Antartica PDF

A N T The A last R frontier CTICA
Luis Bertea Rojas
L A U LT I M A
The F R O N T E R A , U N V I A J E P O R L A P E N I N S U L ANTARCTICA A A N TA Rlast T frontier ICA1
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...a mis padres por darme la vida. ...a mi esposa por ensearme a vivirla! ...to my parents for giving me the gift of life. ...to my wife for ANTARCTICA teaching meThe how live it! 3 last to frontier
ANTARCTICA The last frontier
A N T The A last R frontier CTICA
Luis Bertea Rojas

ANTARCTICA The last frontier 5
ANTARCTICA - The last frontier

Editor / Publisher Fotografas / Photographs Diseo grfico / Graphic design Textos / Text Textos geologa/ Geology text Textos sobre flora y fauna/Flora & fauna text Traduccin / Translation Impresin / Printed by Editorial Patagonia Interactiva Chiloe 1667 Punta Arenas, Chile Fono/Phone 56-61 226653 www.patagoniainteractiva.com info@patagoniainteractiva.com Primera Edicin bilingue, Espaol-Ingls de 3000 ejemplares Punta Arenas, Patagonia, Chile, diciembre de 2007 First Bilingual edition, Spanish-English, 3000 copies Punta Arenas, Patagonia, Chile, december 2007 ISBN: 956-7820-07-4 Inscripcin N / Registration N 157.725 - 2006 Luis Bertea Rojas Derechos reservados de los textos y fotografas All rights reserved for text and photographs Prohibida su Total o Parcial Reproduccin Partial or Total Reproduction is Prohibited Luis Bertea Luis Bertea Celia Morales - Nancy Luna Andrea Espinoza Consuelo Coloma - Miroslav Rodrguez Ricardo Matus Sara Anderson Imprenta Maval
EDITORIAL
Patagonia
interactiva
Indice / Index
Prlogo / Prologue Mapa Antrtica / Antarctic Map Mapa Pennsula Antrtica Secretos del continente blanco Canal Beagle / Beagle Channel Baha Fildes / Fildes Bay Estrecho Bransfield / Bransfield Strait Rada Covadonga / Rada Covadonga Isla Kopaitic / Kopaitic island Baha Paraiso / Paraiso Bay Canal Prncipe Gustavo / Prince Gustav Channel Isla James Ross / James Ross Island 7 8 9 10 26 38 47 53 66 71 83 89
ste libro es el resultado de un camino que comenz hace algunos aos y que me llev a recorrer gran parte de la Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego y la Antrtica. Viajar por estos lugares, los ms australes del planeta, me dio la oportunidad de conocer su gente, sus bellezas naturales y capturar su esencia a travs de una cmara fotogrfica. Comenc con la Antrtica por ser el destino ms dramtico y apasionante. Quien la conoce, sabe que es un viaje al alma de la tierra, blanca y pura, salvaje y extrema; una travesa para los amantes de la naturaleza virgen y para los de espritu aventurero. Este es el inicio de una serie de obras con las que espero motivar el inters de visitar y proteger estos maravillosos parajes. Quiero que todo aquel que se interne en sus pginas experimente la sensacin de viajar, hacerlo sentir parte del lugar, sin importar que nunca hubiese puesto un pie all. Por eso divid la obra en dos partes. La primera entrega aquellos datos indispensables para formarse una idea de cmo es este territorio. La segunda, y la ms importante, es un recorrido fotogrfico, que comienza en los canales Beagle y Murray, una de las rutas que lleva a enfrentar el Paso de Drake; continuando con los paisajes de las Islas Shetland del Sur y la Pennsula Antrtica, hoy parte del itinerario de los cruceros tursticos. No es casual que el libro lleve por nombre la ltima Frontera. La Antrtica fue el ltimo lugar que el hombre conquist. Un lugar misterioso que por aos apasion a grandes aventureros y atrajo ambiciosas expediciones. Si logro conmover a quien vea estas fotografas, habr cumplido la tarea que me propuse, mostrar lo que mis ojos vieron y el lente de mi cmara atesor para ustedes. Buen viaje. Luis Bertea Rojas
his book is the result of a particular path I chose to follow a few years ago, which has led me to travel across much of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica. Travelling through these places, some of the most southerly on the planet, gave me the chance to meet the people, see the natural beauties and to capture their essence through my camera lens. I began with Antarctica as I feel it is the most dramatic and thrilling destination. Whosoever visits Antarctica knows that this is a voyage right into the heart of the earth, pure and white, wild and extreme; a journey for those who love nature and possess an adventurous spirit. This is the first in a series of books with which I hope to stimulate an interest in both visiting and protecting these wonderful places. I hope that all those who turn these pages will experience the sensation of travelling and get to feel a part of the place, even if they have never actually set foot on this continent. I have divided the book into two parts. The first provides useful information so that the reader can form an idea of what the place is like and the second and most weighty part is a photographic journey which starts in the Beagle and Murray Channels (one of the routes leading to Drakes Passage), before continuing on to the paradises that are the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, places nowadays included in the itineraries of most cruise ships. It is no coincidence that this book is titled the Ultima Frontera (The Last Frontier) as Antarctica was the last place to be conquered by mankind. This mysterious place has sparked the interest of great adventurers and attracted many ambitious expeditions. If I can manage to move those who see these pictures I will have fulfilled the task I set myself: that of showing what my own eyes saw and what my camera recorded. Bon voyage. ANTARCTICA The last frontier 9
Continente Antrtico
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Peninsula Antrtica
Bases antarticas / Antarctic stations
Islas Shetland del Sur Isla Rey Jorge Comandante Ferraz (Brasil) Arctowsky (Polonia) Jubani (Argentina) King Sejong (Corea del Sur) Artigas (Uruguay) Bellingshausen (Rusia) Pdte. Eduardo Frei (Chile) Gran Muralla China (China) Isla Greenwich Arturo Prat (Chile) Isla Livingston Juan Carlos I (Espaa) Pennsula Antrtica Gral. Bernardo OHiggins (Chile) Esperanza (Argentina) Pdte. G. Gonzalez Videla (Chile) Isla Seymor Marambio (Argentina) Isla James Ross Base J. G. Mendel (Czech Republic) Isla Anvers Palmers (USA)
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Secretos del Continente Blanco

Los griegos fueron los primeros en teorizar sobre la existencia del Continente Antrtico hace unos 2 mil 500 aos, y la llamaron Terra Incognita Australis. En esa poca suponan que el hemisferio sur deba albergar grandes continentes para equilibrar los que se encontraban en el norte, o en la tierra -hasta ese entonces- conocida. Sin embargo, debieron pasar muchos siglos para que se dejara de especular sobre estas recnditas tierras. Los exploradores que osaron adentrarse en ellas, lo hicieron por primera vez hace slo 200 aos, convirtiendo a la Antrtica en el ltimo continente en develar sus secretos al ser humano, y result ser el lugar ms fro, ventoso, seco y extremo del planeta. Fue bautizada como Antrtica gracias a que se sita en el punto ms austral del globo. Esta palabra proviene del griego Antarktikos, que significa opuesto al Arktico u Osa Polar, como fue llamada la constelacin del hemisferio norte, situada en el otro extremo del planeta. Muchos imaginan a esta tierra como un lugar inhspito, plano e infinito, parecido a un desierto, pero de nieve y hielo. A pesar de eso, en este sobrecogedor paisaje blanco, rodeado de volcanes, icebergs, glaciares, acantilados y grietas, tambin hay lugar para la vida; hermosos pinginos, focas, elefantes marinos, albatros, skuas, entre otras especies, conviven en sus costas y adornan sus playas e islas. La Antrtica posee una superficie que sobrepasa los 14 millones de km2, una extensin mayor a Europa y Australia juntas. Su forma semi circular tiene directa relacin tectnica con la placa sobre la cual se encuentra asentado el continente; siendo la Pennsula Antrtica, tambin conocida como tierra de OHiggins, la zona ms sobresaliente. Este punto se ubica frente al extremo sur de Chile continental y corresponde al
The secrets of the white continent

The Greeks were the first to speculate about the existence of an Antarctic continent more than 2500 years ago. They called it the Terra Australis Incognita, the unknown south land. At that time it was imagined that the southern hemisphere harboured various large continents which would provide equilibrium for those in the north, or rather the part of the world that was at that time known. However, many hundreds of years passed before the speculation could become fact about this hidden land. The adventurers who dared to explore only did so for the first time some 200 years ago making Antarctica the last continent to reveal its secrets to humans, and it turned out to be the coldest, windiest, driest and most extreme place on the planet. It was named Antarctica thanks to its location in the most southerly point of the globe. The word came from the Greek Antarktikos, which meant opposite to the Arctiko or Ursa Polar, as the constellation of the northern hemisphere was named, as it was situated in the other extreme of the planet. Many thought this land would be an inhospitable, flat and unending place similar to a desert but with ice and snow. However in this overwhelming white landscape surrounded by volcanoes, icebergs, glaciers, cliffs and crevices there is a place for life as well. Beautiful penguins, seals and sea lions, albatrosses and skuas, amongst other animals, live on the coasts and adorn the beaches and islands. Antarctica has a surface area of 14 million km2 (5,460.000 square miles) which is larger than Europe and Australia put together. Its semicircular shape relates directly to the tectonic plate on which the continent is situated. The Antarctic Peninsula, also known as OHiggins Land is the most protuberant section. This peninsula is directly opposite the far
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sector ms septentrional del territorio. Debido a esta relativa cercana, la pennsula acta como la principal puerta de acceso de balleneros, foqueros, exploradores e investigadores, y es tambin all donde se concentra la mayor cantidad de estaciones cientficas. La topografa subglaciar del llamado continente blanco, es en parte montaosa. Las altas cumbres se levantan por sobre el hielo que se desplaza en lenguas desde la zona central hasta alcanzar las costas. Muy caracterstica es la presencia de numerosas plataformas de hielo, que corresponden a grandes masas parcialmente flotantes unidas a la tierra. Las principales plataformas son las de Ross y Filchner, ambas con superficies que bordean los 500 mil km2 y representan la principal fuente de los gigantes icebergs tabulares que deambulan por el ocano Antrtico. De los accidentes geogrficos destaca el Monte Vinson (4 mil 892 mt de altura), en la cadena Ellsworth, y el volcn activo Erebus (3 mil 794 mt), cercano al Mar de Ross. Este ltimo forma parte de las Montaas Transantrticas, una de las cadenas ms largas del mundo con 3 mil km de longitud, y que divide al territorio en dos sectores: la Antrtica Oriental, ms antigua, con una data aproximada de 3 mil millones de aos, y la Occidental, que incluye a la Antrtica Chilena. Casi la totalidad de la superficie est cubierta por una enorme capa de hielo de 2 mil 500 metros sobre el nivel del mar, unas tres veces la altura promedio de cualquier otro territorio, convirtindolo en el continente ms elevado del mundo. El mximo espesor registrado ha sido de 4 mil 800 mt, casi cinco kilmetros de hielo sobre algunos puntos de la estructura rocosa de la Antrtica. Como este continente concentra adems el 90% de todo el hielo existente, la Antrtica es considerada la reserva ms grande de agua dulce del planeta. Si esta capa se derritiera, los ocanos aumentaran unos 70 metros por encima de su nivel actual.
south of continental Chile and is the most northerly point of the continent. Due to its relative closeness to land the peninsula was the principal means of access for whalers, sealers, explorers and investigators and the largest concentration of scientific bases can be found here. The sub-glacial topography of the white continent is partly mountainous. There are high peaks that stick out through the ice; this ice travels in the form of tongues from the central zone right down to the coastal regions. The presence of numerous ice shelves is characteristic; these are partially floating large masses joined to the land. The main shelves are the Ross and Filchner both with areas that are more than 500,000 km2 (195,000 square miles) and these are the main source of the giant tabular icebergs that drift about the Antarctic Ocean. Geographically of particular note are Mount Vinson, 4,892 mt (16,000 feet) in the Ellsworth range and the active volcano Erebus 3,794 mt (12,500 feet) close to the Ross Sea. Erebus forms part of the TransAntarctic Mountain Range which is one of the largest in the world some 3000 km (1860 miles) long. It effectively divides the territory into two sectors, eastern Antarctica which is the oldest part dating from some 3000 million years ago and the western part which includes the Chilean part of Antarctica. Almost all the surface is covered with a layer of ice, some 2500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level, three times the average altitude of any other territory making it the highest continent in the world. The maximum thickness has been measured at 4,800 mt, almost 5 kilometers (16,400 feet) of ice over some rocky places in the Antarctic.
Origen Continental
Hace ms de 500 millones de aos, todas las tierras que conforman el planeta eran parte de un slo continente llamado Pangea, en griego Todas las Tierras. La comunidad cientfica, en base a la teora de tectnica de placas, establece que Pangea se dividi en dos grandes masas continentales durante un periodo que dur entre 300 y 225 millones de aos atrs. De la fragmentacin result, por un lado, Laurasia, continente que uni a Amrica del Norte y Eurasia, y por otro, Gondwana, que congreg a Sudamrica, frica, India, Madagascar, Australia y la Antrtica. El descubrimiento de fsiles comunes en frica, India y Sudamrica, principalmente de reptiles, anfibios, helechos y hayas, adems del registro paleomagntico, dan las bases para la elaboracin de esta teora cientfica. El proceso de desfragmentacin continental dio paso para que en la tierra se viviera un largo perodo glacial, que tuvo lugar entre 320 y 230 millones de aos atrs. Durante ese tiempo, Gondwana lleg a cubrirse completamente por una capa de hielo, lo que cre un efecto de inestabilidad gravitacional, derivando en su desplazamiento hacia lugares ms templados. Posteriormente, hace 220 millones de aos, Gondwana comenz su propia divisin, dando como resultado la formacin de los continentes que hoy conocemos. Mientras se ubicaba en su posicin actual en el extremo sur del globo, hace 65 millones de aos, la Antrtica alcanz su separacin total. Desde entonces han acaecido una serie de procesos
Antarctica has 90% of all the ice in the world, thus the continent is considered to be the greatest reserve of freshwater on the planet. If the ice layer melted the oceans would rise by over 70 meters (250 feet).
The Origin of the Continent

