommended in 1952 that the Rymill naming be amended. The new name, Watkins Island, commemorates Henry G. Watkins, leader of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition, 1930-31. A new feature, Mikkelsen Bay (q.v.), has been named for Ejnar Mikkelsen.

Date Created (see definition): No data

Date Edited (see definition): No data