White buildings = research station; in the mist on the left are the whaling station ruins.

Today's visit will be our second time at Grytviken — SGI.

Including eradicating the rat population; removing the introduced reindeers.

Using dogs to inspect incoming vessels to ensure rats are not reintroduced onto SGI.

Additional protections for sensitive sites, such as the wandering penguin rookery on Prion Island.

New projects being initiated with regards to the island's whaling history.

Restoring the Stromness manager's villa where Shackleton arrived from Elephant Island.

In remembrance of the 175,000 whales that were hunted and processed at the SGI whaling stations.

Removing things like asbestos and fuel from the old whaling stations.

And on that note ... time to bundle up and go ashore in Grytviken.

RWSE Day 6: Grytviken … Heritage Trust

February 16 in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ⋅ 🌧 37 °F

“Human effort is not futile, but man fights against the giant force of nature in a spirit of humility.” ~~ Sir Ernest Shackleton ~~ (from the Daily Program)

We arrived at our anchorage in Cumberland Bay during breakfast. Grytviken — once a whaling station and now the government seat, if you will, for the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands — was off in the distance. The morning was misty. Snow was spitting. Those conditions, however, would be changing soon enough.

While the Captain and our Expedition Leader [EL] Sara dealt with the formalities that would allow us to go ashore, we gathered in the bar for a presentation by a member of the South Georgia Heritage Trust.

The mission of the Trust is twofold … as described on its website …

“ To help efforts to conserve and protect those species of indigenous fauna and flora that breed and grow on South Georgia or in the surrounding seas and to raise awareness of South Georgia’s threatened species;

* To assist efforts to preserve the historical heritage of South Georgia, including selected historical sites of importance, and increase international awareness of the human history of the island through the South Georgia Museum.”

An interesting glimpse into projects — past, present, and future — in which the Trust is involved.Read more