South Georgia Island. South Sandwich Islands

Thule Island (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands)

Many South Atlantic islands and archipelagos are named by the discoverers in honor of crew members, various authorities and officials, but all kinds of North Atlantic toponyms are not uncommon (therefore, if there are simply Orkney Islands near Scotland, then there will certainly be South Orkney Islands near Antarctica).

The discoverers of the islands and archipelagos in the South Atlantic named many of them after crew members, state officials and various higher-ups, but North Atlantic place names of all kinds are also quite common (so, since there are Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland, youll be sure to find South Orkney Islands somewhere in the Antarctic).

The mythical island of Thule was located, according to the descriptions of the ancient Greeks, somewhere not far from Britain, and for a long time was considered the northernmost point of the earth. The Antarctic island of Thule (part of the archipelago of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) is a nod to the north.

The mythical island of Thule was described by the ancient Greeks as being somewhere near Britain, and for a long time it was believed to be the northernmost point on earth. The Antarctic island of the same name (which is part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) is a tip of the hat to the north.

The population of the island consists of seals, penguins and birds.

The islands population consists of seals, penguins and birds.

Lots of penguins.

A whole lot of penguins.

A lot of seals.

A whole lot of seals.

A lot of birds.

And a whole lot of birds.

Life here goes its natural way (on the photo is a former penguin).

Life takes its natural course here (thats a former penguin in the picture).

The photos of the penguins look very cute. Yes, and seals too. But the smell is so unbearable that my jacket, after an hour of walking around the island, smelled for another month! (Because our ship sailed for another month to the nearest dry cleaner.)

The penguins look very cute in photos. And the seals do as well. But the stench is so intolerable that an hour of walking around the island was enough to make my jacket smell for another month! (Because it took our ship another month to reach the nearest dry cleaner.)

Naturally, the whole island is covered in feathers and droppings.

Naturally, the whole island is covered with feathers and guano.

And another dead penguin.

And more dead penguins.

On penguin perches, you can draw a wind rose. The penguin sits on the laid eggs facing the wind. Because if she sits with her ass to the wind, then the litter will fly into her. And so it flies like an arrow on a clock in all directions, where the wind blows. Well, friends have to build perches a little further than the distance of an average shot.

Penguin nests can be used as a makeshift wind rose of sorts. The female penguin always faces the wind when sitting on her eggs, because if she sat with her butt to the wind, her guano would get blown right back at her. This way, however, the guano flies out like a clock hand in all the directions the winds happened to be blowing. Well, that and her girlfriends have to set up their nests outside the average range of her shots.

Penguins also molt, which makes them not as photogenic as we are used to.

Penguins also molt, which makes them less photogenic than were used to.

In 1976, the Argentines decided to break the idyll a little by building a base here called the Corvette Uruguay.

In 1976, the Argentinians decided to interfere in this idyllic state of affairs by building a base here, which they called Corbeta Uruguay.

They brought equipment, built housing, brought in tractors, installed radio communication masts.

They brought over equipment, built housing, shipped in tractors and set up radio masts.

And a few years later there was a war between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands. As soon as the British won the war, they immediately sent three ships with naval special forces to Tula - this was the very last operation of the Falklands War. The fact is that there might not have been another chance to take away the islands occupied by the Argentines, and in the wake of a fresh war, this could have been done without diplomatic scandals. It's not about the rocks, it's about the principle.

A few years later, Britain and Argentina went to war over the Falkland Islands. As soon as the Brits won, they immediately dispatched three ships with marines to Thule—this became the final operation in the Falklands War. The thing is, they might not have gotten another chance to take back the islands occupied by Argentina, and in the wake of a fresh war the whole thing could be pulled off without any diplomatic scandals. Its not about the rocks; its about the principle.

The British issued an ultimatum to surrender by noon. On June 20, 1982, the Argentines flew the white flag shortly before the deadline. The staff was deported, and the base was mothballed.

The British issued an ultimatum: surrender by noon. On June 20, 1982, shortly before the deadline, the Argentinians raised a white flag. The personnel were deported and the base was sealed off.

