Projects

South Georgia's Maritime Past recreated

In the new Carr Maritime Gallery at South Georgia Museum, constructed thanks to support from South Georgia government, we are resurrecting South Georgia’s maritime history with a display on the former steam trawler Dias, which can be seen outside the museum. A scale model of the ship and it’s original bell have been donated to the museum for one season by the Hull Maritime Historical Studies Centre, Dr Robb Robinson who arranged for the bell to be brought to Hull from South Georgia, Arthur Credland, Keeper of Hull Maritime Museum, and Alan Hopper, the director of Hull's Fishgate market. Read all about the history of the Dias, formerly the Viola, and support the campaign to secure her long-term preservation here.

 

 

The bow of the Alert, will also be on show and you can read its fascinating story. The Alert was a wooden launch used by the Discovery Investigations
(DI) to survey inshore around South Georgia in the 1920s and 1930s in
order to improve the navigational charts for vessels working in and
around the bays. She ended her days in the Falklands and was sadly burnt on a beach, probably by landowners who did not know or appreciate her historic value. Her bow remains and will be on display in SGHT's new Carr Maritime Gallery next to the museum.To go to the new South Georgia Museum Website click here.

 

 

 

Also on display will be a full-size replica of Shackleton's famous lifeboat, the James Caird.To read the full story of the James Caird III as it's affectionately known click here .

 

 

 

 

 

Restore the interior of Husvik Manager's Villa

SGHT was able to combine two of its goals, education and conservation of heritage, when it restored the exterior of Husvik manager’s villa early in 2006. A team of Norwegians from the Sandefjord area so closely related to the whaling history of South Georgia, volunteered their time and restored Husvik’s exterior, making it weather tight and safe for expeditions and researchers to use. The historic villa was used as a base by the British Schools Exploring Society in December 2006, when the participants got involved in surveys and other scientific training. The villa has recently fulfilled a very valuable role in terms of supporting UK Government scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU).

Now in 2008 five members of the original team have returned to Husvik to renovate the interior of the building, ready for visiting scientists and researchers.To find out more about Husvik manager's villa and support the project click here

 

Habitat Restoration phase 1

Year 1 work on the Habitat Restoration for South Georgia's birds is now officially underway. Environmental impact assessments will be carried out and previous overflight data checked. Planning can start on a trial eradication on Bleaker island, which will show the likely results of bait spreading on South Georgia itself. To support the Habitat Restoration project click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture of the Dias in its former incarnation as the steam trawler Viola

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Alert played her part as a survey launch in the Discovery Investigations

 

The first James Caird replica with its builder and owner Bob Wallace, in the 1999 Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Husvik after exterior renovation early in 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antarctic Tern over Bird Island