Gabriel de Castilla

Gabriel de Castilla (* 1577 in Palencia, Spain, † 1620 in Lima, Peru) was a Spanish navigator.

Potential discoveries

Antarctic Ocean

1603 Castilla was sent south from Valparaíso with three ships to curb invasions Dutch privateer in the southern sea areas of Chile. Here Castilla ran into southern waters ( 64 ° S ) across the Drake Passage. After Castilla invaded again until James Cook in 1773 with 71 ° in front of yet more southerly regions. Castilla would thus be the first navigator who reached the Southern Ocean.

South Shetland Islands

In the course of this expedition he is said to have also identified country, Castilla therefore applies as one of the potential discovery of the South Shetland Islands and could be the first Europeans thus, has a land mass that is part of the Antarctic continent discovered. The same could archipelago Dirk Gerritz have already been identified in 1599, but his discovery is doubted.

Antarctic station

Named after him is the Spanish research station " Gabriel de Castilla " on Deception Iceland. The station is operated only in the summer and was opened in 1989-90.

Bibliography

• Don Gabriel de Castilla, primer avistador de la Antártica, Isidoro Vázquez de Acuña ( Spanish, PDF file, 3 kB)

• Seafarer
• Discoverer (17th century)
• Spaniard
• Born in 1577
• Died in 1620
• Man
• Research station in Antarctica