Science and Surveys

 

Science:

Early scientific exploration perhaps first reached South Georgia on 27 December 1819 when a Russian expedition commissioned by Tsar Alexander I and led by Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen arrived. A detailed account reported numbers of whales and many species of birds and giant kelps near Willis Island. James Weddell arrived in 1823. He gave an account of the island's natural history, the exploitation of seals by the sealers and he recorded the first seismic activity by observing the dish of mercury being used as a horizontal mirror for surveying, equinoctial gales were also recorded.

The first land-based scientific expedition took place from August 1882 to September 1883. A German team led by Dr K Schrader, included physicists, a meteorologist, a botanist, a zoologist, medical officer, an engineer and artist, a mechanic, a cook, a carpenter, and a seaman. The scientific programme included astronomical, meteorological, geomagnetic, gravimetric, and tidal observations. Biological, geological and other research was undertaken. The expedition brought in for the first time a hound, 3 oxen, 17 sheep, 6 goats with 3 kids and 2 geese. The team also tried to grow potatoes, rye, barley, wheat and some salad. The expedition was a success and in particular provided some valuable mapping of the local area that was used subsequently in the Admiralty charts of the area.

The ship Antarctic captained by C A Larsen, anchored in Jason harbour in 22 April 1902. Scientist on board, J G Anderson, C J Skottsberg and S Duse made zoological, botanical, and geological collections and observations, prepared charts, and undertook significant other work. The ship visited Moltke Harbour, Cumberland Bay, Maiviken (May Cove), Grytviken (Pot Cove) (which Andersson named), Possession Bay and Bay of Isles. The first fossil from South Georgia was collected near Moraine Fjord. The expedition results were published and many charts prepared. C A Larsen learnt much about the economic potential of the island. The expedition subsequently lost its ship by being crushed in the Antarctic ice, and was stranded during the 1903 winter until rescued on Snow Hill Island in November 1903 by the Argentine ship Uruguay Captained by Irizar.

Dr Wilheim Filcher led a German expedition on 3 visits during 1911 and 1912 to conduct geological, geophysical, meteorological and some other scientific investigations in the Deutschland. On arrival in South Georgia C A Larsen made the steam Yacht Undine available. The expedition opened and used the 1882/3 Polar Year expedition base, albeit that only the main building was useable having cleared out the accumulated snow and repaired the roof. On return from South Sandwich Islands, while anchored in King Edward Cove, the wireless operator Walter Slossarczyk went out in a small open boat on 26 November. He was never seen again. The whale catcher Fortuna found the boat well out Cumberland Bay. A memorial cross was erected to his memory and still stands above the cemetery in Grytviken. The expedition provided much improved charts of South Georgia, astronomical positions and photogrammetric survey details were available as well as hydrographic surveys.

The sealer Daisy was probably the last to visit South Georgia at the end of the first epoch of sealing. On board was a naturalist R.C Murphy, sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. He wrote a valuable account of his findings and collections of flora and fauna that included over 100 birds skins, seal skulls, whale embryos, fish, invertebrates, plants and rocks.

Barrett-Hamilton of the British Natural History Museum undertook a scientific investigation of whales in 1913/14. He sampled 294 whales processed at Leith. P Stammwitz was his assistant. He had previously escaped, as the first prisoner, from the unfinished goal in the customs warehouse on King Edward Point. He fled up the steep slopes of Mount Duse while stoning his pursers. After a very cold and windy night out he returned voluntarily to the jail!

Alberto Carcelles, made a series of collections and observations on the birds of South Georgia on behalf of the National Museum in Buenos Aires between 1923 and 1927. He also prepared a report on birds, whales, whaling and various other aspects of the island. Captain, Richardo Vago conducted a hydrographic survey in Cumberland bay and took geomagnetic observations at Royal Bay

A number of scientific voyages to research the whaling industry were made by consul Lars Christiansen 1927-29 that were complementary to the investigations made by RRS Discovery. Lars Christiansen, son of whaling pioneer Chr. Christiansen, founded a whaling museum in Sandefjord, Norway, in his fathers' memory.

