Grytviken

Whaling Station.

On the northern flank of South Georgia lies Grytviken, sheltered in Cumberland Bay East. It consists of a cluster of huts and buildings at the head of King Edward Cove. What was once a flourishing whaling station is now a muddled array of deserted factories, workshops, hostels and power units with three old steam whalers lying forlornly against the rickety wharfs.

Museum.

South Georgia Museum was established in 1992 in Grytviken. Now beautifully restored, it was once the Manager's Villa. Information on the island's wildlife and heritage, including the whaling industry and Shackleton's journey across South Georgia, is carefully housed and displayed. There are many original artifacts, photographs and paintings. A small shop provides a good selection of books and interesting souveniers. Tim and Pauline Carr manage the museum. Their responsibilities include the care and preservation of the Whalers Church and cemetery at Grytviken, Shackelton's grave and the Shackelton Memorial Cross at Hope Point.

Church. The little Norwegian Church, established by C A Larsen, was dismantled from its original site at Strommen in Norway and re-erected in Grytviken in time for Christmas day 1913. Its two bells which still hang in its steeple were cast in Tonsberg, Norway. After a short while, despite the arrival of a new pastor and the fine, newly-built church, the new young pastor reluctantly admitted: "Christian life unfortunately does not wax strong among whalers".

During the 1990's, the museum curator, Tim Carr completed a project to repair and restore the Church. Every year in the words of Nan Brown the author: 'the little church, normally so empty and quiet, becomes a glorious blaze of light on Christmas Eve and the sound of the organ echoes around the darkening fjord'.

Cemetery.
The cemetery is famous for Sir Earnest Shackleton's grave, but also of interest are the graves of the whalers and sealers, one of which dates as far back as 1838. At the height of the whaling era in the 1960's a magistrate lost his life when he was swept into the bay by an avalanche, his grave can be found here. Also lying here is the grave of Felix Artuso, an Argentine submariner who lost his life, a poignant reminder of the 1982 war between Britain and Argentina.

King Edward Point

The small isthmus at the head of the cove is called King Edward Point. It houses the Government's administrative center and is home of the British Antarctic Survey Applied Fisheries Research Station.

Discovery House.
Discovery House was the shore station for early research on the island. It was built in 1925 at the time the Royal Research Ship' Discovery' was employed in the Southern Oceans. Around this time the enormous increase in whaling activities at South Georgia and in the South Seas had led Parliament in London to be concerned about the preservation of the whaling industry. Research into the migration and pattern of whale stocks, the importance of Antarctic krill in the diet of whales and in the food chains of the entire region around South Georgia was monitored and appreciated. Detailed studies were also made of the seals and bird-life on the Island. The refurbished building of Discovery House stands adjacent to the BAS Research Station and can be seen by visitors to King Edward Point, South Georgia.

Shackleton's Memorial Cross and Hope Point.
Beyond the Research Station, lies the Shackleton Memorial Cross at Hope Point. Shackleton had returned to South Georgia in order to undertake his fourth expedition, this time to circumnavigate the Antarctic Continent. However while he was on board his ship, The Quest, moored in King Edward Cove, he died from a heart attack early in the morning on 5th January 1922. At his widow's request, his comrades buried him in Grytviken. In 1928 a granite gravestone was sent from Britain and was erected and unveiled by Governor Hodson.