Antarctic Historic Site Number 39 - Stone Hut at Hope Bay by Ella Derbyshire

Nikon D80's

Hope Bay was discovered by Otto Nordenskjold during The Swedish Polar Expedition in the 1st years of the 20th Century. Nordenskjold and five men from the expedition spent the winter of 1901-02 on Snow Hill Island conducting research. The Steam Freighter Antarctic, which dropped them off, was to retrieve them in the Spring of 1902. Unfortunately, next year's ice was treacherous and the Antarctic couldn't reach the island.

Three expedition members on the Antarctic, Dr. Gunnar Andersson, Lt. Samuel A. Duse and Seaman Toralf Grunden, were put ashore at Hope Bay with plans to reach Nordensjold at Snow Hill Island by sledge. They were supposed to tell him that the Antarctic was having difficulty reaching Snow Hill Island. The Antarctica then continued its efforts to approach to Snow Hill by sea.

Unfortunately, the Antarctic was crushed by the ice, and the party from Hope Bay could not get to Snow Hill either.

The 3 parties of men, the team of researchers at Snow Hill, the 3 at Hope Bay and 6 survivors from the Antarctic, spent the winter of 1902-03 in 3 separate huts in 3 separate locations.

From December 1902 until September 1903, Andersson, Duse and Grunden lived in the shelter pictured here. They used the nearby Adelie penquin colony for food and fuel. When the weather warmed, they resumed their efforts to reach Dr. Nordenskjold and his team. On November 8, 1903, all three parties were reunited at Snow Hill Island, and they were all rescued by Captain Irizar and the Uruguay, which was a gunboat that Argentina had sent to search for the Antarctic when she did not return to Argentina.

This tale of winter survival is one of the great stories of early Antarctic exploration. The stone hut remains as a tribute to the men and their extraordinary experience.

Thank you Sally for showing me the door.