Falkland Sound is the large strait running between the two larger islands

The Falkland Sound (Spanish: Estrecho de San Carlos) is a sea strait in the Falkland Islands. Running south west - north east, it separates West and East Falkland.

Name

The sound was named by John Strong in 1690 for Viscount Falkland, the name only later being applied to the archipelago and its two largest islands. The Spanish name "Estrecho de San Carlos" refers to the ship San Carlos which visited in 1768; confusingly the English name "San Carlos Water" is a much smaller inlet on East Falkland - and gives its name to San Carlos, Port San Carlos and the San Carlos River.

Captain John Strong of the Welfare made the first recorded landing on either of the main islands (West and East Falkland) on 29th January, 1690, at Bold Cove (near Port Howard) just off Falkland Sound.

Geography

Islands in the Falkland Sound include Narrows Island, Great Island, the Tyssen Islands and the Swan Islands. The Arch Islands and Eddystone Rock are at the south and north ends of the Sound respectively.

Settlements on it include Ajax Bay, Port San Carlos and San Carlos on East Falkland and Port Howard and Fox Bay on West Falkland.

Inlets and bays on the Sound include: Fox Bay, Port Howard (West Falkland); Grantham Sound, San Carlos Water, Ruggles Bay (East Falkland)

References

• Southby-Tailyour, Ewen - Falkland Island Shores

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