King George Island. Part I. Bellingshausen Station

Map

March 27, 2015

The two-day voyage from Ushuaia through the Drake Passage can be difficult to handle for some passengers. This is a free bonus that comes with the adventurous spirit of cruises in this part of the world: the straight is known for its rough waters. Luckily, I don’t get seasick. Or rather, I get only slightly seasick—most of the time, I’m the only person at the bar.

We finally arrive. The crew lowers the Zodiacs—the inflatable boats most popular with the French special forces and all the cruise companies in the world.

We’re at King George Island (also known as Waterloo Island in Russia). This is the northernmost point of Antarctica. In fact, it’s barely even Antarctica—this is the warmest part. It’s the northernmost island above the very top of the Antarctic Peninsula (see map).

King George Island is heavily populated with research stations belonging to a whole host of countries. The Chinese, Chileans, Russians, Uruguayans, Argentinians, Brazilians, Ecuadorians, South Koreans, Peruvians, Poles, Americans—they’re all here. So what has attracted such a large crowd? A mild climate, accessibility and even an airport to boot. Most people who have “been to Antarctica” have been right here (and not at the South Pole, where there were very few people).

The Chilean station is also a settlement. Although the important countries refuse to recognize it as such (so as not to give Chile a free pass), there are people who live here, as well as a functioning school, supermarket, post office, Catholic chapel and so on.

The Russian station is easy to identify by the Orthodox chapel and a few other details that feel vaguely familiar from childhood. For instance, by the shipping container abandoned on the beach.

A brief summary of the shoreline.

Naturally, there’s a penguin here.

The motherland is unmistakable, even in Antarctica.

A directional totem pole.

Leningradskaya 5125; Molodyozhnaya 4451; Murmansk 16 500 km; Uglich 15 675 km.

A plaque with the date of establishment.

USSR. Bellingshausen Research Station. February 22, 1968.

What’s the first thing the Antarctic traveler sees upon entering the Russian Antarctic station?

DO NOT SLAM DOOR

In order to avoid any suspicion of western influence, there’s a whisk broom with electrical tape and a pervasive atmosphere of Sovietness in general.

All the details are so authentic that you could film a TV show about Russian life here.

A patriotic penguin.

A bear, pennants and an icon.

The hall of fame, with photographs of all the expeditions.

The photo from the first expedition of 1968–1969 is interesting. Particularly the naked chick with the penguin in the center.

13th Soviet Antarctic expedition, Bellingshausen Station—first winter. Clockwise: A. B. Budretsky, station chief; O. N. Alyoshin, radio technician; N. V. Bardanov, diesel power station mechanic; L. V. Vasilyev, radio technician; V. N. Vorobyov, ocean scientist; V. A. Zabarsakin, physician; A. G. Zakabunya, diesel power station mechanic; V. V. Zamortsev, geographer; S. N. Stebayev, meteorologist; A. A. Tarasov, cook; Y. G. Shalunov, physician. (Photo by Alexander Avramov.)

The Chileans: