This list of Antarctic expeditions is a chronological list of expeditions involving Antarctica. Although the existence of a southern continent had been hypothesized as early as the writings of Ptolemy in the 1st century AD, the South Pole was not reached until 1911. Pre-exploration theories 600 BC – 300 BC – Greek Philosophers theorize Spherical Earth with North and South Polar regions. 150 AD – Ptolemy published Geographia, which notes Terra Australis Incognita. Pre-19th century 7th century – Ui-te-Rangiora is claimed to have sighted southern ice fields. 13th century – Polynesians settle Auckland Islands (50° S) 1501–1502 – Gonçalo Coelho and Amerigo Vespucci potentially sail to (52° S) 1522 – Juan Sebastián de El Cano – first circumnavigation Fernando de Magallanes discovers Strait of Magellan (54° S) 1526 – Francisco de Hoces reportedly blown south from Straits of Magallanes to (56° S) 1578 – Francis Drake claims to have discovered an ocean south of South America and "Elizabeth Island" (57° S) 1599 – Dirk Gerritsz – potentially sails to (64° S) 1603 – Gabriel de Castilla – potentially sails to (64° S) 1615 – Jacob le Maire and Willem Schouten first to sail around Cape Horn cross (56° S) 1619 – Garcia de Nodal expedition – circumnavigate Tierra del Fuego and discover Diego Ramírez Islands () 1643 – Dutch expedition to Valdivia – northerly winds push the expedition as far south as 61°59 S where icebergs were abundant. The expedition disproves beliefs that Isla de los Estados was part of Terra Australis. 1675 – Anthony de la Roché discovers South Georgia (), the first ever land discovered south of the Antarctic Convergence 1698–1699 – Edmond Halley sails to (52° S) 1720 – Captain George Shelvocke – sails to (61° 30′ S) 1739 – Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier – discovers Bouvet Island () 1771 – James Cook – HM Bark Endeavour expedition 1771–1772 – First French Antarctic Expedition – led by Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec discovers Kerguelen Islands () 1772–1775 – James Cook – sails crossing Antarctic Circle in January 1773 and December 1773. On 30 January 1774 he reaches 71° 10′ S, his Farthest South, coming within about of the Antarctic mainland without seeing it. 19th century 1780s to 1839 – American and British whalers and sealers make incidental discoveries. 1819 – William Smith discovers South Shetland Islands (), the first land discovered south of 60° south latitude. 1819 –