The principal objective of the Kohl-Larsen Expedition 1928-29 was to study the glaciations of South Georgia. Part of the exploration included the large ice plateau behind Husvik that was later named the Kohl-Larsen Plateau, now called the Kohl plateau. Glaciological, geological, biological and meteorological observations were made. Many fossils and biological specimens were collected. The first commercial cinematographic film was made on South Georgia showing the expeditions activities, whaling and wild life.

Eric Dutert, a German from the University of La Plata, Argentina, published a book in 1931 of his two man biological expedition. It contained a good description of the Grytviken whaling station and its activities.

Niall Rankin led a private ornithological expedition to the island in 1946/47. Albatross was a converted lifeboat taken to the island on a whale factory ship, the Southern Venturer. Rankin studied penguins and published an illustrated book in 1951.

Steiner Olsen, a Norwegian investigated the fisheries potential around the island in 1951/52. The project resulted in two boats fishing the next season only, due to the depression in the price of fish and whale oil.

Both Bernard Stonehouse and Nigel Bonner during the period 1953-55 conducted biological studies and produced several scientific reports on reindeer, king penguins, the brown skua and other animals. This was the start of Nigel Bonner's long association with the island. He was appointed sealing inspector and government naturalist shortly after the expedition.

As part of the International Geophysical Year (1955-59) international cooperation studies were made on South Georgia, and a small laboratory was established at King Edward Point where seismic and gravitational observations were made. The meteorological observatory contributed. A tide meter measured mean sea levels. A glaciological study principally on Hodges glacier was undertaken.

Expeditions to Bird Island from 1958 to 1964 under the leadership of Lance Tickell were the pre-cursor to British Antarctic Survey's permanent field station that is in operation today. The island has become a major centre for the study of Antarctic seal and bird studies. The GSGSSI applied fisheries research station at King Edward Point is also managed by British Antarctic Survey scientists.

 

Surveys:

The first survey of South Georgia started when Captain Cook claimed the island in 1775 and continues today. Captain Cook's chart drawn in 1777 contained 18 named features. Charts were developed throughout the early sealing period as the sealers explored the island's coastline in search of fur seals. Voyages of exploration contributed to the knowledge of the island, an early example was the chart that was drawn after the 1819 Russian expedition.

The first Royal Navy hydrographical charts for South Georgia were published in 1906. Many Royal Navy ships have been involved in hydrographical survey of the waters of South Georgia. HMS PROTECTOR served in the southern oceans for 10 years up to 1967 and was then replaced by HMS ENDURANCE in June 1968. The Royal Navy has provided the data for a substantial proportion of the charts of the region. HMS ENDURANCE continues to survey the offshore area surrounding South Georgia. In particular as a priority she has been and continues to survey those areas visited by cruise vessels.

Duncan Carse Survey 1951 to 1957 was the first comprehensive survey of the island's interior. Carse's first expedition in 1951/52 was a topographic survey and familiarisation. A team of 6 lived comfortably in the jail on King Edward Point. The expedition surveyed the area to the Southern end of the Allardyce range and northern end of the Salvesen range. Carse's second expedition of 4 men arrived on 10 October 1953 and reoccupied the jail. Their survey started in the Bay of Isles (Ample Bay).

The team discovered some significant inaccuracies with existing maps of up to 10 km. Three of the team then visited the southern end of the island landing at Wirik Bay on 11 January 1954. They surveyed much of the southern part of the island. Finally they surveyed Annenkov Island leaving South Georgia on 11 January 1954. The third survey 1955/56 included 8 men during a spell of good weather, although at one point 2 of their 4 tents were destroyed in a severe storm. The survey included the route taken by Sir Ernest Shackleton. They completed the survey of the western end of the island by the end of January 1956 and then the southern end of the island by 1 March 1956, with little time left the team focused on the area south of the Kohl-Larsen Plateau. Duncan Carse finished the survey alone during the summer of 1956/7 when he was able to cover much of the coastline in the sealers Albatross and Dias.

The results of Carse's very accurate work plus some features from aerial photography from HMS Protector's helicopter where published in the Director of Overseas Survey map in 1958. Carse had privately funded the expedition. The peak Mount Carse, 7,649 feet was named in recognition of his remarkable achievements. Today satellite imagery at British Antarctic Survey is used to compile maps of South Georgia's interior.