(Image: Aah-Yeah, cc-3.0)

In this latest installment of our popular Ghost Towns and Abandoned Cities of the World series, we’ve amended the title to reflect that there aren’t any icy cities in Antarctica – unless you believe in Atlantis, that is!  There are, however, freezing former military bases and abandoned whaling stations, with eight of the most impressive ones featured in this article.

Grytviken, South Georgia Island

(Images: Hannes Grobe, CC-SA-3.0; Lieutenant Philip Hall, Wofratz left & right, public domain)

Grytviken, meaning “The Pot Cove”, was the main settlement on the British territory of South Georgia, and certainly the best preserved.  It was established in 1904 by the Norwegian sea captain Carl Anton Larsen as a whaling station for the Argentine Fishing Company, and boasts the final resting place of Anglo-Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton.    Nowadays Grytviken, with its rusting whale oil processing plants and abandoned ships,  is a popular tourist destination, assuming you can get there!

Leith Harbour, South Georgia Island

(Images: Markabq; NASA; Chris Mackinnon; public domain)

It once boasted a hospital, library, cinema, and a narrow gauge railway, and even today the ruins of Leith Harbour are substantial.  Also known as Port Leith, the deserted whaling station on the northeast coast of South Georgia was established and operated by Christian Salvesen Ltd, Edinburgh from 1909 to 1965.  The largest of seven whaling stations near the mouth of Stromness Bay, Leith Harbour accomodated an Argentine detachment during the Falklands War, which surrendered to British forces on April 25, 1982.

Stromness, South Georgia Island

(Images: Amanda Graham, CC-NC-ND-2.0; Rollin, CC-NC-ND-3.0; Rita Willaert, CC-NC-2.0; )

Grytviken cemetery may be the custodian of Shackleton’s body, but Stromness was where the famed explorer was reunited with “civilization” after the epic rescue journey following the loss of his ship, The Endurance, in 1915.  Now just another deserted whaling station on the northern coast of the island, named after the town on Orkney, UK, Stromness began as a “floating factory” in 1907.  The buildings were contructed in 1912, with the whaling station converted into a ship repair yard in 1931 and finally abandoned in 1961.

Whalers Bay, Deception Island

(Images: Lyubomir Ivanov, CC-SA-3.0; Jerzy Strzelecki, CC-3.0; o_thomasy, CC-NC-ND-2.0 )

Britain, Argentina, Norway and Chile have all established bases on Deception Island over the years, and today the icy landmass is home to the oldest ghost town in Antarctica.  A joint Norwegian-Chilean whaling company began using the shelter of Whalers Bay for a factory ship called the Gobernador Bories, and less than a decade later 13 ships were based there.  The British established a permanent base (top) on Deception Island in 1944 after Argentina contested its sovereignty, but this was abandoned after the volcanic eruptions of the late 1960s.  Today the island’s permanent population is zero.

Abanadoned Bases and Research Stations

(Images: Rose ODonnell, CC-NC-ND-3.0; Geoffrey, CC-SA-3.0; Arcibel, CC-SA-3.0; o_thomasy, NC-ND-2.0)

In addition to abandoned whaling stations, Antarctica has numerous deserted military and research bases, mostly on the Antarctic Peninsula where the climate is most mild.  From the top is a former British research station on Horseshoe Island, British “Base E” on Stonington Island, an abandoned Argentine facility and finally, a colourful former Chilean station in Paradise Bay.  If you enjoyed this article, don’t miss Isolated Settlements at the Ends of the Earth.

Explore 42 more Ghost Towns and Abandoned Cities of the World – click here.

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Abandoned whaling station at Grytviken (image by Hannes Grobe, Alfred Wegener Institute)

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic)

South Georgia Island emerges from the ocean just north of Antarctica, making it one of the most isolated and inhospitable places on Earth.  With no native population whatsoever, it’s little wonder the island’s abandoned settlements and ships remain as they were when the last whalers moved out – albeit rusting and slightly mysterious versions of their former selves.

South Georgia Island (image via Google Earth)

Rusting hull of Petrel (image by 'christopher')

South Georgia is a British overseas territory.  In 1775 explorer Captain James Cook circumnavigated the island, naming it “the Isle of Georgia” in honour of King George III.  To this day, the only inhabitants are the British Government Officer, Deputy Postmaster, scientists and support staff from the British Antarctic Survey – perhaps more of a punishment than a scientific outpost…

Image via 'christopher'

Image via 'christopher'

Near to the capital, King Edward Point, is the old Norwegian whaling station at Grytviken, operated under leases granted by the British Govenor of the Falkland Islands.  Founded in 1904 and operating until 1965, the station remains essentially unchanged today, with it’s original whale oil tanks and docked fishing vessels rusting away – an eerie and enigmatic sight beneath the Antarctic sun.

Abandoned oil tanks (image by wili hybrid)

Image by Graham Racher

In April 1916, legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton‘s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition became stranded on Elephant Island, 800 miles south west of South Georgia. Shackleton and five companions ventured out in a small boat in search of help, and on May 10, after an epic voyage, they landed at King Haakon Bay on South Georgia’s south coast.

Three remained at the coast while Shacketon and other two covered 22 miles overland to reach help at Stromness whaling station. The remaining 22 members of the expedition, who had stayed on Elephant Island, were all subsequently rescued. During a later expedition in January 1922, fate finally caught up with Shackleton who died onboard ship near South Georgia. His body was taken ashore, and his grave (below) can be found at Grytviken – a fitting end for a celebrated adventurer.

And if anyone fancies pulling on their Antarctic exploration boots, check out this opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the intrepid explorers and join the next South Georgia expedition.

Ernest Shackleton's grave (image by Lexaxis7)

(Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)

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