More than 500 million years ago all the land on the planet formed just one continent called Pangaea, Greek for all the lands. The scientific community, basing their theories on the study of the tectonic plates, has established that Pangaea divided into two great continental masses sometime during the period which lasted between 300 and 225 million years ago. This break-up caused the formation of Laurasia, a continent which consisted of North America and Eurasia, and Gondwana which joined South America, Africa, India, Madagascar, Australia and Antarctica. Discoveries of similar fossils in Africa, India and South America (mainly reptiles, amphibians, ferns and beeches) as well as paleo-magnetic records have supported the development of this scientific theory. The continental fragmentation process produced a long period of glaciation which took place between 320 and 230 million years ago. During this time Gondwana became completely covered by an ice sheet which created gravitational instability moving the mass to more temperate
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geolgicos que modelaron su superficie y dejaron al continente tal como se encuentra en la actualidad.
El Implacable Clima Antrtico
climes. Later, some 220 million years ago, Gondwana began its own division, resulting in the continents that exist today. When it reached its current location in the extreme south of the globe, about 65 million years ago, Antarctica completed its separation. Since then a series of geological processes have occurred which have shaped the surface and created the continent that exists today.
La Antrtica presenta caractersticas tan extremas que con seguridad se la podra catalogar como una de las regiones ms inhspitas del mundo. Es ms, no existe registro alguno de la presencia de vida humana autctona dentro de sus tierras, ya que el drstico ambiente, que influye en los cambios climticos de todo el hemisferio sur, crea a menudo condiciones muy adversas para la supervivencia humana. Las incesantes transformaciones que experimenta el territorio con la llegada de cada estacin, le han llevado a asumir el nombre de Continente Pulsante. Esto porque si durante el verano la superficie aproximada es de 14 millones de km2, en invierno, cuando el mar adyacente se congela, su extensin aumenta al doble. La solidificacin de las aguas no es difcil de imaginar si pensamos que las temperaturas que se ostentan son las ms bajas de todo el planeta. En los meses clidos, el promedio en la costa no supera los 0 C, mientras que en el interior vara entre -15 C y -35 C. Por su parte, en los meses ms fros, las temperaturas en el litoral fluctan entre los -15 C y -30 C, y en el centro entre -40 C y -70 C, siendo -89,6 C la temperatura ms baja registrada en la base rusa Vostock en 1983. El nico lugar que manifiesta una temperatura promedio invernal ms templada de -9 C es la Pennsula Antrtica. Este es el sector menos adverso para el hombre, por lo que all reside la mayor parte de la poblacin que mantiene presencia en este continente. Otro factor que caracteriza a la Antrtica son sus escasas lluvias, que adems tienden a disminuir desde la costa hacia el interior. Aqu la media anual de precipitaciones equivale a menos de 70 mm de agua,
The implacable Antarctic climate

Antarctica has such extreme characteristics that it can be, without a doubt, categorised as the most inhospitable region in the world. Furthermore there is no evidence for the presence of any native human life on its lands as the drastic environment, that influences all the climatic changes in the southern hemisphere, often creates conditions which would be completely adverse to human survival. The constant transformations that the territory experiences with the arrival of each new season have given the continent the name of the Living continent. In summer the approximate surface area covers 546,000 square miles, in winter this figure doubles. This freezing over of the sea is not difficult to imagine considering that the temperatures reached are the lowest on the planet. In the warmer months the average coastal temperature does not go above 32 F whilst inland the temperature varies between 5 F and -31 F. During the coldest months the coastal temperature fluctuates between 5 F and -22 F, whilst the inland temperatures range between -40 F and -94 F. The lowest temperature ever registered was -129,3 F which was recorded in the Russian Vostok Base in 1983.
siendo ms rido que el desierto del Sahara. Las pocas precipitaciones se suman a los fuertes vientos catabticos que soplan por la llanura polar y pueden alcanzar velocidades de hasta 300 km/h. Estos vientos se comportan como verdaderos temporales y pueden durar varios das e incluso semanas, el ms intenso registrado en la superficie terrestre se produjo en julio de 1972, en la estacin cientfica francesa Dumont dUrville, y fue de 327 km/h.
The Antarctic Peninsula is the only place that has an average winter temperature of warmer than 9 C. This is the least adverse region for humans, which means that the largest part of the population resident in Antarctica is to be found on the peninsula. Another characteristic of Antarctica is the scarce rainfall, which decreases from the coast to the interior. The average rainfall is less than 70mm making this place more arid than the Sahara Desert. This slight precipitation adds to the strong, sudden katabatic winds that blow across the polar plain, which can reach temperatures of up to 300 km/h (186 m/ph). These winds are like real storms and can last days and even weeks. The most intense storm registered on land was at the French scientific base Dumont dUrville where winds of 327 km/h (202 m/ph) were recorded in July 1972.
Das y Noches
En este continente el da dura seis meses y la noche otros seis. En el mes de enero -pleno verano- los das tienen luz casi las 24 horas, mientras que en invierno, permanecen en tenue oscuridad. Ms al sur del Crculo Polar Antrtico hay al menos un da en que no se pone completamente el sol (solsticio de verano) y por lo menos una noche en que no sale totalmente el sol (solsticio de invierno).
Day and Night

On this continent, day lasts six months and night for the other six. In the month of January, in high summer, the days have light for almost 24 hours whilst winter remains bathed in a constant pale darkness. Further south, beyond the Antarctic Circle, there is at least one day when the sun does not set (summer solstice) and likewise a night when the sun does not rise (winter solstice).
Espectculos Luminosos
La magnfica belleza que posee la Antrtica se ve an ms intensificada con la luz que se proyecta durante los amaneceres y atardeceres. Estos procesos tan cotidianos para la mayora, aqu se transforman en verdaderos espectculos, que han sido admirados por unas pocas personas. A estos instantes de majestuosidad hay que agregar la constante ocurrencia de fenmenos pticos. Los ms destacados son: los halos o anillos luminosos que se forman alrededor del sol o de la luna, dando la impresin de ver tres soles o lunas en la misma lnea; una infinidad de espejismos, cuando la luz se refleja sobre las capas superpuestas de aire fro y caliente; y los blanqueos, que hacen perder la nocin de profundidad visual, haciendo difcil localizar objetos en el espacio.
Luminous Shows
The magnificent beauty of Antarctica is intensified by the light produced during the sunrises and sunsets. These processes, usually so mundane for the majority of people, are transformed into amazing spectacles here, although they can be admired by only a few lucky people. To this majestic sight one must add the constant occurrence of optical phenomena. These are truly outstanding and include the halos and rings
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Pero quizs el espectculo ms sorprendente que puede observarse en el extremo sur es la Aurora Austral, un fenmeno luminoso que slo es posible divisar en las zonas prximas a los polos, que es llamado Aurora Boreal cuando ocurre en el rtico. Estas increbles visiones, que se producen en la ionosfera, una de las capas externas de la atmsfera, pueden cambiar de intensidad y variar en los colores dependiendo del nivel en que se generen, siendo algo verdosos a una altura de entre 100 y 150 km sobre el nivel del mar, y ms rojizos en altitudes superiores.
Un Agujero Amenazante
Lo que conocemos como agujero en la capa de ozono, es en realidad un adelgazamiento de la capa encargada de filtrar las radiaciones ultravioleta que llegan a la tierra. Mientras ms delgada se vuelve la capa de ozono, la radiacin toca con ms fuerza la superficie del planeta, afectando al conjunto de las especies. Aunque sus efectos en los seres humanos se encuentran an en estudio, es muy posible que produzcan quemaduras, envejecimiento y cncer a la piel, conjuntivitis, entre otras patologas. Se cree que este fenmeno es producido por los contaminantes que despiden algunos aerosoles y anticongelantes, conocidos como clorofluorocarbonos. Estos txicos se depositan en los cielos antrticos, al ser trasladados por los vientos estratosfricos; una vez all, durante el invierno austral, se mezclan con las nubes ms altas. Con la llegada de la primavera, el sol comienza a tener mayor presencia, el calor de los rayos solares, hacen reaccionar los qumicos que estaban en estado de congelamiento. Este cambio produce molculas de cloro, que son las responsables de disolver temporalmente esta delgada capa, dejando a la tierra sin proteccin contra la nociva radiacin solar.
of light that form around the sun and the moon giving the appearance of three suns or moons in the same line. There are constant mirages when the light reflects on the superimposed layers of hot and cold air, and a blinding whiteness that causes one to lose ones depth of vision, making it difficult to locate objects in the distance. But perhaps the most surprising spectacle that can be seen in the extreme south is the Aurora Australis (Southern lights), a luminous phenomenon that is only seen close to the Poles and is known as the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) in the Arctic north. These incredible visions that are produced in the ionosphere, one of the outermost layers of the atmosphere, can change in intensity and vary their colours depending on the level in which they occur. They seem somewhat green at an altitude of 100 to 150km (60 to 90 miles) above sea level and more reddish when they occur at higher altitudes.
The Threat of the Ozone Hole

