Gony Point

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Gony Point ( 54°0′S38°1′W / 54.000°S 38.017°W / -54.000; -38.017 ) is a high tussock-covered point 0.5 miles (0.8 km) southwest of Cardno Point, on the southeast side of Bird Island, South Georgia. It was surveyed by the South Georgia Survey in the period 1951–57, and named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee in 1963. Gony (also spelled gooney) is an old sailors' name for the wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans), which breeds on Bird Island. [1]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willis Islands</span> Main island of the South Georgia Islands

Goldcrest Point is the northwest point of Bird Island, South Georgia, with Payne Creek just south of it. It was charted by Discovery Investigations personnel on the Discovery in the period 1926–30 and by the South Georgia Survey, 1951–57. The point is the site of a large colony of Macaroni penguins. The name, given by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee in 1963, refers to the golden crests of this species.

Shoemaker Point is a point 0.5 miles (0.8 km) east of Jordan Cove on the south side of Bird Island, South Georgia, just south of Sooty Cove. Surveyed by the SGS in the period 1951-57 and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1963. "Shoemaker" is an old sailors' name for the Cape hen, a bird which breeds on Bird Island.

Bird Sound is a hazardous but navigable sound, 1 nautical mile (2 km) long and 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) wide, separating Bird Island from the west end of South Georgia. The names "La Roche Strait" and "Bird Sound" were used interchangeably for this feature on charts for many years. Bird Sound, which takes its name from nearby Bird Island, is approved on the basis of local usage.

Burton Cove is a small cove just east of Pearson Point, the southwest tip of Bird Island, South Georgia. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Robert W. Burton, British Antarctic Survey assistant in fur seal investigations on Bird Island, 1971–72.

Cardno Point is a high flat-topped, tussock-covered headland forming the eastern extremity of Bird Island, off the west end of South Georgia. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Lieutenant Commander Peter G.N. Cardno, Royal Navy, navigating officer of HMS Owen, which made a hydrographic survey of the area in 1960–61.

The Cordall Stacks are two conspicuous rock stacks, the eastern one joined to Bird Island, South Georgia, by a low isthmus, lying on the northwest side of the island 0.3 nautical miles (0.6 km) northwest of Jordan Cove. They were named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Peter A. Cordall, a member of the South Georgia Biological Expedition, 1958–59, who made a plane table survey of Bird Island.

Jordan Cove is a small cove which is the principal indentation in the south side of Bird Island, off the west end of South Georgia, near Antarctica.

Johnson Cove is a cove entered between Pio Point and Pearson Point on the west side of Bird Island, off the west end of South Georgia. The name appears to be first used in a 1948 British Admiralty pilot.

Diver Point is a point midway along the north shore of Bird Island, South Georgia. The name, by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee, derives from the South Georgia diving petrel which nests nearby.

Pio Point is a point forming the north side of the entrance to Johnson Cove at the west end of Bird Island, South Georgia. Roughly charted by DI personnel on the Discovery in the period 1926-30 and surveyed by HMS Owen in 1960–61. Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1963. "Pio" is an old sailors' name for the light-mantled sooty albatross, a bird which breeds on Bird Island.

Elliott Rock is a rock lying in Stewart Strait, close west of Bird Island, off the west end of South Georgia. It was positioned by Discovery Investigations personnel under Lieutenant Commander J.M. Chaplin in the period 1926–30, and was named in 1957 by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Henry W. Elliott (1846–1930), an American naturalist who was a pioneer of fur seal studies in the North Pacific and a lifelong champion of fur seal protection. Fur seals breed on nearby Bird Island.

Evermann Cove is a cove 0.2 nautical miles (0.4 km) long, lying just southwest of Jordan Cove along the south side of Bird Island, South Georgia. It was surveyed by the South Georgia Biological Expedition, 1958–59, and was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee in 1960 for Barton W. Evermann, an American zoologist on the staff of the United States Fish Commission from 1891 to 1903 and its successor, the United States Bureau of Fisheries, from 1903 to 1914, and a specialist in administrative and legal problems relating to the fur seal.

Fantome Rock is a dangerous rock in the middle of Bird Sound, South Georgia, lying 0.1 nautical miles (0.2 km) south of Gony Point, Bird Island. It was charted by Discovery Investigations personnel on the Discovery in the period 1926–30 and named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee in 1963 for HMS Owen's motor cutter, used in a survey of this area in February–March 1961, and lost in heavy seas near this rock.

Farewell Point is a point which forms the northeast extremity of Bird Island, off the west end of South Georgia. The name appears to have been applied by Discovery Investigations personnel who charted South Georgia in the period 1926–30.

Payne Creek is a narrow cove just south of Goldcrest Point along the west side of Bird Island, South Georgia. Named by United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Michael R. Payne, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) principal investigator on fur seals, Bird Island, 1971–74.

Freshwater Inlet is the small eastern arm of Jordan Cove on the south side of Bird Island, South Georgia, with Wanderer Valley to the southwest. It was charted by the South Georgia Survey in the period 1951–57 and was named in 1956 by W.N. Bonner, a British government biologist and sealing inspector, because the feature is fed by freshwater streams.

Gazella Peak is a peak rising over 120 metres (390 ft) between Roche Peak and the Cordall Stacks on the north side of Bird Island, South Georgia. It was charted by the South Georgia Survey in the period 1951–57, and was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee in 1963 after the species name of the Antarctic fur seal, which breeds in considerable numbers on Bird Island.

Morris Point is a point 0.5 nautical miles (1 km) east of Pearson Point on the south side of Bird Island, South Georgia. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Lieutenant Roger O. Morris, hydrographic officer in HMS Owen during survey of Stewart Strait and approaches in 1960–61.

Hornaday Rock is a rock lying in Bird Sound, 0.6 nautical miles (1.1 km) west-southwest of Cape Alexandra at the west end of South Georgia. The feature appears on charts dating back to the 1930s. It was recharted by the South Georgia Survey in the period 1951–57, and named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for William T. Hornaday, an American zoologist who was Director of the New York Zoological Park, 1896–1926. From 1907 he was a leader in the fight to introduce protective legislation for fur seals; fur seals breed on nearby Bird Island.

References

  1. "Gony Point". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 29 April 2012.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from "Gony Point". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.