After some time, the British discovered that the Argentine flag was flying again on the flagpole near the base (and the British one, accordingly, would be thrown out). And that was the last straw. Special forces were sent to the base with explosives. Here's what's left of the Corvette Uruguay.

Some time later, the British discovered that the Argentinian flag was once again flying from the bases flagpole (and the British one had, consequently, been thrown out). This became the final straw. Special forces were sent over to the base with explosives. This is what remains of Corbeta Uruguay today.

Can not see? There isn't much to see there. Everything blew up!

Cant see? Eh, there isnt much to see anyway. They blew it all up!

They planted explosives wherever they could imagine.

They stuffed explosives just about everywhere they could think of.

We stepped back and pressed the button.

Then they stepped back and pushed the button.

We will walk through the territory, enjoy the untouchedness of the Antarctic landscape.

Lets take a walk through the grounds and enjoy some pristine Antarctic landscapes.

Animals love it! Under what other circumstances would they get a playground of this size?

The animals love it! Under what other circumstances would they have ended up with a playground this size?

By the way, Antarctica itself is now protected by international agreements, according to which you can’t even pee in the open air. All waste is collected and removed. All passengers are required to soak their boots with a special disinfectant before disembarking. Before visiting Thule, we also all processed the shoes and were instructed that the toilet should go on board, whoever needs it.

By the way, Antarctica itself is now protected by international treaties that prohibit even peeing outdoors. Every bit of waste must be collected and shipped out. All passengers are required to treat their boots with a special disinfectant solution prior to disembarking. Our entire group also had to disinfect its shoes before visiting Thule, and we were instructed to use the bathroom on board the ship if nature called.

How many seals and penguins died during the explosions, British military literature is modestly silent.

British military literature is strangely silent on the number of penguin and seal casualties of the explosions.

Seals are quite aggressive and attack those who approach them. The way to escape is simple - you need to raise your hands, growl and rush at the evil seal. He will immediately run away from fear. It's pretty funny to watch 50 travelers attack seals and roar as they walk around the island.

Seals are fairly aggressive and will attack anyone who approaches them. But theres a simple way to save yourself: just raise your arms, roar and rush at the angry seal. Itll immediately flee in terror. The sight of 50 travelers roaring and attacking seals as they walk around the island is a rather amusing one.

This is certainly one of the most interesting, unexpected, memorable and vibrant places in Antarctica.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting, exceptional, stunning and memorable places in Antarctica.

We can say with full confidence that few of you have been to the island of South Georgia and there is nothing to be ashamed of, but absolutely everyone should know about it!

After reading this material, you will surely burn with a desire to visit this wonderful place, but getting to it is not at all easy. The fact is that planes do not fly to South Georgia, and ships do not sail, and there are no fishing boats here. Well, the distance from the nearest mainland is estimated at two thousand kilometers, so swimming is also not an option!

Only a few people live on a large island 174 kilometers long, which was formed as a result of volcanic activity. The first is the representative of Great Britain, to which the island belongs, the second is the postmaster and two caretakers. Why are they there, you ask? We answer, in fact, you can get to the island, but only through the mediation of expeditionary ships. The nearest port from which ships depart is located in the very south of Argentina and bears the name of Uguaya.

First of all, the island attracts tourists with its virgin nature. More than 80% of the planet's albatrosses and 30 species of other birds nest on South Georgia alone, and in total the island has sheltered more than 60,000,000 seabirds! A huge number of penguins, about 2,000,000 seals, 300,000 elephant seals and other representatives of the marine fauna. Everything is under the close control of the UK, any attempt to hunt or capture is punishable by imprisonment.