What is known as the ozone hole is, in reality, a thinning of the layer in charge of filtering the ultraviolet rays that reach the earth.
Durante estos meses -entre septiembre y diciembre- el adelgazamiento en la capa de ozono, que presenta una forma ovalada y se ubica a unos 900 km2 del Polo Sur, alcanza sus mximas dimensiones, bordeando los 24 millones de km2, pero que incluso ha llegado a 27 millones. Este crecimiento perjudica an con mayor intensidad a los habitantes de las ciudades ms australes del planeta como Ushuaia en Argentina y Punta Arenas en Chile.
As the layer gets thinner the rays become stronger affecting the entire species. Although the effects on human beings are still being studied it is possible that the damage includes burns, conjunctivitis, premature aging, cancer of the skin and other illnesses. It is thought that this phenomenon is caused by the pollutants that are given off by certain aerosols and anti-freezes, known as chlorofluorocarbons. These toxins are deposited in the Antarctic skies having been brought by the stratospheric winds, once there, they mix with the highest clouds during the southern winter. When spring arrives the sun becomes stronger and the heat of the suns rays causes the chemicals that were in a frozen state to react. This change produces chlorine molecules that are responsible for the temporary dissolution of this thin layer, leaving the earth unprotected against the harmful solar radiation. During these spring months, from September to December, the thinning of the ozone layer (an oval shape some 900 km (560 miles) from the South Pole) reaches its largest dimension of some 24 million km2 (9 million square miles), and it has been known to reach 27 million (10 million square miles). This growth in the ozone hole is particularly damaging for the inhabitants of the most southerly cities of the planet, such as Ushuaia in Argentina and Punta Arenas in Chile.
Flora Antrtica
La mayor parte del territorio antrtico es un desierto nival. El clima es tan extremo que la escasa vegetacin existente en la superficie se reduce a musgos y lquenes, presentes sobre las rocas y en zonas ms septentrionales libres de hielo y nieve. Bajo el agua predomina el fitoplancton o plancton vegetal, formado por microorganismos auttrofos e inmviles que realizan fotosntesis. Estas algas microscpicas constituyen el primer eslabn de la cadena trfica de los ocanos, y de ellas se alimentan todos los seres vivos marinos que habitan en el sector. Por su parte, la vegetacin macroscpica se concentra en las costas del continente y en algunas zonas de los nunataks.
Antarctic Flora
The majority of the Antarctic territory consists of desert (covered in perpetual snow and glaciers). The climate is so extreme that the only vegetation that grows on the surface are mosses and lichens which can be found on the rocks and in any of the most northerly zones that are free from ice and snow. Under the sea, phytoplankton or vegetable plankton dominate. They are formed by autotrophic micro-organisms that drift passively during photosynthesis. These microscopic algae are the first link in the food
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La fauna en la Antrtica
Antrtica, es a menudo asociada con la presencia de pinginos en sus hielos. Sin embargo de las 17 especies de pinginos que existen en el mundo solo 3 de ellas basan su ciclo reproductivo en este continente. Las dems especies habitan y se reproducen en una diversidad de ambientes que van desde las mas indmitas islas subantrticas, hasta grandes colonias ubicadas en los continentes americano y africano, algunas de ellas en las cercanas del Ecuador. En la Antrtica las colonias de pinginos y otras aves como petreles se establecen en las costas libres de la cobertura de nieve. Tan solo el pingino Emperador ha logrado adaptarse a las extremas condiciones de fro y viento que dominan la superficie de hielo, sitio escogido por el ms grande de los pinginos para nidificar. Los lobos y focas son los grandes mamferos presentes en las costas del territorio antrtico, territorio que ocupan para reproducirse durante el verano austral. Entre las especies que se pueden observar con frecuencia esta el lobo fino antrtico especie que ha repoblado este paisaje con importantes colonias, luego de ser casi exterminadas en el pasado por su cotizada piel. Otros grandes mamferos marinos que cran en las costas de la pennsula antrtica son los elefantes marinos, estos se desplazan entre la pennsula antrtica y las Georgias de sur durante sus movimientos migratorios. Tambin con frecuencia es posible observar a los leopardos marinos, focas de Weddell, cangrejera y con menor frecuencia a la foca de Ross, todos ellos se reproducen sobre el hielo en latitudes ms cercanas al polo. Las grandes ballenas visitan la antrtica durante la primavera-verano para alimentarse de las grandes masas de krill mientras las mismas cran en latitudes mas bajas. As es posible ver ballenas jorobada, franca austral, azul, minke y orcas, estas ultimas se alimentan de presas mayores como las mismas ballenas, El krill es un crustceo vital en la cadena alimentara de este continente.
chain of the oceans, and they are fed on by other marine life in the area. The macroscopic vegetation is concentrated in the coastal region and on some nunataks (exposed rocks on a glacier).
Antarctic Fauna
The presence of penguins on the ice is an image frequently associated with Antarctica. However, of the 17 penguin species in the world, only three of them actually reproduce on this continent. The other species live and reproduce in a variety of places ranging from the most indomitable sub-Antarctic islands to the large colonies located on the American and African continents, some of which are even close to the equator. In Antarctica, penguins and other birds, such as petrols, establish their colonies on the snow-free coastal beaches. The Emperors, the largest of the species, are the only penguins that have managed to adapt to the extreme conditions of cold and wind that dominate the icy surface, which is their chosen nesting site. Sea lions and seals are the largest mammals found on the coast of Antarctica and it is here that they reproduce during the southern summers. The Antarctic Fur Seal is one of the species that is frequently seen. This species has effectively managed to repopulate important colonies, even though it was almost brought to extinction in the past, due to hunting for its precious fur. The Elephant Seal is another large marine mammal that raises its young on the coasts of the Antarctic peninsula. These seals move between the peninsula and the South Georgia Islands during their migration. Leopard, Weddell, and Crabeater Seals are often seen, whilst the Ross seal can be observed but with less frequency. All of these seals reproduce on the ice at latitudes closer to the pole. The great whales visit Antarctica during spring and summer to feed on the large masses of krill although they breed and raise their young at lower latitudes. Thus Humpback, Southern Right, Blue, and Minke Whales, may be spotted as well as Orca Whales, which feed on larger prey (such as other whales). Krill is a crustacean of vital importance in the food chain of this continent.
Acuarelas de Ricardo Matus Ricardo Matus watercolor
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Poblacin y Bases Antrticas

Cada vez es ms grande el flujo de personas que visitan la Antrtica. Los turistas llegan a estas tierras a bordo de buques de pasajeros que desde hace un tiempo han incorporado en sus rutas de viaje el paso por el continente helado. Sin embargo, existe una poblacin casi permanente que se distribuye en cerca de 100 estaciones cientficas de unos 20 pases. Durante los meses de verano, los habitantes antrticos pueden llegar a las 10 mil personas, pero en invierno, este nmero decae estrepitosamente y son apenas unas mil almas las encargadas de seguir con las labores cientficas y el cuidado de las estaciones. Casi todos los pases miembros del Tratado Antrtico cuentan con bases de investigacin cientfica. Algunas operan durante todo el ao, mientras otras funcionan slo en verano, pero la mayora se concentra en la mitad norte de la Pennsula Antrtica. La que ms tiempo ha estado en operacin continua es la estacin argentina Orcadas, que funciona desde el 22 de febrero de 1904; y la ms grande es la base McMurdo de Estados Unidos, ubicada al sur de Nueva Zelanda, esta posee la microcentral atmica ms antigua del continente. Slo tres estaciones se han aventurado a situarse ms cerca al polo geomagntico sur, ellas son la estacin estadounidense Amundsen-Scott (895951 S - 1391622 E), la rusa Vostok (782800 S - 1064800 E) y la franco-italiana Concordia (750606 S - 1232343 E).
Antarctic Bases and Populations

The number of people who visit Antarctica is increasing all the time. Tourists arrive on board cruise ships that have for some time now included the frozen continent on their travel routes. However there is also a semi-permanent population, which is spread out amongst the 100 or so scientific bases, of twenty different nationalities. In summer the number of Antarctic inhabitants can number as many as 10,000, but in winter this number falls drastically and there are barely 1,000 hardy souls left to carry on with their scientific tasks and the maintenance of the bases. Almost all the members of the Antarctic Treaty have scientific bases. Some operate all year round year whilst others only function during summer and the majority of the bases are located on the Antarctic Peninsula. The Argentine base Orcadas is the oldest functioning base, which has operated since the 22nd February, 1904 and the largest base is the McMurdo Base belonging to the USA. This base directly south of New Zealand has the oldest atomic micro-center on the continent. Only three bases have dared to locate themselves closer to the magnetic South Pole, these are the Amundsen Scott base belonging to the USA (895951 S - 1391622 E), the Russian Vostok Base (782800 S - 1064800 E) and the Franco-Italian Concordia Base (750606 S 1232343 E).
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En Busca de la Tierra Austral

Segn antecedentes del Archivo Municipal de La Haya, es posible que el verdadero descubridor de la Antrtica fuera el Almirante espaol Gabriel de Castilla, al ser el primero en avistar las Islas Shetland del Sur, cercanas al continente. Castilla, al servicio de la corona espaola, zarp desde Valparaso en 1603 abordo del Buena Nueva; cuando se encontraba cerca del Cabo de Hornos, fue arrastrado por vientos y corrientes marinas, alcanzando la latitud 64 grados sur. Desde ese momento y hasta fines del siglo XVIII, el resultado de las expediciones hacia el territorio austral se centraron en el avistamiento de tierras cercanas a la Antrtica, debido en gran parte a su considerable lejana con respecto a los dems continentes y a la inclemencia del clima que reina en los mares antrticos. Tal es el caso del capitn James Cook, que en 1774 divis las Islas Sandwich del Sur en una de las exploraciones que comand hacia la Antrtica. Cuatro aos antes, el marino britnico haba sido el primero en cruzar el Crculo Polar Antrtico, y aunque circunnaveg la Antrtica, nunca pudo vislumbrar el continente. Pero Cook pudo darse cuenta de la existencia de un continente
In search of the South Land

