Winslow Reef, Phoenix Islands

Winslow Reef is an underwater feature of the Phoenix Islands, Republic of Kiribati, located 200 kilometres (120 mi) north-northwest of McKean Island at 01°36′S 174°57′W. It is the northernmost and westernmost feature of the Phoenix Islands, not counting the outlying Baker and Howland Islands. It has a least depth of 11 m (36 ft). The reef is about 1.6 km (1 mi) long east-west, and about half that wide. The bottom is pink coral and red sand.

Location of Phoenix Islands
Location of Phoenix Islands
Summit depth11 metres
Location
Locationcentral Pacific Ocean
GroupPhoenix Islands
Coordinates01°36′S 174°57′W
CountryKiribati
Geology
TypeReef
History
Discovery dateNovember 9, 1840
Discovered byMichael Baker
Main article: Kiribati

History
Winslow Reef at northwest of Phoenix group

Winslow Reef is mentioned by Robert Louis Stevenson, who sailed over an area thought to be Winslow Reef in late 1889, but did not find it.[1]

For long it had been thought that a Perry Winslow (1815-1890), Capt. of the Nantucket whaler Phoenix, was its discoverer in 1851 and that the name of his ship also became attached to the entire group of islands.[2] Entry November 9, 1840, of the log of whaler “Gideon Howland” of New Bedford, Capt. Michael Baker (1802-1860), however, might suffice as evidence to an even earlier sighting, an entire decade earlier:

"Monday 9th, fine weather light trades all hands severely engaged

doing nothing. At 11 AM passed over a reef apparently not more than 5 or 6 fathoms of water on it in Lat 1° 36 S

Longitude 175° 24 W Lat Mer [idian] 1° 33 S [...] "

The etymology behind the toponym Phoenix Islands is likely more indebted to the British whaler Phœnix of London, Capt. John Palmer, than it is to Perry Winslow's ship with the same name, because on February 23, 1824, the former captain had spotted a low and sandy island covered with “tropical birds, men of war hawks and other sea fowl in latitude 3° 39′ South and Longitude 170° 30′ West." This was no doubt modern Rawaki. It was named “Phœnix Island” that day, after the whale ship. The Phœnix was merely one of many ships owned by the firm Daniel Bennett & Son, the largest whaling merchant of its day. [3][4]

It is part of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area and is, therefore, a protected nature reserve.

The Winslow Reef borders the U.S. Howland-Baker EEZ.[5] The PacIOOS mentions that Winslow Reef is "on the southeast boundary line of the EEZ".[6]

It is not to be confused with Winslow Reef in the Cook Islands at 20°38′S 160°56′W.

See also

References
  1. Stevenson, Robert Louis (August 1998) [letter: 2 December 1889]. "Chapter 13, Part V". Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson (e-book). Volume 2. Seattle, Washington, USA.: The World Wide SchoolTM. We had one particularity: coming down on Winslow Reef, p. d. (position doubtful): two positions in the directory, a third (if you cared to count that) on the chart; heavy sea running, and the night due. The boats were cleared, bread put on board, and we made up our packets for a boat voyage of four or five hundred miles, and turned in, expectant of a crash. Needless to say, it did not come, and no doubt we were far to leeward.
  2. Denger, Otto; Gillaspy, Edwin (August 15, 1955). Atoll Research Bulletin, Canton Island, South Pacific (PDF). 41. Washington DC: Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-12-17. The whaler 'Phoenix' discovered Winslow Reef, northwest of Canton, in 1851, and the name of this vessel became attached to the entire group of islands.
  3. Dehner, Steve (2019). THE ARMCHAIR NAVIGATOR I: Supplements to Post-Spanish Discoveries in The Pacific. Bad Tattoo Inc.
  4. Dalton, William (1990). The Dalton Journal: Two Whaling Voyages To The South Seas 1823-1829 (edited by Niel Gunson). Canberra: National Library of Australia. ISBN 9780642105059.
  5. "Phoenix Island protected area. Management plan, 2009-2014" (pdf). UNESCO. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  6. "PacIOOS. Howland & Baker". Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System. Retrieved 2012-02-23.


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