Whaling, science and discovery - conserving South Georgia Island

Furthering the university and city’s links with ‘discovery’ the Project Atlantis team is currently expanding its eco-activity on South Georgia Island setting up a museum in an old whaling station for the increasing number of tourists and preserving and returning to its former glory a house on King Edward Point called 'Discovery’.

The government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands plans to turn ‘Discovery House’ which was built in 1925 for research and recently restored, into an educational attraction. The house was used by scientists until 1931 and was complemented by research aboard Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Royal Research Ship Discovery when it visited the island. Elaine Shemilt, David Nicholls and Steve Ellis have made an international appeal for artifacts belonging to any of the Discovery scientists which will help them build up a picture of life conducting scientific research on the remote island.

Across from King Edward Point a whaling station is situated at Grytviken where Sir Ernest Shackleton is buried. The team is renovating one of the old whaling buildings into a museum to cater for tourists who stop off to visit South Georgia on cruise ships. The island has seen a massive increase in visitor numbers over the past couple of years and due to its delicate environment and rare species cannot afford to have tourists disturbing the wildlife on the island. The whaling station situated on the coast is therefore the ideal spot for an accessible visitor centre. The museum will also celebrate 100 years of whaling in Grytviken. www.sgisland.org

Photos by David Nicholls.