There are also old fishing bases on the island, which were founded in the 18th century. In addition, South Georgia can offer its few tourists a visit to a small museum, and the Norwegian Church. But that's not all, there are several military barracks on the island that have remained since the Falklands War! By the way, each tourist undergoes a compulsory insurance procedure in the amount of 100,000 euros, although the time spent on the island rarely exceeds several hours.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on the world map

Map of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in Russian

On the east coast of South Georgia is the village of Grytviken - the administrative center overseas territory. In this village, which is the port of the island, 23 people live permanently. The only settlement on the archipelago houses the residence of the British magistrate and
concentrated local authorities. Eight hundred meters separate the village from Cape King Edward, which is the administrative complex of the Government of the territory, which also includes a research station of the Antarctic Survey of the United Kingdom. Grytviken was built in 1904 by the Norwegians for the purpose of using it as a whaling base. Currently, the former whaling village is one of the most visited tourist sites in the southern polar region of the globe. People come here to see the exhibits of the South Georgia Museum, the Norwegian Church, built in 1913, the cemetery where the ashes of the famous polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton rest. The interest of tourists is also caused by the impressive views of mountains, glaciers and fjords surrounding the southernmost "capital" on the planet. Photo materials used from Wikimedia © Foto, Wikimedia Commons

Map of South Georgia Island with Cooper, Byrd and Annenkov Islands.

South Georgia is an island located in the subantarctic belt of the southern part Atlantic Ocean, is included in the archipelago of the same name along with the islands of Bird, Cooper and Annenkov, as well as other smaller islets, reefs and rocks. It is washed by the waters of the South Atlantic, and on the southwestern coast - the Scotia Sea.

The island, like other islands of the archipelago, is part of the British possession of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, these territories are subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Story.

It is generally accepted that the island was discovered in 1675 under rather random circumstances. The ship of a merchant from London, Anthony de la Rocha, was heading from Chile to Brazil, while passing Cape Horn, it fell into a storm at the southern entrance to the Lemer Strait and was carried to the east, with their luck, the sailors of de la Rocha discovered an island with a convenient bay, where they took refuge from the storm, staying here for two weeks in April. On the maps, the island was designated as Rocher in honor of the discoverer.

The island was discovered for the second time in 1756 from the Spanish ship Leon. The Spaniards named it San Pedro.

James Cook, during his second southern expedition on the frigates Resolution and Adventure, became the first to survey and map the island, which he immediately named after his monarch - "George Island".

Also on January 20, 1775, Cook discovered Annenkov Island, which was first named Pickersgil Island in honor of the lieutenant of the ship HMS Resolution. The current name of the island was given in 1819 by the expedition of F.F. Bellingshausen, who named it after one of the officers on the expedition, Mikhail Annenkov.

Around the same time, Bird and Cooper Islands, as well as Clerk Rocks, were discovered and mapped.

In the 20th century, South Georgia became a major center for whaling, and a number of coastal bases were founded in Grytviken, Lit Harbor, Ocean Harbor, Husvik, Stromnes and Prince Olave Harbor.

Around this period, Carl Anton Larsen founded the village of Grytviken, the current administrative center of the island. The heyday of the whaling era contributed to the development of the township and other settlements on the island until 1965.

The bay and the village of Grytviken.

Since 1955, territorial claims to the island by Argentina began, repeated litigation on this issue did not produce results and led to an escalation of the confrontation between Great Britain and Argentina.

In 1982, at the beginning of the Falklands conflict, Argentine troops landed on the island and occupied Grytviken and Leith Harbour. On April 3, 1982, after a short battle, during which the Argentines lost a helicopter and the Argentine corvette Guerico received damage, the garrison of British soldiers surrendered. In the course of subsequent hostilities to return the island to its possession, on April 25, 1982, the British fleet captured the damaged Argentine submarine Santa Fe off South Georgia, and the attacked Argentine garrison capitulated.

After the Falklands conflict, the UK maintained a small garrison at Grytviken until March 2001, after which the island returned to civilian rule.

Origin and geography of the archipelago .

Geographical coordinates of South Georgia Island: 54°19′00″ S. sh. 36°41′00″ W d.

The total area of ​​the island is 3528 square kilometers.

South Georgia Island has a pronounced volcanic origin, together with the islands of the South Sandwich Archipelago, it is part of the South Antilles ridge.

The highest point on the island is Mount Paget. overall height 2934 meters above sea level.

The relief of the island is mountainous, there are a lot of glaciers, the coast is heavily indented by fiords, small bays and bays.

