Choiseul Sound

Choiseul Sound viewed from Darwin
Location of Choiseul Sound (in blue at right)

Choiseul Sound (/ˈtʃɪzəl/ CHIZZ-əl) is a stretch of sea in the Falkland Islands.

Geography

It runs parallel to Eagle Passage and is between Lafonia and the north of East Falkland. Lively Island is in its mouth. 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. Just to the west of Bertha's Beach is Mare Harbour; a Royal Naval facility that receives military shipping. 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.

History

It was named by Louis de Bougainville after the French Foreign Secretary, Étienne François, duc de Choiseul. In 1845, Samuel Fisher Lafone, purchased the land south of Choiseul Sound (Lafonia) and all the islands within the sound from Queen Victoria.

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. During the Falklands War, several Argentine aircraft were shot down over Choiseul Sound by Royal Navy Harriers.

Name

The name is pronounced "Chisel" in Falkland Islands dialect. The Hispanicized name for the sound is Seno Choiseul.

Dimensions

The sound is 2 miles (3.2 km) wide and 20 miles (32 km) long. 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.

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ "KHM East Cove Port". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  3. ↑ Wagstaff, William (2001). Falkland Islands : the Bradt travel guide. Chalfont St Peter: Bradt. p. 17. ISBN 1841620378.
  4. ↑ Strange, Ian J. (1987). The Falkland Islands and their natural history. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 130. ISBN 0715388339.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ Boyson, V. F. (1924). The Falkland Islands. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 116. OCLC 1999198.
  8. ↑ Haddelsey, Stephen (2014). Operation Tabarin: Britain's secret wartime expedition to Antarctica, 1943 - 45. Stroud: The History Press. p. 14. ISBN 0752493566.
  9. ↑ Woodward, Sandy (1992). One hundred days: the memoirs of the Falklands battle group commander. London: Fontana. p. 322. ISBN 0006378412.
  10. ↑ Munro, Richard (1988). The place names of the Falkland Islands. Bluntisham: Bluntisham Books. p. 18. ISBN 187199909X.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ Huxley, Anthony (1962). standard encyclopedia of the world's oceans and islands. New York: Putnams. p. 334.
  13. ↑ "2023 GOR IP JohnstonBR – South Atlantic Medal Association (82)". sama82.org.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Falklands landing craft tragedy remembered 40 years on". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2026.

51°55′48″S 58°39′29″W / 51.930°S 58.658°W / -51.930; -58.658