According to historical archives in The Hague, it is possible that the true discoverer of Antarctica was the Spanish admiral, Gabriel de Castilla who was the first to catch sight of the South Shetland Islands that are close to the continent. Castilla, working for the Spanish crown, set sail from Valparaiso in 1603 on board the Buena Nueva. When the boat was close to Cape Horn it was dragged by the strong winds and currents until it reached the latitude 64 S. From this time on, until the end of the 18th century, the expeditions to the southern territory consisted solely of sightings of the far off lands of Antarctica. The failure to observe the actual continent was due mainly to the considerable distance and the inclement weather that dominated these Antarctic waters. Such was the case for Captain James Cook who in 1774 was able to make out in the distance the South Sandwich Islands on one of his explorations to Antarctica. Four years earlier the British sailor had been the first to cross the Antarctic Circle but, although he circumnavigated Antarctica, he was never able to glimpse the continent. But Cook realised that there was a southern
meridional, al divisar en los icebergs ciertos depsitos de rocas. A pesar de las expectativas, la Antrtica no era el exuberante y poblado lugar que la mayora esperaba. Probablemente los que avistaron por primera vez el continente fueron dos grupos cazadores de focas, el del estadounidense Nathaniel Palmer y el de los oficiales navales britnicos William Smith y Edward Branfield; ambos navegaron cerca de la punta de la Pennsula Antrtica en 1820. En febrero del ao siguiente, otro cazador de focas, el capitn estadounidense John Davis, realiz el primer desembarco del que se tiene conocimiento. Por su parte, el ballenero britnico James Weddell descubri en 1823 el mar que hoy lleva su nombre y penetr hasta el punto ms austral que ningn barco haba alcanzado. A pesar de los importantes datos entregados por los navegantes, slo en 1840 se le concede el rango de continente a la Antrtica. Fueron necesarias tres expediciones separadas, una francesa, una britnica y una estadounidense, para asegurar que esa tierra cubierta de hielo que haban visto era realmente una masa continental. Con el estmulo del Congreso Geogrfico Internacional, varios pases enviaron expediciones para visitar la Antrtica hasta principios del siglo XX. Entre ellas una belga, comandada por Adrien de Gerlache; dos britnicas, al mando de Robert Scott y Carsten Borchgrevink, respectivamente; y una alemana, dirigida por Erich Von Drygalski.
continent (not just ice) as he saw rock deposits in the icebergs. In spite of all expectations, Antarctica turned out to be very different from the exuberant and populated place that most people believed it to be. Those who in all probability saw the actual continent for the first time were two groups of seal hunters. The first group was led by the North American, Nathaniel Palmer and the other by two British naval officers, William Smith and Edward Bransfield. Both groups sailed close to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula in 1820. In February of the following year another seal hunter, the North American, Captain John Davis made the first known landing. In 1823 the British whaler, James Weddell, discovered the sea which now carries his name and he was able to reach a point more southerly than any before. In spite of the important data provided by these sailors it was only in 1840 that the range of the Antarctic continent was fully acknowledged. Three separate expeditions were required, one French, one British and one North American to make sure that what had been sighted - a land covered in ice - was truly a continental mass. Encouraged by the International Geographical Congress, various countries sent expeditions to visit Antarctica from this
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La primera expedicin con objetivos cientficos fue la realizada por Adrien de Gerlache. El Capitn belga se dirigi a la zona del ocano Pacfico de la Pennsula Antrtica, pero qued atrapado por el hielo que comenzaba a formarse y tuvo que pasar all el invierno de 1897 y 1898. Un ao despus, la expedicin inglesa de Carsten Borchgrevink desembarc en Cabo Adare y se convirti en el primer grupo de hombres que pas un invierno en tierra. Entre 1901 y 1904, la expedicin de Robert Scott utiliz la isla Ross, ubicada en el estrecho de McMurdo, como base y explor la plataforma de hielo de Ross y la Tierra Victoria. Paralelamente, el geofsico alemn Erich Von Drygalski, gui su exploracin por la costa del ocano ndico de la Antrtica. Ambos llevaron globos cautivos que utilizaron para la observacin area de la superficie de la Antrtica. Durante esa poca tambin hubo expediciones de pases patrocinadas por privados, como fue el caso de Suecia, dirigida por Otto Nordenskjld, de Escocia, encabezada por William Bruce, y de Francia, liderada por Jean Charcot.
time until the beginning of the 20th century. There was a Belgian one under the command of Adrien de Gerlache, two British expeditions led by Robert Scott and Carsten Borchgrevink respectively, and a German one headed by Erich Von Drygalski. The first expedition with a purely scientific objective was the Belgian one carried out by Adrien de Gerlache. He headed to the Pacific Ocean area of the Antarctic Peninsula but was trapped by forming ice and had to stay there for the winter of 1897/98. One year later the expedition led by Carsten Borchgrevink landed on Cape Adare and the members became the first group of men to spend the winter on the land. Between 1901 and 1904 the expedition of Robert Scott used Ross Island, located in the McMurdo Sound, as a base to explore the ice shelf of Ross and Victoria Land. At the same time the German geophysicist Erich Von Drygalski led an exploration of the Indian Ocean coast of Antarctica. Both expeditions used hot air balloons for aerial observations of the surface of the continent. During this time there were also various privately funded expeditions from different countries. There was a Swedish expedition led by Otto Nordenskjld, a Scottish trip, led by William Bruce and one from France, led by Jean Charcot.
Cazadores de Focas y Balleneros

El anuncio del Capitn Cook, sobre la gran cantidad de focas que haba en los mares antrticos, llev a los cazadores de stas a su explotacin cruel y desmedida. Ya en 1820 trabajaban en estas faenas ms de tres mil hombres, con unos 90 barcos, sin contar las factoras donde transformaban la grasa en aceite. La intensa actividad llev a que cinco aos ms tarde, la mayora de las poblaciones de lobos finos antrticos y subantrticos se encontraran al borde de la extincin. Luego vino la caza comercial de cetceos, que comenz en diciembre de 1904 en Grytviken, Georgia del Sur, y en menos de diez aos se extendi a las islas situadas ms al sur en el Arco de Escocia y a las islas Kergueln.
Seal and Whale Hunters

The announcement by Captain Cook concerning the great number of seals to be found in the Antarctic waters led to the cruel and excessive exploitation of these animals by hunters. By 1820 there were three thousand people working in the slaughter employing some 90 different boats not counting the numerous factories that turned the fat into oil. Five years later this intense exploitation took
La ballena jorobada, habitante de las zonas ms costeras, fue el primer objetivo de la cacera, seguida por la ballena azul. Estas factoras balleneras se asentaron en diferentes lugares como en Isla Decepcin, en Baha Almirantazgo, Puerto Foster o Puerto Svend Fdyn. La empresa ballenera ms grande de la poca fue la chilena Sociedad de Magallanes, cuya flota de buques estuvo al mando del Capitn Adolfo Andressen. Los cazadores de ballenas, al igual que sus antecesores, los que capturaban focas, develaron muchos de los secretos que ocultaba el continente. Internarse con sus barcos por estas desconocidas aguas y su estada en las fbricas y en las plantas para faenar ballenas, instaladas en pleno mar antrtico, les permiti conocer ms de cerca las condiciones del extremo sur.
the population of the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic fur seal to the edge of extinction. Next came the hunting of cetaceans which began in Grytviken, South Georgia in 1904 and which, within 10 years, had spread to the islands located in the Scottish Arc and the Kerguelen Islands. The humpback whale, which inhabited the coastal regions, was the first target, followed by the blue whale. These whaling factories were set up in various places, for example on Deception Island, in the Almirantazo Bay, Foster Port and Svend Fdyn Port. The largest whaling company at that time was the Chilean Sociedad de Magallanes whose fleet of boats was under the command of Captain Adolfo Andressen. The whale hunters, like their sealing predecessors, helped to reveal many of the secrets that the continent had hidden. Spending so much time in these unknown waters and working at the factories and plants which were built right in the middle of the Antarctic seas, allowed them to get to know in great detail the conditions of the extreme south.
Objetivo: El Polo Sur

Ya establecida la existencia de un continente antrtico, alcanzar el Polo Sur -el punto ms austral del planeta-, se convirti en el siguiente propsito que domin todas las expediciones dirigidas al continente. El primero en lograr un acercamiento importante fue Sir Ernest Shackleton. El capitn britnico encabez una expedicin entre 1907 y 1909, llegando a slo 160 kilmetros del Polo Sur, pero se vio obligado a regresar por la falta de provisiones. Un ao despus, una segunda expedicin britnica, al mando de Robert Scott, y una noruega comandada por Roald Amundsen, emprendieron el viaje. Esta ltima, con la ayuda de trineos arrastrados por perros, logr conquistar primero la meta, el 14 de diciembre de 1911. Sin saber que la expedicin noruega haba tenido xito, Scott y los cuatro miembros de su equipo llegaron al Polo apenas un mes despus, el 18 de
Objective: The South Pole

Once the existence of the Antarctic continent was established the goal to reach the South Pole, the most southerly point of the planet, became the next challenge to dominate the expeditions to the continent. The first to achieve an important approximation of the pole was Sir Ernest Shackleton. This British captain led an expedition between 1907 and 1909 managing to get to within 160 km (99 miles) of the South Pole but the team was obliged to turn back through lack of provisions. One year later the second British expedition led by Robert Scott, and
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enero de 1912, luego de arrastrar ellos mismo los trineos durante la parte ms difcil de la ruta. Con decepcin se dieron cuenta que no haban sido los primeros, la tienda y una carta de Amundsen les comunic la mala noticia, entonces emprendieron el viaje de vuelta del que no pudieron regresar con vida. Aunque la meta de conquistar el Polo Sur ya se haba logrado, Shackleton volvi a la Antrtica en 1914, esta vez con el objetivo cruzar el continente. Pero su barco, el Endurance, fue atrapado y triturado por los hielos. Shackleton y sus hombres lograron volver a la isla Elefante en tres pequeas embarcaciones y finalmente fueron rescatados en agosto de 1916 por el Piloto chileno Luis Pardo, al mando de la escampava Yelcho.
a Norwegian one led by Roald Amundsen, embarked on the same epic journey. Amundsen, with the help of sledges pulled by teams of dogs, was the first to conquer the goal on the 14th December, 1911. Without knowing that the Norwegian had succeeded Scott, and the four members of his team, arrived at the South Pole barely a month later on the 18th January, 1912 after having to pull their own sledges across the most difficult part of the route. They disappointedly realised they had not been the first when the tent and a letter from Amundsen indicated the bad news. They started on the return journey, but the team did not make it back dying on the ice. Although the goal of conquering the Pole was thus completed Shackleton returned to Antarctica in 1914 with the idea of crossing the continent but his boat the Endurance was trapped and crushed by the ice. Shackleton and his men managed to reach Elephant Island in three small life boats and were finally rescued in August 1916 by the Chilean sea pilot Luis Pardo at the helm of the cutter the Yelcho.
Sobrevolando la Antrtica
Con el avance de la tecnologa area, en la dcada de los aos veinte del siglo pasado, la aviacin tambin quiso tener un rol preponderante en la exploracin de la Antrtica. El australiano Sir George Wilkins y el estadounidense C. B. Eielson, fueron los primeros en sobrevolar el continente blanco en 1928, especficamente sobre la Pennsula Antrtica. Por su parte, el expedicionario estadounidense Richard Evelyn Byrd, estableci un campamento llamado Little America, en la plataforma de hielo de Ross, desde donde vol al Polo Sur en 1929. Fascinado con la Antrtica, Byrd regres cinco aos despus con otra expedicin, manteniendo su carcter investigativo al incluir en ambas oportunidades personal cientfico. Otras expediciones areas que se destacaron fueron las dirigidas por el estadounidense Lincoln Ellsworth, cuando atraves el continente en 1935; por los noruegos, que sobrevolaron todo el litoral; por los alemanes, que enviaron una misin area en 1938 y 1939; y por la expedicin del Servicio Antrtico estadounidense entre 1939 y 1941.
Flights over Antarctica