Annenkov Island is 13 kilometers southwest of South Georgia, has geographical coordinates 54°29′00″ S sh. 37°05′00″ W e. The terrain is similar to that of South Georgia. The highest point of the island is Olstad Peak, 650 meters above sea level.

The smaller islands of the Bird and Cooper archipelago are also mountainous and are more like rocks covered with glaciers than full-bodied islands.

Drygalsky Fjord on South Georgia Island.

Climate.

The climate on the island of South Georgia and other islands of the archipelago is subarctic. The average monthly temperature in winter (July-August) is from - 2 °C, in summer (January-February) approximately + 5-6 °C Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year in the form of fine drizzle and snow. Their volume is approximately 1400-1500 millimeters per year. Constant strong winds contribute to almost constant storms in these places, the weather is overcast all year round with low clouds.

Population.

severe climatic conditions the islands have led to the fact that it has no permanent residents. They are mainly fishermen, meteorologists, and Antarctic researchers. Their number constantly fluctuates depending on the season, but does not exceed 100 people. The population is concentrated mainly on the northern coast of the island and scattered among small villages and weather stations.

The administrative center of the South Georgia archipelago is the village of Grytviken, the population of which does not exceed 30 people. Other villages: King Edward Point, Bird Island, Huswick and King Edward Point also do not abound in population.

Annenkov, Bird and Cooper Islands are uninhabited.

Flora and fauna.

The climate has led to the fact that the island is covered with sparse tundra and oceanic meadows, in the mountains of the central part of the island and on the coast there are eternal glaciers. Vegetation, as such, is practically absent, but there are quite a large number of species of mosses and lichens, which form the basis of the flora of the island.

The fauna is more richly represented: on the shores of the island there are huge rookeries of seals and fur seals, the shores are inhabited by birds, among which several species of penguins predominate.

Annenkov Island is the most unique nesting site on Earth for more than 700 pairs of wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans), taken under the protection of UNESCO.

Tourism.

In terms of tourism, the island attracts the attention of only lovers extreme recreation. You can get to the island from the continent either by helicopter (there is a helipad in Grytviken), or by a specially equipped vessel designed to sail in these harsh waters.

Although there is something to see here. Among the local attractions is the grave of the famous British Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton and his associate Frank Wild. Tourists should also visit the South Georgia Museum, which contains the history of the island at all stages. A unique sight is the huge rookeries of marine animals and places of mass nesting of birds.

The main tour operators that organize tourist trips to the island of South Georgia and the surrounding areas are still British companies. In other countries, due attention is not paid to this issue, unfortunately.

