South Georgia Survey facts for kids
The South Georgia Survey was a series of exciting trips to explore and map the island of South Georgia. These expeditions were led by a brave explorer named Duncan Carse between 1951 and 1957. Even though people had been using South Georgia for whaling for many years, much of the island's inside parts were still a mystery. Old maps were mostly based on what James Cook drew when he first visited in 1775. The main goal of the South Georgia Survey was to create new, super-accurate maps of the whole island. The team worked during four summer seasons: 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, and 1956–57.
Exploring South Georgia: The South Georgia Survey
The South Georgia Survey was a big project to map an island that was mostly unknown. It helped us understand the true shape and size of South Georgia. These expeditions were important for science and exploration.
Why Map South Georgia?
South Georgia is a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean. For a long time, it was used by whaling ships. But the maps of its inner parts were very old. They were based on the first drawings made by Captain James Cook in 1775. The survey aimed to create new, detailed maps. These maps would show the entire island accurately. This was a huge task because the island is very rugged.
Who Paid for the Adventure?
Many groups helped pay for the South Georgia Survey. The Royal Geographical Society was a big supporter. The Falkland Islands Dependencies also provided money. Odhams Press and other private people helped too. The War Office and Ministry of Supply gave the team special cold-weather food. They also lent warm clothes and sledging gear.
Getting to South Georgia was part of the adventure. The team traveled on ships that supplied the whaling stations. These ships also carried whale oil back to markets. Survey members often rode these whaling vessels. This helped them map the coast. It also allowed them to be dropped off or picked up for work inland. The team used the whaling town of Grytviken as their main base. They even stayed in the Grytviken jail, which was usually empty and had space for a few people.
The First Journey: 1951–52
The first expedition started with six men. Duncan Carse was the leader. Kevin Walton was his deputy. Gordon Smillie and John Heaney were the surveyors. Alec Trendall was the geologist. Walter Roots was the mountaineer.
The team left Glasgow, Scotland, on September 16, 1951. They sailed on a whaling ship called Southern Opal. They finally reached South Georgia on November 1.
A Tricky Start: Injury and Progress
Their goals for this trip were clear. They wanted to map the southwest coast of the island. This area was between Cape Disappointment and King Haakon Bay. They also planned to survey the island's interior. This was the part away from the whaling stations.
In early January, something unexpected happened. The geologist, Alec Trendall, fell into a deep crack in the ice called a crevasse. He hurt his left leg badly. The team spent a whole week carefully moving him back to Grytviken. He was treated at the whaling station's hospital. Then, he was sent home on a ship called Orwell.
The remaining team members kept working. They started surveying again in late January. They continued until late March. By the end of this season, they had mapped about 35–40% of the island's inside. Their work showed that South Georgia was a bit narrower than old maps suggested. This meant they might finish mapping the whole island in just three seasons. The team left South Georgia on April 18, again on the Southern Opal.
The Second Journey: 1953–54
The second expedition had four men. K. Warburton was the medical officer. Duncan Carse, Gordon Smillie, and Alec Trendall returned from the first trip. They left Glasgow on August 29, 1953. They arrived at Leith Harbour on October 10.
Facing Challenges: Illness and Weather
From the very beginning, Warburton was not well. He had a stomach problem. He had to stay behind in Grytviken. He was sent home on the Orwell early in 1954. The other three members continued the survey work. But they faced bad weather. Also, Smillie had to leave early. Carse and Trendall left South Georgia on the Southern Opal on April 17.
Another Expedition: 1954–55
Duncan Carse's South Georgia Survey did not go to the island during the 1954–55 year. However, another group went there. This was the British South Georgia Expedition. It was led by George Sutton. This expedition mainly focused on climbing mountains. But they also did some mapping. Their results were later added to the South Georgia Survey's final maps.
The Third Journey: 1955–56
The third expedition was bigger and more ambitious. It had eight men. Carse was still the leader. Warburton returned as the doctor and deputy leader. Tony Bomford and Stan Paterson were the surveyors. George Spenceley was the photographer. There were also three mountaineers: Tom Price, Louis Baume, and John Cunningham.
Finding Shackleton's Path
Before this trip, they planned to focus on four areas. These parts of the map were still blank. A second goal was to find the exact path used by Ernest Shackleton. He made a very famous journey across the island in 1916. This was during his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
The team arrived at Leith Harbour on September 24, 1955. They traveled on the Southern Opal. This third season was very successful. They filled in all the major blank spaces on the island's map. They also found the uncertain parts of Shackleton's famous route. The team left for home on the Southern Garden on April 3, 1956.
The Final Touch: 1956–57
Duncan Carse returned to South Georgia alone for a short time. He wanted to finish mapping a few small areas that were still not surveyed. He stayed on the island from September 25 until mid-November. This final trip completed the amazing work of the South Georgia Survey.