Great advances in aeronautical technology in the 1920s meant that aviation also wanted to play an important part in the exploration of Antarctica. The Australian, Sir George Wilkins and the North American, C.B.Eielson were the first to fly over the white continent in 1928, specifically over the Antarctic Peninsula. The North American explorer, Richard Evelyn Bird, established a camp called Little America on the Ross Ice Shelf, from where he flew to the South Pole in 1929. Fascinated with Antarctica, Byrd returned 5 years later with another expedition. He maintained an investigative character by including scientific personnel on both trips.
Pero quizs la expedicin area ms grande y ambiciosa que se haya realizado ocurri un ao despus de terminada la II Guerra Mundial. Entre 1946 y 1947, los Estados Unidos enviaron a la Antrtica la operacin Highjump, al mando del Almirante Byrd, en la que participaron 4 mil 200 personas a bordo de unos veinte aviones y trece barcos, gracias a ella fue posible fotografiar gran parte de la costa, lo que se utiliz como registro para la elaboracin de mapas. Dejemos hasta aqu esta pequea resea sobre la Antrtica. Ahora los invito a disfrutar de un viaje inolvidable, un recorrido que a travs de estas fotografas los llevar al corazn mismo de un maravilloso territorio
Other noteworthy aerial expeditions were those led by the North American, Lincoln Ellsworth when he crossed the continent in 1935. The Norwegians flew over all the coastal regions. The Germans sent aerial missions in 1938 and 1939 and there was a US Antarctic Service expedition between 1939 and 1941. Perhaps the largest and most ambitious aerial expedition took place a year after the end of the Second World War. Between 1946 and 1947 the United States sent the Operation Highjump to Antarctica under the command of Admiral Richard Byrd. Some 4,200 people participated using some 20 planes and 13 boats. Thanks to this operation a large part of the coast was photographed and the resulting information used for making maps. Here our little summary of Antarctica finishes. Now is the time to enjoy an unforgettable journey, a photographic trip that will take you to right into the very heart of this wonderful territory.....
Abraham Ortelius 1570 Isla misteriosa En el siglo cuarto A.C. el filosofo griego Aristoteles sugiri que si existan hielos en el Aretos o Norte (divisados por los navegantes de la poca) por simetra debera haberlos tambin en el Sur. El denomina a este continente o regin Antarkticos, y fue por aos conocida como Terra Australis Incognita, el desconocido continente.
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Canal Beagle
Este canal, constituye un notable carcter
ntre las Islas de Tierra del Fuego y Navarino, nace este canal que fusiona el ocano Atlntico con el Pacfico. Los lobos marinos, nutrias y ballenas habitan el Beagle, donde la vegetacin convive en plenitud con los hielos. Aqu la naturaleza subsiste abundante y saluda al estril paisaje que se aproxima, mientras se avanza hacia el sur. Sobre toda la costa norte se posa la Cordillera Darwin, inicio montaoso de Los Andes, que desde sus cumbres desborda enormes glaciares, formando espectculos de belleza imposibles de ignorar por quienes navegan en sus aguas. Estos paisajes sirvieron de inspiracin para que Charles Darwin comenzara a esbozar su teora de la evolucin de las especies. En 1981, junto al capitn Robert Fitz Roy, cruz este canal a bordo del bergantn HMS Beagle, de donde proviene su nombre, mientras realizaba un viaje alrededor del mundo. El canal Beagle era llamado Aunashaka (Canal de los Ona) por los yaganes, quienes habitaban la zona antes que fuera descubierta por estos exploradores. Aqu se encuentra la ciudad ms austral del mundo, Puerto Williams, que comparte su condicin con la ciudad argentina de Ushuaia, ubicada al noroeste en la Isla Tierra del Fuego.
de la geografa de este pas. Puede ser comparado al valle de Lochness, en Escocia, con su cadena de lagos y de bahas. El canal de Beagle tiene unas 120 millas de largo, con una anchura media, de unas 2 millas. Es casi todo l perfectamente recto, tanto que la vista, limitada a cada lado por una lnea de montaas, se pierde en lontananza. Ese canal atraviesa la parte meridional de Tierra del Fuego. This channel ....is a most remarkable feature in the geography of this, or indeed of any other country. Its length is about 120 miles with an average breadth, not subject to any very great variations, of about 2 miles. It is throughout the greater part so extremely straight, that the view, bounded on each side by a line of mountains, gradually becomes indistinct in the perspective. This arm of the sea may be compared to the valley of Loch ness in Scotland, with its chain of lakes and entering firths....The Beagle Channel crosses the southern part of Tierra del Fuego in an east and west line. Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1839.
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Amanecer en Canal Beagle Sunrise in the Beagle Channel
Los colores de la Patagonia, Canal Beagle The colours of Patagonia, Beagle Channel
his channel that unites the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans separates the islands of Tierra del Fuego and Navarino. Sea lions, seals and whales live in the channel where the vegetation cohabits fully with the ice. Here nature is abundant but on the journey south the surroundings start to change preparing the traveller for the sterile scenery that awaits. The Darwin Cordillera, which marks the beginning of the Andes Mountains, dominates the landscape. Enormous glaciers fall from its peaks forming beautiful and impressive spectacles for those who sail through the Channel.
These landscapes provided inspiration for Charles Darwin just as he was starting to develop his theory of the evolution of the species. In 1832, he and Captain Robert FitzRoy sailed through this channel on the HMS Beagle, (which gave its name to the channel), on their journey around the world. The channel was called Aunashaka (Onas Channel) by the Yaganes who lived in this region long before it was discovered by explorers. Puerto Williams, the most southerly town in the world is located in this channel on Navarino Island. It shares this honour with the Argentine city of Ushuaia located to the northeast, on the island of Tierra del Fuego.
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Darwin contemplo con asombro la diversidad de especies durante su travesa por el Canal Beagle Darwin was amazed at the diversity of species he observed on his journey through the Beagle Channel.
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Una capa de nieve eternas, deslumbrantes de blancura, recubren la cima de esas montaas, y numerosas cascadas, que resplandecen a travs de los bosques, vienen a verter sus aguas en el canal. En muchos lugares, magnficos glaciares se extienden por el flanco de la montaa hasta el mismo borde del agua. Es imposible imaginar nada de ms bello que el admirable color azul de esos glaciares, sobre todo a causa del sorprendente contraste que existe entre ellos y el blanco mate de la nieve que los domina. Los fragmentos que se desprenden constantemente de esos glaciares flotan por todas partes, y el canal con sus montaas de hielo se parece, en el espacio de una milla, a un mar polar en miniatura. A cape of eternal snow, dazzling white, covers the peaks of these mountains and numerous waterfalls shining through the forests pour their waters into the Channel. In many places, magnificent glaciers extend from the mountains right down to the waters edge. It is impossible to imagine anything quite as beautiful as the intense blue of these glaciers and the surprising contrast that this creates with the dominant white matt of the snow and ice. The fragments which are continually calving off these glaciers float everywhere thus making the channel and its ice mountains appear like a miniature polar sea. Charles Darwin
Glaciar Italia, en la avenida de los glaciares Italia Glacier, on glacier avenue
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Ballena Jorobada o Yubarta (Megaptera novaeangliae) Humpback whale or Yubarta (Megaptera novaeangliae)
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Cabo de Hornos, Chile Cape Horn, Chile
Soy el Albatros que te espera en el final del mundo. Soy el alma olvidada de los marineros muertos, que cruzaron el Cabo de Hornos, desde todos los mares de la tierra. Pero ellos no murieron en las furiosas olas, hoy vuelan en mis alas, hacia la eternidad, en la ltima grieta de los vientos antrticos. Sara Vial
I am the Albatross that awaits you at the end of the earth. I am the forgotten soul of the dead sailors, that crossed Cape Horn, from all the seas in the world. They did not die in the furious surf, today they fly on my wings, to eternity, in the crevice of the Antarctic winds.
Puerto Williams, el poblado mas austral del mundo, Isla Navarino - Chile Puerto Williams, the most southerly settlement in the world, Navarino Island - Chile
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Baha Fildes
bicada en la isla Rey Jorge, la ms grande de las Islas Shetland del Sur, Baha Fildes es el lugar donde el hombre le dobl la mano a una extrema geografa, construyendo la mayor cantidad de bases cientficas antrticas. La baha, dominada por el hielo, es el hogar de especies como el pingino Papa, Barbijo, la foca de Wedell, Leopardo y el elefante marino.
his bay is on King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands. Fildes Bay is the place where the greatest numbers of Antarctic scientific bases have been built, despite the extreme geography. The bay, dominated by ice, is home to a variety of species such as the Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins, and the Weddell, Leopard and Elephant seals.
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Las regiones polares dejan, en los que han luchado en ellas, una marca cuya profundidad pueden difcilmente explicarse a los hombres que no han salido jams del mundo civilizado . Es una sensacin extraordinaria encontrarse a ms de 3 mil kilmetros en la extremidad del mundo.
The Polar Regions leave a profound mark on those who have struggled in them, which is difficult to express to men to who have never left the civilized world. It is an extraordinary sensation to find oneself 10,000 feet up in the extremity of the world. Ernest Shackleton
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Iglesia Catlica, Villa Las Estrellas - isla Rey Jorge Catholic Church, Villa las Estrellas - King George island
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Villa Las Estrellas, isla Rey Jorge Villa las Estrellas, King George island
Iglesia ortodoxa rusa Russian orthodox church
Panormica del Glaciar Jubany y Cerro Tres Hermanos, en baha fildes - Isla Rey Jorge Panorama of Jubany Glacier and the Three Brothers Hill panoramic, Fildes Bay - King George Island
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ramos diminutas motitas negras que se arrastraban lenta y penosamente por la blanca llanura, concentrando nuestro infinito vigor en la tarea de arrancar a la naturaleza secretos que haban permanecido inviolables a travs de las edades.
We were like tiny black specks that slowly and painfully crawled across the white plain, concentrating our infinite vigour in the task of extracting the secrets of nature which had remained intact throughout the ages. Ernest Shackleton
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Estrecho Bransfield
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u nombre nace en homenaje a Edward Bransfield, responsable de cartografiar las Islas Shetland del Sur en 1820. Se ubica entre estas islas y la Pennsula Antrtica. En el Bransfield destacan las formas sinuosas de los icebergs que transitan por sus aguas y por sobre una cadena volcnica de montes submarinos. El ms grande de ellos es el que le da vida a la Isla Decepcin, nico centro volcnico conocido en la Antrtica Occidental. Su ltima erupcin fue en 1967, pero an hoy es posible observar algunas fumarolas cercanas a la costa.
his strait was named in honour of Edward Bransfield who was in charge of the cartography of the South Shetland Islands in 1820. The strait separates these islands from the Antarctic Peninsula. In the Bransfield Strait the sinewy forms of the icebergs that drift around the sea are truly outstanding as is the chain of underwater volcanic mountains also found here. The largest of these mountains is known as Deception Island and it is the only volcanic centre known in western Antarctica. The volcano last erupted in 1967 although it is still possible to observe some smoke wisps close to the coast.
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Jams vi algo tan magnfico como este estupendo trabajo de la naturaleza. Los monumentos ms importantes y hermosos levantados por manos humanas nunca me inspiraron con la sensacin que experiment al encontrar el primer tmpano antrtico. I had never seen anything as magnificent as this stupendous work of nature. The most important and beautiful monuments built by mankind never inspired me with the sensation that I experienced when I saw my first Antarctic iceberg. Herbert Ponting, Scotts photographer
Tmpanos errantes Wandering icebergs
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En los agrietados costados de los tmpanos, en las grutas y cuevas que el mar haba abierto sus lneas de flotacin, haba viva y extraas tonalidades azules, plidos y delicados verdes y sazonados amarillos y grises. El mar rompa sobre sumergidas agujas y haca explosin en masas de brillante espuma. On the cracked sides of the icebergs, in the caves and caverns formed by the sea, there were vivid and unusual tones of blue, pale and delicate greens, yellows and greys. The sea broke against these submerged holes and exploded into brilliant spray. Admiral Richard E. Bird
Portal de hielo erosionado por el clima antrtico Ice archway eroded by the Antarctic climate
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Rada Covadonga
mediados del siglo pasado, una flotilla chilena, al mando del Capitn Ernesto Gonzlez Navarrete, se dirigi a la Antrtica con la misin de encontrar un lugar para la construccin de una base para el Ejrcito. La tripulacin encontr el sitio ideal, y lo llamaron Rada Covadonga, debido al nombre del barco que utilizaron en el viaje. Muy prximo a este sitio -plano y con buena alturahaba un desembarcadero natural y adems, ofreca un puerto abrigado, de fcil acceso por el Estrecho Bransfield. existe una colonia de pinginos Papa y presencia de orcas, focas de Wedell, focas Leopardo, pinginos Barbijos y Adelia. El 9 de enero de 1948 se inici la construccin de la nueva base chilena que finaliz 47 das despus, siendo inaugurada como la base General Bernardo OHiggins. Esta es la encargada de enviar cada tres horas, al Centro Meteorolgico Presidente Frei en la Isla Rey Jorge, las observaciones sinpticas de superficie, de hielo marino, de temperatura de agua, de mar y de radiacin solar. Adems entrega mensajes meteorolgicos aeronuticos cuando se realizan vuelos desde las bases cercanas y, cuando navegan buques en el sector, remiten los antecedentes glaciolgicos a la base Prat. Actualmente brinda asistencia a la estacin de rastreo satelital alemana, en base al Convenio de Cooperacin Antrtica chileno-alemn.
Estos continentes y estos mares pueden ser considerados como la obra de arte ms sublime de la naturaleza. Aqu hay una puerta entreabierta a travs de la cual podemos apartarnos por corto tiempo de nuestro pequeo mundo, para entrar en silencio y armona del cosmos. These continents and seas can be considered as the most sublime work of art created by nature. Here, there is a door ajar. through which we may absent ourselves, for a short time, from our little world and enter into silence and harmony with the cosmos. Admiral Richard E. Bird (1934)
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El clima inhspito va moldeando los tmpanos errantes - Baha Toro The inhospitable climate moulds the drifting icebergs - Toro Bay
El blanco se une al cielo, Monte Jacquinot - Pennsula Antrtica The white merges into the sky, Mount Jacquinot - Antarctic Peninsula
n the middle of the last century a Chilean fleet under the command of Captain Ernesto Gonzlez Navarrete, headed towards Antarctica on a mission to find a suitable place for the construction of a military base. The crew found this spot ideal and named it Rada Covadonga, after the boat used on the trip. Very close to this area, which is flat and quite high, there is a natural landing point providing a sheltered port with easy access to the Bransfield Strait. There is a resident colony of Gentoo penguins and orcas, Weddell and Leopard seals and Chinstrap and Adelie penguins can often be seen in this area. On the 9th January, 1948 the construction of the new Chilean base was begun. It was finished 47 days later and inaugurated with the name of General Bernardo OHiggins Base. This base is in charge of sending observations of the surface and the sea, the ice floes, the temperature of the water and the solar radiation, every three hours, to the President Frei Meteorological Center on King George Island. The base also provides meteorological data for when there are flights from the bases close by and sends glaciological reports to the Prat Base. The base is currently supporting the tracking of German satellites in a Chilean-German Antarctic Cooperation Agreement.
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Rompehielos Chileno Oscar Viel, frente a Rada Covadonga The Chilean Icebreaker Oscar Viel, opposite Covadonga Bay
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La Foca de Weddell, fue cazada en el pasado para alimentar a los perros que tiran de los trineos y por su aceite, hoy en da estn protegidas bajo el Tratado Antrtico. La nica matanza reciente registrada de esta especie corresponde a 107 individuos que fueron cazados en la temporada 1986-1987 por la Unin Sovitica. Actualmente se estima que cerca de 800.000 individuos viven en el continente antrtico e islas sub-antrticas. The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli) was hunted in the past to feed the sledge dogs and to provide oil. These seals are now protected in the Antarctic Treaty. The only recent hunt registered for this species was in 1986-87 when the Soviet Union hunted 107 seals. Currently there is a population of around 800,000 living on the Antarctic continent and on the sub-Antarctica islands.
Foca de Weddell (Leptonychotes weddellii) Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)
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El pingino Papua (Pigoscellis papua) anida en montculos cerca del mar, que arma recolectando guijarros y restos de vegetacin. Ponen 2 huevos del tamao de una pelota de tenis, las hembras y los machos se turnan para incubarlos durante 35 dias. The Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) nests in mounds close to the sea which it makes with pebbles, grass, leaves and twigs. It lays two eggs each about the size of a tennis ball. The males and females share an incubation period of 35 days.
La Paloma Antrtica, ronda los nidos de pingino en busca de huevos The Snowy Sheathbill (Chionis alba), approaches the penguin nests looking for eggs
Paloma Antrtica (Chionis alba), haciendo gala de su destreza como bailarina A Snowy sheathbill (Chionis alba), showing off its skill as a dancer
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Pingino Papua (Pigoscellis papua) anidando Gentoo Penguin (Pigoscellis papua) nesting
Lobo Fino Antrtico / Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella)
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Foca de Weddell / Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddelli)
Isla Kopaitic
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s una pequea isla rocosa con forma de tortuga, ubicada frente a la Rada Covadonga. Todo el que visita isla Kopaitic es recibido por un olor y sonido caracterstico, producto de los nidos que mantiene sobre las rocas, la colonia de pinginos Barbijo que habita el lugar. Este pingino, uno de los ms vistos en la Pennsula Antrtica, junto al pingino Papa, debe su nombre a la lnea negra que decora su rostro y que asemeja una barba. Normalmente pueden ser vistos cuando vuelan sobre el mar, en busca de alimentos para sus cras o arrancando de alguna orca o foca leopardo.
his is a small rocky island in the shape of a turtle found in front of Rada Covadonga. All those who visit Kopaitic are welcomed by the characteristic smell and sound, coming from the colony of Chinstrap penguins who have built their nests on the rocks here. This penguin and the Gentoo penguin are those most commonly seen. The Chinstrap penguin owes its name to the black line across its chin that resembles a strap. (In Spanish it is called the Bearded penguin.) They can usually be seen flying over the water looking for food to take back to their chicks or when they are escaping from an orca or a Leopard seal.
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Pingino de Barbijo (Pygoscelis antarctica) Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)
El pingino Barbijo se reproduce siempre en la misma colonia en la que naci, cuando alcanza la madurez sexual, a los dos o tres aos de edad. Ao tras ao vuelve al mismo nido, donde estuvo con su pareja del ao anterior. Primero llegan los machos, y unos das despus lo hacen las hembras. Si alguno de los dos no aparece tomarn como pareja a alguno de sus vecinos mas prximos. The Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) returns to the same colony where it was born to reproduce when it reaches sexual maturity, at 2 or 3 years old. Year after year it returns with its mate to the same nest from the previous year. The males arrive first and a few days later the females. If one of the pair does not arrive they will mate with one of the penguins close by.
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Baha Paraso
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ara muchos es el lugar ms bello de toda la Pennsula Antrtica. El borde claroscuro de su costa y la quietud sorprendente de sus aguas crearon el ambiente de un verdadero paraso en pleno continente blanco. Esta apacible tranquilidad y el fcil contacto con la colonia de pinginos Papa y Barbijo que habitan la baha, la convirtieron en uno de los destinos privilegiados por los turistas que visitan la Antrtica a bordo de los cruceros. Baha Paraso se ubica al suroeste de la Baha Andvord, frente a la boca norte del Canal Neumayer. Es un lugar rodeado de montaas y glaciares, que cuando entran al mar, desprenden masas de hielo originando los icebergs, que con el tiempo y las inclemencias del clima, son moldeados gracias a la ayuda del viento y el mar. Aqu se enfrentan la excepcional belleza y la inusitada dureza que entrega la Antrtica, donde lo ms significativo es el silencio. Visitar este lugar despierta un indescriptible impulso de volver, un impulso que Shackleton describi como: La nostalgia del hielo, la tristeza de la partida, el anhelo de regresar a la inmensidad blanca y vaca.
any people consider this bay to be the most beautiful on the whole of the Antarctic Peninsula. The light and shade along the coast line and the surprising stillness of its waters have created the atmosphere of a real paradise right in the middle of this white continent. The peaceful tranquillity and the easy contact with Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins that live in the bay have made this one of the destinations most favoured by tourists who visit Antarctica, on board cruise ships. Paradise Bay is located to the southeast of the Andvord Bay, opposite the northern mouth of the Neumayer Channel.
Pinginera entorno de refugio erigido en 1950, cerca de la Base Chilena Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, en honor del Primer Jefe de Estado en visitar la Antrtida Penguin colony next to an old shelter built in 1950, close to the Chilean Base Gabriel Gonzlez Videla that was named after the first head of state to visit Antarctica.
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Juvenil Pingino Barbijo (Pygoscelis antarctica) Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)
Pingino Papua albino (Pigoscellis papua) Albino Gentoo penguin (Pigoscellis papua)
79papua) ANTARCTICA The last frontier Gentoo Penguin (Pigoscellis
Juvenil Pingino Papua (Pigoscellis papua)
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Juvenil Pingino Papua (Pigoscellis papua) Gentoo penguin (Pigoscellis papua)
Pinginera en Punta Maruja (Caleta Gloria), Baha Paraiso Penguin colony on Maruja Point (Gloria Cove), Paraiso Bay
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El paisaje de nuestro entorno es de lo mas grandioso que haya visto en mi vida. Acantilados que llevan sus serradas escarpas trescientos metros hacia el cielo se mezclan con glaciares que se arrojan al mar en forma de cascadas agrietadas. Aqui presentan muros de hielo de 30 a 55 metros de altura The surrounding landscape is some of the greatest I have seen in my life. Steep, jagged cliffs rise up 1000 feet towards the sky where they meet with the glaciers that hurl themselves down in frozen waterfalls. Here there are walls of ice between 100 and 200 feet high. Diary of Frank Hurley, 1915
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Canal Prncipe Gustavo