The inhospitable subantarctic islands in the middle of the southwestern sector of the Atlantic Ocean are supposedly an underwater extension of the Andes mountain system. South America; the islands of South Georgia, South Sandwich, and South Orkney are the peaks of the South Antilles ridge protruding above the water, stretching for 3500 km from Antarctica. The depth above the ridge is up to 3000 m, parallel to the section of the eastern slope deep sea trench. Volcanic activity is observed in part of the South Sandwich Islands (XX century, 2005 and 2006).
The climate on the islands is severe, subantarctic; they are in the zone of the cold current of the West Winds. The sea around South Georgia does not freeze (ice only appears in sheltered bays, icebergs are often observed), and around the colder South Sandwich Islands, the sea is ice-bound from mid-May to late November. It is almost always overcast here, snow or sleet can fall at any time of the year. Island landscape - typical tundra: mosses and lichens, without trees and shrubs; above 300 m above sea level, the permafrost zone begins. There are many seabirds on the islands, colonies of king and other penguins. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were no mammals on the islands apart from seals; then mice, brown Norwegian rats and reindeer took root (violating the ecological balance of the island).
It is believed that the London merchant Anthony de la Roche was the first European to see the island of South Georgia in 1675, so on old maps it is designated as Roche Island. The island was rediscovered, explored and mapped famous navigator James Cook in 1775, although at first he considered the island not worth discovering. However, later he nevertheless named it in honor of King George III and announced the accession of the island to Great Britain. At that time, Captain Cook discovered eight islands and named the archipelago Sandwich Land in honor of the first Lord of the Admiralty, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. The word "southern" was added so as not to be confused with the other Sandwich Islands, which are now known to everyone as. The three northern islands of the archipelago were discovered later, in 1819, by the First Russian Antarctic Expedition of Thaddeus (Fabian) Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev, undertaken to prove or disprove the assumption of the existence of the sixth continent - Antarctica.
In the 19th century South Georgia was a base for sealers in the first half of the 20th century. became the largest whaling center (this fishery was finally discontinued in 1965). The first whaling base and the first permanent settlement was founded in Grytviken in 1904 by Carl Anton Larsen, a Norwegian who received British citizenship. Grytviken was the headquarters of Larsen's Argentine Fishing Company. There were seven stations in total, and they were located in sheltered harbors on the northern coast of the island. Mostly Norwegians worked on it. Lease agreements the whalers were issued by the British governor. Although Great Britain founded the administrative center of King Edward Point in 1909 near the whaling base of Grytviken, the islands were governed by a governor Falkland Islands(from 1908 until 1985 it was a single British Overseas Territory).
South Georgia, together with the South Sandwich, South Shetland and South Orkney Islands and groups of rocks, belong to the South Antilles Range. The archipelago, elongated by an arc, consists of rocky islands, islets and rocks. volcanic origin Many have volcanic activity. The islands are covered with tundra and oceanic meadows, in the mountains above 300 m there are eternal glaciers. Everywhere nesting seabirds (especially a lot of albatrosses), on the shores - large populations of seals and penguins.
The harsh climate and great remoteness have made these islands almost uninhabitable. Nevertheless, for South Georgia and the Falkland Islands in 1982, Britain seriously fought with Argentina.
During the heyday of whaling, up to several hundred whalers worked at the island bases of the Larsen Argentine Fishing Company. After whaling ended in the 1960s, all the bases were abandoned, almost all the buildings were dilapidated and collapsed. Now they, however, are being restored as local attractions. Grytviken is becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations without fail ships are sailing with those wishing to visit Antarctica.
There have never been natives here; after the closure of whaling bases on the island of South Georgia (in the villages of Grytviken, King Edward Point, the scientific base on Bird Island), at most twenty people live permanently: government officials, museum workers and scientists of the British Antarctic Survey. Until 2001, the military was based here: the memory of the bloody Falklands conflict between Argentina and Great Britain (spring 1982) is still fresh on the islands.
The Argentines never recognized the rights of Great Britain either to the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands captured in 1833 or to South Georgia with the South Sandwich Islands. Argentina has been claiming them since 1938, always together with the Falkland Islands, never separately. From January 1955 until the summer of 1956, Argentina supported summer base Tenniente Esquivel in Ferguson Bay on the southeast side of Thule Island (south of the Sandwich Islands archipelago), from 1976 to 1982 - the Corbeta Uruguay naval base on the same island in Port Faraday. In those years, Argentina was dominated by a military junta, whose rule went down in the country's history as the "Dirty War" of 1976-1983. The British knew about the Argentine presence in their overseas territory, but until the Falklands War, they did not take forceful methods to eliminate it, until the Argentine Lieutenant General Leopoldo Galtieri, who came to power in 1981, attempted to militaryly seize the territory.
On March 19, 1982, a group of Argentines posing as scrap metal dealers occupied an abandoned whaling base at Leith Harbor on South Georgia and attacked and occupied Grytviken on April 3.
The British Marines recaptured the island on April 25, 1982. During the operation in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, 13 thousand British soldiers and 20 thousand Argentines were involved; officially the losses were 268 men, 2 frigates, 2 destroyers, 1 freighter, 1 landing craft and 1 landing craft for the UK; Argentina lost 649 people killed and missing during the fighting, then another 3 prisoners of war died while clearing fields; 1 cruiser, 1 submarine, 1 patrol boat, 4 transport vessels, 1 fishing trawler (reconnaissance), about 100 aircraft and helicopters.
Defeat in Falklands War led to the resignation of Galtieri and the fall of the military junta in 1983, and in the UK, the victory contributed to the growth of patriotism and the strengthening of the position of the government of Margaret Thatcher. Jorge Luis Borges wrote a poem in memory of British and Argentine soldiers and called the war "a quarrel between two bald men over a comb" ... After the war, a small military garrison remained at the King Edward Point base until 2001. The base has now been returned to the British Antarctic Survey.

