Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/02/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Still on South Georgia, two locations with a strong flavour of Shackleton. Fortuna Bay is adjacent to Stromness, and at the very end of his heroic journey, he traversed the bay, climbed a hill and descended to Stromness and civilization. Just a few photographs from there: Fur Seals: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_3039.jpg.html Moulting King Penguins: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_3099.jpg.html South Georgia Pintail: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140112_3286.jpg.html Grytviken was the premier whaling station on South Georgia throughout the whaling years, set up by a Norwegian, Carl Anton Larsen in 1904. During this period, 1904 to 1965, no less than 175.250 whales had been processed through all the whaling stations on South Georgia, in addition to millions of seals (both fur and elephant seals), leading to the virtual decimation of all these populations around South Georgia. In addition, the human presence introduced the brown rat, which in turn decimated all the ground breeding birds in the pockets where it is present. Luckily, it cannot spread throughout the island, as it is blocked by glaciers. There is an effort going on at present to systematically exterminate it wherever it is established. Shackleton died here on his Fourth Polar Expedition, and at his wife's request, was buried at the graveyard at Grytviken: Approaching Grytviken: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140112_3333.jpg.html Grytviken: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140112_3354.jpg.html The Whaler's Church: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140112_3426.jpg.html Shackleton's Grave: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140112_3367.jpg.html A Toast: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140112_3371.jpg.html Please see LARGE Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome Cheers Jayanand