From Cape to Cape on the Explorer.

[drron29]

After that the ship steamed to the next bay and the "capital" Grytkiven.The first person to land on South Georgia on 17/1/1775 was Captain James Cook who claimed it in the name of His Britannic Majesty.The King was George 3 so it became South Georgia.The original "settlers" were British and Yankee fur sealers who nearly wiped out the fur seals.Eventually in the early 1900's whaling was set up by a Norwegian Captain Larsen.His capital came from Argentina which signed a whaling lease set out by the British embassy in Buenos Aires.British officials set up on the island in 1904.Later on Captain Larsen renounced his Norwegian citizenship and became a British citizen.It wasn't until 1938 that Argentina laid claim to South Georgia but have refused to have their claim arbitrated.

In 1976 the Argentinians secretly established a naval base on the South Sandwich Islands.On 25/3/82 the Argentinians invaded disguised as salvage operators.They landed to the west of the capital.32 Argentinian special forces with helicopter support + a corvette attacked Grytkiven defended by 22 Royal Marines.The helicopter was shot down,the corvette damaged and 3 Argentinians killed.only 1 marine was injured.The British withdrew but 22 days later the British navy damaged and captured an Argentinian submarine at Grytkiven and the Argentinians surrended.

 

That night several of the staff came aboard.Just as at Macquarie Island 6 years ago what they really wanted to eat was salad and fruit.It also meant the ship was cleared and we could start early the next morning.On awaking it didn't look too bright-

 

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That's snow you can see.It did clear a little and the colours were dramatic-

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[drron29]

We then went ashore.A young sea lion was lying in a freezing shallow lagoon-

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The supply ship appropriately named "Ernest Shackelton"was in to take most staff back home.

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[drron29]

From the zodiac landing site you could see the cemetery-one place I really wanted to visit-

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That little building is their hydro plant.Princess Anne came here to open it.She is involved with the charity that runs the museum.

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[drron29]

The young fur seals were as inquisitive and fast as ever.The older seals were a little slower.

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There were a few wrecks.This one though was a fur seal playground-

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[drron29]

To the cemetery-

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We toasted the boss with whiskey.There was a bit left over in the bottles so I did my own second toast-

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The view.

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[drron29]

On Shackelton's right was his right hand man-

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Service here was dangerous-

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And he was only 18-

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Off to the whaling station-

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[drron29]

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Reminders of the past-

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[tgh]

We had Prosecco and it was snowing quite heavily.. very atmospheric …One of the highest ticks on my bucket list done and dusted.

A truly remarkable man.

 

 

To the cemetery-

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We toasted the boss with whiskey.There was a bit left over in the bottles so I did my own second toast-

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The view.

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[drron29]

Walking through the whaling station-

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[drron29]

Cant imagine life on a whaler in the Southern Ocean-

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[drron29]

The remains of the ski jump.

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Didn't someone want a second hand stove?

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[drron29]

Now the church which doubled as the library.

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The library cards are still there-

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[drron29]

Off to the museum but first a visit to the Post Office and a postcard to the grandkids-

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Then the museum with one building dedicated to the saga of Shackelton's voyage.1500 Km in a small boat with 6 men.This is the James Caird 3-the original is at Shackelton's old school.

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An explanation of his trip from Elephant Islan to South Georgia followed by crossing South Georgia.

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They did have movies in the later years-

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And the accommodation-

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[drron29]

The important things in life were remembered-

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And where a lot of seals ended up-

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Outside the main museum-

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Preparations for the end of the summer season are in full swing-

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[drron29]

Time to walk back to the zodiacs.It was snowing lightly as I walked back-

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All that's left of the laundry-

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[drron29]

The red thing is a mincing machine.All that is left of the butchers.The accommodation in the last part of the whaling station's time-

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The snow was much heavier now.So lunch whilst we cruise to Stromness.

When we got into the zodiacs at Grytviken our boots were inspected by a Government inspector.I got a perfect rating.I was to be the first on the next zodiac so had a bit of a chat with him.He was finishing 2.5 years on South Georgia and was hoping to get a transfer to Diego Garcia.He was with the British special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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So to Stromness another abandoned whaling station though you can't wander through this one.We are here for a 5Km round trip hike to Shackelton's waterfall where he and his 2 companions slid down at the end of their hike across South Georgia in winter.Cold,desolate with the wind howling and snow flurries.

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[Fletcher]

When we got into the zodiacs at Grytviken our boots were inspected by a Government inspector.I got a perfect rating.I was to be the first on the next zodiac so had a bit of a chat with him.He was finishing 2.5 years on South Georgia and was hoping to get a transfer to Diego Garcia.

 

No pesky cruise ships on Diego Garcia!

 

I'm enjoying your snaps of South Georgia. Thinks I might have to take a tripod for some HDR shots when I go next month.

[Silver Spectre]

Thanks again drron, enjoying your photographic journey across the South Atlantic

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Bill B]

No pesky cruise ships on Diego Garcia!

 

No... only military. What the Brits did to the natives there was truly reprehensible - paradise lost.

[UKCruiseJeff]

No... only military. What the Brits did to the natives there was truly reprehensible - paradise lost.

 

Do you mean the British and the Americans by any chance?

[Bill B]

Do you mean the British and the Americans by any chance?

 

Mostly the British because they were essentially the ones who did it... so they could give the Americans an Indian Ocean air base. The Americans 'in the know' about what was going on kept their mouths shut.

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Bill B

[UKCruiseJeff]

What the Brits did to the natives there was truly reprehensible - paradise lost.

 

 

Mostly the British because they were essentially the ones who did it... so they could give the Americans an Indian Ocean air base. The Americans 'in the know' about what was going on kept their mouths shut.

 

 

I'm almost speechless ........ a first!

[Bill B]

... and undoubtedly not the last.

[Fletcher]

Drron - I think you may have had one of my favourite people on your cruise, a member (or perhaps leader) of the expedition team, a South African woman known as 'JD.'

[drron29]

Indeed JD was the Expedition leader with one of our favourites Dominic as her deputy.