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n ambas costas del Canal Gustavo sobresalen grandes puntas de rocas irregulares que emergen desde las nieves eternas. Este salvaje escenario es adornado por cientos de icebergs de diferentes tamaos y colores que navegan errantes. Este canal, separa la Isla James Ross y la Isla Vega, de la Pennsula Antrtica. Otto Nordenskjld, explorador de estas tierras, descubri el canal en octubre de 1903, cuando recorra la costa oriental de la Pennsula Antrtica, recolectando muestras geolgicas y de fauna marina. El gelogo sueco lo bautiz con el nombre del -en ese entoncesprncipe heredero, Gustavo de Suecia.
reat peaks stick out from the eternal snow on both sides of the Gustavo Channel. This wild landscape is adorned with hundreds of icebergs of all different sizes, shapes and colours drifting around. This channel separates James Ross Island and Vega Island from the Antarctic Peninsula. The explorer Otto Nordenskjld discovered the channel in October 1903 when he was travelling along the eastern coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula collecting samples of the geology and marine life. This Swedish geologist named the channel after the crown prince Gustav of Sweden.
El hielo estaba aqu, el hielo estaba all, el hielo estaba todo alrededor; cruja y grua, y ruga y aullaba; como ruidos en lo salvaje! The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around : It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound ! Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poeta ingls 1798)
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Cabo Lachman, Canal Prncipe Gustavo / Lachman Cape, Prince Gustav Channel
Isla Roja, al fondo Glaciar Russell East en la Pennsula Antrtica / Red Island, with Russell East Glacier in the background, Antarctic Peninsula
Teln de niebla para un poema de hielo, Canal Prncipe Gustavo / A backcloth of fog frames a magnificent iceberg, Prince Gustav Channel.
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Esfinges de Hielo en Canal Prncipe Gustavo, frente a Isla Vega Ice Sphinxes in Prince Gustav Channel infront of Vega Island
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Isla James Ross

