COMPOSITE GAZETTEER OF ANTARCTICA

Le grand détroit découvert par l'expédition porta d'abord le nom de Détroit de la Belgica. Au retour de l'expédition, les membres de celle-ci proposérent de l'appeler Détroit de Gerlache, en l'honneur du chef de l'E.A.B. 1897-1899, Adrien de Gerlache.

La Expedición Antártica Belga al mando del teniente Adrien de Gerlache, exploró el estrecho en enero y febrero de 1897-1899, dándole el nombre del buque expedicionario "Bélgica". Posteriormente, el Dr. Jean B. Charcot redenominó el accidente en 1903-1905, en honor al teniente De Gerlache. Estrecho que separa el archipiélago de Palmer con la península Tierra de O'Higgins. Se extiende de NE a SW, (100 millas) ancho máximo = 20 millas por el N, ancho mínimo = 4 millas entre las islas Wiencke y Bryde. El estrecho es amplio y profundo de fácil navegación, es limpio en su eje medio y sólo lo obstruye el bajo fondo de la isla De Ronge hacia el W. La boca N del estrecho se abre entre las islas Hoseason y Trinidad. La boca SE se forma entre el cabo Errera y la isla Wiencke. Corre encajonado entre altas montañas de la Tierra de O'Higgins por el SE y las más altas de las islas Brabante y Anvers por el NW.

separating SW Palmer Archipelago from Trinity Island and Danco Coast, with N limit Hoseason Island to Cape Wollaston (Trinity Island) and S limit Cape Errera (Wiencke Island) to Cape Renard, was sighted by GAE, 1873-74, at its S entrance which was included in some maps under the name Bismarck Strasse (Bismarck Strait, q.v.) (Fricker, 1898, map p.122); roughly charted throughout its length by BeAE, 23 January-12 February 1898, and named Détroit de Belgica "in honour of our country and our ship" (Gerlache, 1900b, p.520; Lecointe, 1903, Carte 5). Canal de la Belgica, Détroit de la Belgica (Arçtowski, 1900, p.118, 128). Belgica Strait (BA chart 1238, viii.1900; ICRD, 1920, map following p.4). On the return of the expedition to Belgium, the BeAE Scientific Commission, at the request of expedition members, renamed the feature Détroit de Gerlache, after Lieut. A.V.J. de Gerlache de Gomery, Commander of BeAE (Gerlache Island, q.v.) (Gerlache, 1900a, map p.411; 1902b, p.277; Pelseneer, 1902, p.388). Von Gerlache Meerenge (Stefan, 1900, map facing p.532). Gerlache Strait (Balch, 1902; Bartholomew, 1922, Pl.9; BA, 1930, p.73; chart 3196, 12.xi.1948; [separating Palmer Archipelago from Danco Coast] APC, 1955, p.10; [separating SW Palmer Archipelago from Trinity Island and Danco Coast] APC, 1960, p.4; BA chart 3560, 7.iv.1961; 3566, 25.viii.1961). Stretto de Gerlache (Gerlache, 1902a, p.xiv). Estrecho de Belgica, Canal Belgico ([Irízar], 1903, maps facing p.4 and 128). Belgica-Strasse (Cook, 1903, map following p.10). Estrecho de Gerlache ([Irízar], 1903, map facing p.128; Pierrou, 1970, p.302; Chile. IHA, 1974, p.95). The strait was further charted by FAE, 1903-05. Canal de Belgica (Sobral, 1904, p.74). Belgica-Sund (Nordenskjöld and others, 1904b, Vol. 2, p.115). Canal de Gerlache, Estrecho de Guerlache [sic] (Nordenskjöld, 1904c, p.25 and upper map facing p.32). Gerlache(-)Kanal (Nordenskjöld and others, 1904b, Vol. 1, p.55; [referring collectively to this feature and to Orléans Strait] Nordenskjöld, 1917, map facing p.68). Gerlache Kanalen (Nordenskjöld and others, 1904a, Del. 1, end map). Belgica Kanal (Nordenskjöld, 1905a, map p.236). Gerlache Channel (Charcot, 1905b, map p.218). Gerlache Kanaal (Ruys, 1905, map following p.88). Canale de Gerlache (Duse, 1907, p.40). The strait was further charted by FAE, 1908-10. In all British Government correspondence from 1908 at least until 1912 and in whalers' usage for that period, reference was to Belgica Strait (not Gerlache Strait) (Allardyce, 1908-15). Détroit de Cerlache [sic] (Gourdon, 1908, p.36). Canal Gerlache (Riso Patron S., 1908, end map). Détroit de de Gerlache (Charcot, 1910, p.48). De Gerlache Strait (BA chart 1238, xi.1910; 3205, 2.ix.1938; 3213, 18.vii.1947). de Gerlache Strasse (Wichmann, 1913, map facing p.58). Belgica Straights, Straights of Belgica (Lester, 1920-22a, Vol.1, p.23, 35). Gerlache Straits, Straits of Gerlache (Lester, 1920-22b, p.6; 1920-22a, Vol.2, p.30). Belgica Straits (Ferguson, 1921, p.34). Belgicastrµdet (Risting, 1922). The strait was further charted by DI in 1927. De Gerlache S. (HA chart, 1928). Gerlache Stredet (Risting, 1929, p.57). De Gerlache Channel (USHO, 1943, p.15). Estrecho Gerlache (Vila Labra, 1947, p.85). de Guerlache [sic] Strait (Ronne, 1949, p.49). Gerlache-Sundet (Frödin, 1951, p.377). Gerlache (Argentina. MM, 1953, p.248). Belgica Straat, De Gerlache Kanaal (Knapp, 1958, p.568). Prliv Gerlachv (Bártl, 1958, map facing p.144). An extensive survey of the strait by an RN Hydrographic Survey Unit was made from Shackleton, 1959-60 (Roberts, 1965, p.45). Gerlach [sic] Strait (BA, 1961, p.158). Proliv Gerlakhe (Soviet Union, MMF chart, 1961). Further survey was carried out in the strait by an RN Hydrographic Survey Unit from HMS Protector, 1963-64 (Roberts, 1965, p.46). Proliv Zherlash (Soviet Union. AA, 1966, Pl.24).

Strait separating the Palmer Archipelago from Antarctic Peninsula. The BelgAE, under Lt. Adrien de Gerlache, explored the strait in January and February 1898, naming it for the expedition ship Belgica. The name was later changed to honor the commander himself.