Grytviken - where the whales died..

We spent the entire day in the beautiful little bay of Grytviken! There was light rain in the morning, almost no wind, and rumors of sunny weather in the forecast—which later turned out to be true!

We began the day with a landing at the graveyard (for humans), where young men, primarily whalers, have been buried over the years. Most of them died due to tragic work accidents or natural causes. The majority of the names are Nordic, and most of these men passed away before the age of 25. Among some of the older people that lies here, is Sir Ernest Shackleton I wrote about yesterday, buried here in 1922 after he died of a heart attack during yet another Antarctic expedition. The last person interred here was a young Argentinian sailor who died in 1982 during Britain’s recapture of the territory in the Falklands War.

Tens of thousands of whales were shot, brought to Grytviken, and slaughtered to be processed into oil. The site operated as a whaling station until 1935. Some of the buildings, along with a couple of the old whaling boats, still stand today as reminders of a grim past—thankfully behind us when it comes to whales, though overfishing remains a current issue (a topic for another day).

The whalers worked 12-hour shifts every day, seven days a week. Most were Norwegians, and while the base was busiest in summer, nearly 100 workers remained during the winter. A small wooden church, built in Norway (Tønsberg) and shipped to Grytviken, was assembled here. Despite the whalers’ limited interest in religion, they appreciated Christmas celebrations in the church—and the fact that it also housed a library, which still stands today and is filled with Norwegian books.

We had time to explore the factory buildings, old ships, a wonderful little museum, and the post office. Grytviken is also home to the official British government building and administration for South Georgia, located at King Edward Point, a bit further out in the bay and not open to the public.

After a sunny and historically fascinating morning, we returned to the Ocean Albatros for a stunning BBQ on the sundeck—an impressive effort by the ship's staff!

In the afternoon, I joined a small group of guests and hotel staff for a kayaking trip. It was truly amazing to spend a few hours on the water, observing wildlife from a different perspective. The chill sensation of gliding through the 2°C water, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, was unforgettable.

Now, the hunt for a safe harbor for the coming days is underway. A giant storm is raging in the Southern Ocean right now, with wind speeds expected to reach up to 74 knots (150 km/h) in the next 24 hours.
Tomorrow will likely be a day spent aboard the ship!Lue lisää