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s parte de un grupo de islas separadas de la Pennsula Antrtica por el Canal Prncipe Gustavo. La Isla James Ross, fue bautizada en honor a Sir James Clark Ross, quien cartografi gran parte de la costa del continente cuando comand la expedicin antrtica del HMS Erebus y del HMS Terror, entre 1839 y 1843. Durante el viaje descubri el Mar de Ross, la Tierra Victoria y los volcanes Monte Erebus y Monte Terror. En esta isla se construy la primera base cientfica checa (ltima en ser autorizada), ubicada frente a la Baha Brandy, un lugar con excepcional vista al Canal Gustavo y la Pennsula Antrtica. Aqu se han encontrado trozos de madera fosilizada y los restos de un posible dinosaurio carnvoro desconocido hasta ahora y no ms grande que un ser humano. Se cree que vivi entre 65 y 144 millones de aos atrs, poca en que el clima en esta tierra era ms clido y hmedo, muy diferente al que hoy conocemos.
Pintura de hielo sobre lienzo azul, arte en Baha Brandy / Ice painting on blue canvas, art at Brandy Bay
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Cristales de hielo descolgandose de un iceberg / Icicles hanging from an iceberg.
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his island forms part of a group of islands separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Prince Gustav Channel. James Ross Island was named in honour of Sir James Clark Ross, the cartographer who mapped much of the continents coastline when he led the Antarctic expedition on board HMS Erebus and HMS Terror between 1839 and 1843. During this trip he discovered the Ross Sea, Victoria Land and the volcanoes Erebus and Terror. The first Czech scientific base (the last to be authorized) was built here opposite Brandy Bay in a place with an exceptional view overlooking the Gustav Channel and the Antarctic Peninsula. Fossilized pieces of wood have been found here and the remains of what are thought to be a previously unknown, carnivorous dinosaur. It is believed that this dinosaur, no greater than the size of a human, lived between 65 and 144 million years ago, during an era when the climate of this region was warmer and more humid; very different to that of today.
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Baha Brandy, Isla James Ross Brandy Bay, James Ross Island
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En verano, un mgico atardecer da inicio a una noche fugz, seguida de un da de 20 horas de luz. En invierno, sera solo una noche de 6 meses de absoluta soledad. Vista desde la Baha Brandy; a la izquierda esta el Monte Lagrelius y al fondo se divisa la Pennsula Antrtica A magical summer sunset precedes the fleeting night which will be followed by 20 hours of daylight. In winter the night lasts for 6 months of absolute solitude. View of Brandy Bay, Mount Lagrelius on the left with the Antarctic Peninsula in the distance. Brandy Bay, Isla James Ross
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Pilot Luis Pardo ...the Chilean sailor behind the Shackleton leyend
Piloto Luis Pardo ...el Marino Chileno detrs de la leyenda de Shackleton

