#15: Emerald Island South of New Zealand
The name has a pleasing sound, almost too pleasing for a place that could never be found. Reported in 1821 by a sealing ship, Emerald Island was said to lie south of Macquarie Island and appeared on charts through the 19th century. Later searches by major expeditions found only open water. The southern ocean was a hard place to verify anything quickly. Ice, fog, storms, and distance made mistakes durable.