general information

Disputed British territory claimed by Argentina.
Location: in the Scotia Sea (southwestern sector of the Atlantic Ocean), between Tierra del Fuego (Argentina) and Antarctica.

Administrative affiliation: British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - since 1985, before that the archipelago was administered jointly with the Falkland Islands.
Other names: Roche Island (South Georgia).

Year of discovery: South Georgia (Rocher Island) - 1675 by London merchant Anthony de la Roche; 1775 - eight southern islands of the Sandwich Islands archipelago discovered by J. Cook; 1819 - three northern islands were discovered by the First Antarctic Expedition of F. Bellingshausen and M. Lazarev. Great Britain claimed its right to South Georgia in 1775, to the Sandwich Islands - in 1908; Argentina claimed South Georgia in 1927 and the South Sandwich Islands in 1938.
Administrative center: Settlement of King Edward Point (since 1908).
Settlements: the village of Grytviken (since 1904), a scientific base on about. Byrd.

Neighboring territories: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory) and Antarctic coast (at a great distance).

Language: English (official).

Ethnic composition: indigenous people absent; British and employees of other nationalities work.

Religion : Anglican Church, outside of religion, etc.

Numbers

Area of ​​the South Georgia Archipelago: 4100 km 2 (9 islands and 4 rocks).

Area of ​​South Georgia Island(largest island in the group): 3528 km2.

Population: 23 full-time (2001 stats), up to 50 in summer on South Georgia.
Population density: 0.007 people / km 2 .

Length: The islands of South Georgia are 161 km long, from 2 to 30 km wide.

The most high point South Georgia: 2934 m a.s.l. m. (Mount Paget).

Distance: 1390 km southeast of the Falkland Islands and 2150 km east of Tierra del Fuego.

Area of ​​the Sandwich Islands archipelago: 310 km2.
Population : 0 people (2012), uninhabited.

Number of islands: 11 small islands, small islands and rocks.

The highest point in the Sandwich Islands: 1370 m a.s.l. m (Mount Belinda, Montagu Island).

Distance: from the South Georgia Islands to the Sandwich Islands 640 km to the southeast.

Climate and weather

Cold, cloudy.

Cold sea current of the West Winds (Antarctic circumpolar).

July average temperature(sea level): 0°C to -1.5°C.

January average temperature(at sea level): +5°С - +8°С.

Minimum temperature: rarely drops below -10°C.

Maximum temperature: up to +20°C (when blow dryers).
Average annual rainfall: up to 1500 mm.

Economy

Service sector: tourism, recreational fishing.

Attractions

Curious facts

■ South Georgia is home to 80% of all albatrosses on Earth.
■ During World War II, the Royal Navy used an armed commercial vessel to patrol the Antarctic and South Georgia waters, and two coastal guns (surviving to this day) were installed on the island itself, protecting Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay and operated by volunteers from Norwegian whalers.

■ Several webcams have been installed on the Sandwich Islands, allowing anyone visiting the official website to observe the area online.
■ In April 1916 antarctic expedition Ernest Shackleton was lost on Elephant Island, 800 miles southeast of South Georgia. Shackleton and five of his companions sailed in a boat for help and reached the Stromness whaling base on the coast of South Georgia. As a result, the remaining 22 members of the expedition on Elephant Island were rescued. In January 1922, during another expedition, the researcher died of a heart attack on board a ship that set sail from South Georgia, and, at the request of his wife, was buried in Grytviken.
■ The conventional name for the waters of the three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Indian) surrounding Antarctica - (outdated Southern Arctic Ocean). This unofficially designated “fifth ocean”, however, does not have a northern border clearly defined by islands and continents.