The sea is named after the British sailor James Weddell who entered the sea in 1823 as far as 74 ° S. That same year the American sealing captain Benjamin Morrell claimed to have seen land some 10--12 ° east of the sea's actual eastern boundary.
The sea is named after the Scottish sailor James Weddell, who entered the sea in 1823 and originally named it after King George IV; it was renamed in Weddell's honour in 1900. Also in 1823, the American sealing captain Benjamin Morrell claimed to have seen land some 10--12 ° east of the sea's actual eastern boundary.