Henkes Islands
The Henkes Islands are a group of small islands and rocks stretching over about two nautical miles of sea to the south of Adelaide Island off the Loubet Coast of Graham Land in the British Antarctic Territory, and on the south-west side of Crosse Passage, which separates these islands from Avian Island. The group includes:
The islands were discovered and roughly chartered by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1908–10, under Charcot. Charcot named the islands isles IÎlots Henkes after one of the Dutch directors of the Magellan Whaling Company which had assisted his expedition. Charcot applied the name to the scattered rocks and islands between Cape Adriasola and Cape Alexandra, two headlands of Adelaide Island.
Charts showing the islands proved unreliable in later years and following surveys by the British Antarctic Survey from Adelaide in 1961 and by a Royal Navy Hydrographic Survey Unit from HMS Protector in 1963, the name 'Henkes Islands' was redefined with set limits. The British surveys also applied names to the individual islands.
The largest of the Henkes Islands is Preston Island, which was named for Frank Preston, a British Antarctic Survey officer in charge at Adelaide station. The second largest island in the group is Crouch Island, surveyed by the Royal Navy in 1963, and named for Alan Crouch, general assistant at Adelaide station. Both were members of the first party to winter at Adelaide station, 1961–62.
Worth Reef is an arc of rocks forming the northernmost part of the Henkes Islands. The reef is named for Acting Corporal David A. Worth of the Royal Navy Hydrographic Service.
The easternmost of the Henkes Islands, Biggs Island, is a diminutive isle, named for Thomas Biggs, a Falkland Islander who served as coxswain of the launch of RRS John Biscoe, which was used by the Royal Navy to chart this island in 1963.
The Dean Rocks lie between Biggs and Preston Islands: they are named for Engineer Mechanic Thomas Dean of the Royal Navy Hydrographic Service.
Location
Outside links
- Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Henkes Islands