uchos son los aventureros que han sido seducidos por el poder de la Antrtica. El llamado de los hielos, o The call of the Ice como dicen los ingleses, motiv cientos de expediciones dispuestas a conquistar el impenetrable y desconocido continente blanco. Una de las ms famosas excursiones de principios del siglo pasado fue el proyecto bautizado como Expedicin Imperial Trasantrtica, encabezada por el marino irlands Ernest Henry Shackleton al mando del buque Endurance. Esta expedicin, aunque fracas en su objetivo principal, permiti una de las ms notables proezas de la historia marina chilena y demostr el temple y la habilidad del Piloto Segundo Lus Pardo Villaln, cuando rescat a 22 tripulantes del Endurance desde la isla Elefante, despus de permanecer un ao y siete meses aislados en territorio antrtico.
any adventurers have been seduced by the power of Antarctica, the call of the ice as the English say, which has motivated hundreds of expeditions with the aim of conquering the impenetrable and unknown white continent. One of the most famous expeditions took place at the beginning of the last century. The Imperial Transcontinental Antarctic Expedition was led by the Irish sailor, Ernest Henry Shackleton in command of the boat Endurance. Although this expedition failed in its principal objective, it produced one of the most memorable heroic feats in the history of the Chilean navy and demonstrated the judgement and capability of Second Pilot Luis Pardo Villaln. He captained the boat that rescued 22 crew members of the Endurance from Elephant Island, in Antarctica, after they had been stranded there for 19 months.
Shackleton: Cuando su Norte era el Sur
Shackleton: South
Aiming for the
n 1901 a los 27 aos de edad, Ernest Shackleton se embarc en el Discovery, dirigido por el capitn Robert F. Scott, iniciando lo que sera su primera expedicin hacia la Antrtica. Esta aventura que dur tres aos le permiti acercarse a menos de mil 200 km del Polo Sur. La derrota, lejos de desalentar al joven expedicionario, lo incit a desarrollar una segunda expedicin a bordo del Nimrod,
n 1901, at the age of 27, Ernest Shackleton embarked on the Discovery, a boat commanded by Captain Robert F. Scott, to begin what was the first of various expeditions to Antarctica. This adventure, which lasted three years, brought him to within 746 miles of the South Pole. The failure to reach the Pole, far from discouraging the young explorer, motivated him to form a second expedition on board the
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entre 1907 y 1909, pero esta vez bajo su mando, logrando aproximarse a 160 km del Polo Sur, cercana que nunca nadie haba logrado. A pesar de los esfuerzos, Shackleton no fue el primero en llegar al Polo Sur, como se menciona en el texto inicial de este libro, el honor cay en manos del noruego Roald Amundsen en 1911. Entonces, una meta ms ambiciosa se aferr al corazn de Ernest: atravesar la Antrtica de mar a mar caminando. Al otro lado del continente deba esperarlo el barco Aurora. Ms de tres aos duraron los preparativos para su tercera expedicin. La falta de financiamiento fue el problema, pero luego de conseguir el patrocinio de James Cairo, Dudley Dockery y Stancomb Wills, el Endurance, buque de fabricacin noruega, pas donde se construan las mejores naves polares, pudo finalmente zarpar rumbo a la Antrtica en agosto de 1914 desde Plymouth, Inglaterra, recin iniciada la Primera Guerra Mundial. En la maana del 5 diciembre de ese ao, y despus de haberse detenido en Argentina por provisiones, la expedicin de 28 hombres zarp desde su ltima escala terrestre, la baha Cumberland de Grytviken en isla Georgia del Sur, hacia las puertas del Crculo Polar Antrtico. La meta de Shackleton era navegar mil 760 km hacia el sur, arribando en baha Vahsel y desde all internarse en el continente blanco. El 10 de enero del ao siguiente avistaron tierra y faltando slo 160 km para llegar, un inmenso campo de hielo impidi que la expedicin siguiera su camino. Ocho das ms tarde el Endurance qued cercado por los hielos, dejando su destino en manos de la corriente. La tripulacin debi soportar un duro invierno y meses de desesperacin e incertidumbre.
Nimrod, between 1907 and 1909. Under his command, this expedition managed to get to within 99 miles of the South Pole, closer than anyone had reached before. In spite of all his efforts Shackleton was not the first to arrive at the South Pole. As previously mentioned in the first part of this book, this honour fell to the Norwegian, Roald Amundsen in 1911. Thus Ernest set his heart on achieving an even more ambitious feat; that of crossing the Antarctic from one coast to the other side of the continent, where the boat Aurora would be waiting. The preparations for the trip took more than three years. The lack of finance was the main problem but finally, after getting the patronage of James Cairo, Dudley Dockery and Dame Janet Stancomb Wills, the Endurance, a boat made in Norway, the country that built the best polar boats, was ready to leave. The boat left in August 1914 from Plymouth, England a country which had recently entered the First World War. On the 5th December of that year, after stopping in Argentina for provisions, the expedition of 28 men set sail from its last land stopover, Cumberland Bay, Grytviken in the South Georgia Islands towards the Antarctic Circle. Shackletons goal was to navigate the 1,093 miles to the south, land at Vahsel Bay and then head inland into the white continent. On the 10th January of the following year they saw land but, just 99 miles from their destination, they were prevented from going any further by an immense ice field. Eight days later the Endurance was trapped by ice and her fate now lay in the hands of the current. The crew had to endure a harsh winter and months of despair and uncertainty. Nine months later the pressure of the ice began to crush the boat and following Shackletons order the crew and their 60 dogs, 2 pigs and a cat had to abandon ship.
El 27 de octubre de 1915 -nueve mese despus- los hielos comenzaron a deformar el buque con la presin que ejercan y por orden de Shackletom, los 28 tripulantes, junto con 60 perros, dos cerdos y una gata, debieron abandonar la nave, que el 21 de noviembre termin por partirse en dos y hundirse. Durante ese periodo debieron rescatar todo lo til del buque y acampar sobre el tmpano que lo rodeaba. A su alrededor todo era hielo y la nica posibilidad de sobrevivir era trasladarse a tierra. El lugar ms cercano se encontraba a 585 km. Era la isla Elefante, ubicada en el extremo oriental de las islas Shetland. Despus de 165 das de acampar en el hielo, el 9 de abril de 1916, Shackleton y sus hombres estuvieron en condiciones de emprender el viaje a bordo de tres botes salvavidas que recuperaron del Endurance, el James Caird, el Dudley Docker y el Stancomb Wills, bautizados as en honor a quienes haban financiado la expedicin. Siete das pasaron navegando en el Atlntico Sur antes de llegar a isla Elefante, con comida y abrigo inadecuados. El 15 de abril de 1916 pisaron tierra firme, despus de 497 das que permanecieron entre los hielos. Pero la travesa recin comenzaba.
On the 21st November the boat broke in two and began to sink. During this period the crew had to rescue anything useful from the boat and make camp on the ice floe beside it. They were completely surrounded by ice and the only hope of survival was to move to firm land. The closest place was Elephant Island located in the far east of the South Shetland Islands some 363 miles away. After 165 days camping on the ice Shackleton and his men were in good enough condition to undertake the trip. On the 9th April, 1916 they set off on board the three life boats that had been recovered from the Endurance, the James Caird, the Dudley Docker and the Stancomb Wills so named after those who had helped to finance the expedition. They were 7 days sailing the South Atlantic, with inadequate food and clothing, before they arrived at Elephant Island. On the 15th April, 1916 they stepped onto solid ground after 497 days on the ice. But, amazingly, the adventure was really only just beginning.
Rescued from the eternal ice
Rescatados desde los Hielos Eternos
hackleton junto a cinco hombres, el neozelands y ex comandante del Endurance, Frank Worsley, el navegante irlands Tom Crean, el carpintero escocs Henry McNish y los marineros John Vincent y Tim McCarthy; zarparon el 24 de abril en el bote James Caird rumbo a isla Georgia del Sur. La idea era navegar mil 287 km al norte y pedir ayuda en la estacin ballenera Stromness en baha Cumberland, donde los haban visto por ltima vez.
hackleton, together with five other men, the New Zealander and ex-commander of the Endurance, Frank Worsley, the Irish seaman, Tom Crean, the Scottish carpenter, Henry McNeish and the two sailors, John Vincent and Tim McCarthy, decided to go for help. They set sail on the 24th April in the boat the James Caird in the direction of the South Georgia Island. The plan was to sail 800 miles to the north and get assistance from the whaling station at Stromness in Cumberland Bay, their last port of call. They had to endure ten storms during the eventful journey and only after 17 days (10th May) were they able to land on the island. Unfortunately they landed in Rey Haakon Bay which was on the opposite coast to the
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Diez tempestades debieron soportar durante el accidentado trayecto y despus de 17 das (el 10 de mayo) pudieron arribar a la isla, pero por desgracia lo hicieron en la baha del Rey Haakon, en la costa opuesta de la estacin ballenera. Shackleton, Worsley y Crean emprendieron una caminata de 35 km hacia la estacin noruega. Caminaron 36 horas sin descanso y apenas fueron recibidos mandaron a buscar a los dos compaeros que haban dejado atrs. La primera parte del plan se haba logrado. Pero faltaba socorrer a los 22 tripulantes del Endurance que esperaban varados en isla Elefante. Como primer intento Ernest Shackleton arrend un pequeo vapor ballenero llamado Southern Sky, con el que zarp el 23 de mayo, tres das despus de haber llegado, pero no pudo atravesar el campo de hielo, acercndose slo a 112 km de isla Elefante. Con las reservas de carbn de Georgia del Sur agotadas, Shackleton decidi trasladarse a Puerto Stanley, en las islas Falkland, desde all envi un telegrama a Inglaterra y a los pases americanos. El rey Jorge V respondi: Me alegra saber que lleg sano y salvo a las islas Falkland. Espero que sus camaradas de la isla Elefante sean pronto socorridos, con este mensaje el rey negaba diplomticamente la ayuda directa de su pas al verse agobiado por la guerra. Sin embargo, el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores britnico pidi apoyo a los gobiernos de Uruguay, Argentina y Chile. El 10 de junio, el gobierno uruguayo ofreci un exigo barco pesquero, que lleg lo suficientemente cerca de la isla para verla, pero el hielo la hizo regresar. Ya desesperado, Ernest Shackleton envi un telegrama al Ministerio de Marina britnico rogando que le enviaran un barco. Esta vez la respuesta fue positiva, pero el Discovery, nave que alistaran para el rescate, llegara el 20 de septiembre.
whaling station. Shackleton, Worsley and Crean set off to walk the 22 miles to the Norwegian station. They walked for 36 hours without stopping and once they arrived they immediately sent for the companions they had left behind. The first part of the plan was thus achieved, what remained now was to rescue the other 22 crew members of the Endurance who were waiting, stranded on Elephant Island. For the first attempt Shackleton rented a small whaling steamer called the Southern Sky which set sail on the 23rd May three days after they had arrived, but the boat was unable to cross the ice field only getting to within 70 miles of Elephant Island. With the South Georgia Island coal reserves exhausted Shackleton decided to move to Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands. Here he sent a telegram to England and to various other South American Republics. King George V replied, Rejoice to hear of your safe arrival in the Falkland Islands and trust your comrades on Elephant Island may soon be rescued. With this message the king diplomatically denied any direct help, as his country was overwhelmed by the First World War. However the British Foreign Minister asked for help from the Uruguayan, Argentine and Chilean governments. On the 10th June the Uruguayan government offered a small trawler boat that was able to get sufficiently close enough to see the island, but the ice forced the boat to turn back. Now desperate, Shackleton sent a telegram to the British Admiralty begging that they send a boat. This time the reply was positive and the Discovery was prepared to be sent to join the rescue but it could only arrive around the 20th September. Norway and the USA also answered the desperate pleas of the Irish
Noruega y EE.UU. tambin acudieron al llamado desesperado del marino irlands, pero era imposible esperar por los barcos de rescate. Entonces, el explorador decidi instalarse en Punta Arenas, un lugar con ms recursos que Puerto Stanley. Con el apoyo de la colonia britnica residente en Chile, Shackleton consigui la goleta lobera Emma hecha de roble, que el 12 de julio zarp desde territorio nacional. La primera parte del viaje result bien, el barco fue remolcado por otro hasta dejarlo en aguas libres y as ahorrar combustible, pero en la segunda etapa del trayecto aparecieron los problemas. El Emma no pudo evitar chocar con la gran cantidad de hielos que encontraba a su paso, siendo daada considerablemente, tanto que debi regresar a Punta Arenas, pero la ferocidad del tiempo los mantuvo hasta el 3 de agosto sin poder atracar. Desde Chile, Shackleton eligi -para el cuarto intento- la embarcacin que haba remolcado al Emma, la escampava Yelcho, ofrecida por la Armada chilena. Esta nave no contaba con las condiciones apropiadas para una misin tan exigente. Era un buque sin doble fondo, viejo, sin radio, ni calefaccin o alumbrado elctrico y no soportara la presin de los hielos, ni una coalicin fuerte con un tmpano. Todas las esperanzas estuvieron puestas en la pericia y el temple de su comandante. En este punto de la historia entra el Piloto Segundo Lus Pardo. Este hombre, nacido en 1882 en Santiago de Chile, se involucr desde muy pequeo en la actividad naval. Estando en la Marina de Guerra fue trasladado al sur del pas donde aprendi la geografa de los estrechos, canales, pasos y archipilagos, experiencia que le dio la sabidura para enfrentar este rescate. En ese momento Pardo era el comandante del buque Yez. La
sailor but he felt it was impossible to wait any longer for the rescue boats to arrive. So the explorer decided to install himself in Punta Arenas, a place with more resources than Port Stanley. Shackleton was able to charter the oak schooner, Emma with the support of the British colony resident in Chile. This boat left national territory on the 12th July and the first part of the trip turned out well. The boat was towed by a small steamer, until it reached the open seas, in order to save on fuel but the second part of the journey ran into problems. The Emma was unable to avoid crashing into the ice that they encountered everywhere. The schooner was considerably damaged and had to turn back to Punta Arenas and the ferocity of the weather kept them from docking until the 3rd August. For the fourth attempt Shackleton then chose the vessel that had towed the Emma. This cutter named the Yelcho was offered to him by the Chilean navy. The boat was not really suitable for such a demanding mission, it was a single-hulled, old boat with neither radio, heating nor electric lighting and it would be unlikely to support the pressure of the ice or a bad collision with an iceberg. All hope lay in the skill and expertise of its captain. At this point in the story Second Pilot Luis Pardo now enters. He was born in Santiago in Chile in 1882 and became involved in naval activity from a young age. As part of his naval work he was posted to the south of the country where he learned about the geography of the straits, channels, passes and islands, which provided him with the knowledge and experience to undertake this rescue. At the time Pardo was the captain of the boat Yaez. The commotion that all the unsuccessful rescues had generated and the illness of the pilot of the Yelcho motivated Luis Pardo to answer the call for volunteers and offer himself as the ideal candidate; of course bringing the complete crew of the Yaez with him.
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conmocin que haban generado los infructuosos recates y la enfermedad que afectaba al piloto de la Yelcho, motiv a que Lus Pardo se presentara al llamado de voluntarios como el candidato idneo, por supuesto trayendo a la tripulacin de la Yez en pleno. Tres meses despus que Shackleton llegara a la estacin ballenera de Georgia del Sur, el 25 de agosto de 1916, la Yelcho zarp desde Punta Arenas rumbo a isla Picton. All los tripulantes extrajeron carbn desde la carbonera de la Armada, completando 300 sacos que aumentaran la reserva de combustible. Desde ese lugar se embarcaron hacia alta mar gozando de buen tiempo y viento fresco del SW. En la tarde se ese da, a 96 km del Cabo de Hornos, se encontraron con los primeros tmpanos, pero no fue necesario alterar el rumbo. La neblina -permanente en la regin- fue lo ms complicado, aunque el viento se ocupaba de dar momentos de claridad. Cuando se acercaban a isla Elefante una espesa niebla oblig a Lus Pardo navegar a ciegas, slo siguiendo su instinto. Aunque no pudo evitar chocar con algunos tmpanos, al disiparse la neblina descubri que el campo de hielo que impeda el paso de las dems expediciones haba retrocedido, dejando el camino libre hacia el sur. La tctica utilizada por el Piloto Pardo que le permiti llegar a isla Elefante- fue mantener el rumbo y aprovechar las buenas condiciones del tiempo para aumentar la velocidad o disminuirla, cerca de los tres nudos para divisar con tiempo los tmpanos, cuando la neblina no dejaba ver. A la una de la tarde del 30 de agosto de 1916, los tripulantes del Endurance distinguieron a lo lejos la cercana de un barco. Emocionados
Thus, some three months after Shackleton first arrived at the whaling station on South Georgia, on the 25th August, 1916 the Yelcho left Punta Arenas heading for Picton Island. There the crew extracted coal from the coal bunker of the navy filling 300 sacks to increase their reserves of fuel. From here they headed out onto the high seas enjoying relatively good weather and a fresh south westerly wind. Later on in the day, 60 miles from Cape Horn, they encountered the first icebergs but luckily they did not need to alter their set course. The fog, a constant in this region, was the biggest problem although the wind produced moments of clarity. When the boat got close to Elephant Island a thick fog forced Luis Pardo to sail blindly using only his instinct. Although he was unable to avoid crashing into some icebergs, when the fog cleared, he discovered that the ice field that had impeded the previous rescues had retreated, leaving the way clear to the south. In order to be able to reach Elephant Island Pilot Pardo maintained the same course and made good use of the climatic conditions to tactically either speed up or slow down to around 3 knots, so that he was able to make out the icebergs when the fog did not allow them to see clearly. At one oclock in the afternoon on the 30th August, 1916 the crew of the Endurance were able to distinguish in the distance an approaching boat. Exhilarated they rushed to the beach falling over each other in the stampede. Meanwhile, the Yelcho slowly and carefully advanced towards the island so as to avoid icebergs and after a short time they were able to reach within 150 meters of the coast. From here a small boat headed towards land, taking Shackleton, Crean and four Chilean crew members to meet the shipwrecked men of the Endurance who shouted three cheers for Chile and its government. Within an hour all the crew members and their few belongings were on
salieron a su encuentro como una estampida pasando unos sobre otros. Por mientras, la Yelcho rodeaba la isla entre tmpanos con extremo cuidado para lograr detenerse a 150 metros de la costa. Desde all un bote se dirigi a tierra llevando a Shackleton, Crean y cuatro tripulantes chilenos al encuentro de los nufragos del Endurance, quienes vitoreaban a Chile y su gobierno. Una hora ms tarde todos los tripulantes y sus escasas pertenencias estaban a bordo de la Yelcho. En la bitcora de la Yelcho se registra el momento de esta manera: Se arra la chalupa grande, regresa a los 15 minutos con 12 de los nufragos. Antes de llegar Sir Ernest avisa que no hay novedad en su gente, y la tripulacin contesta con hurras y los nufragos responden con grandes vivas a Chile, a la Yelcho y a su comandante. El viaje de vuelta tuvo condiciones muy parecidas, pero el mal tiempo se mantuvo hasta que llegaron al Estrecho de Magallanes. Cinco das despus la nave atrac en Ro Seco desde donde comunicaron el xito de la misin, llegando ese mismo da a Punta Arenas.
board the Yelcho. The logbook of the Yelcho recorded those moments in the following way. The large launch was lowered and returned in 15 minutes with 12 of the survivors. Before arrival Sir Ernest confirmed that all was well with the men and the crew of the Yelcho replied with hurrahs. The survivors then responded with great cheers for Chile, the Yelcho and its captain. The return trip was similar but the bad weather continued until the Strait of Magellan. Five days after the rescue the boat docked in Rio Seco from where they were able to send word of the success of the mission. The crew and survivors were able to reach Punta Arenas later on that same day.
Arrival of the heroes
Llegada de los Hroes
he dock and the streets of Punta Arenas were crammed full of people waiting for the boat to arrive. The whole city had been greatly moved by the story of the shipwreck of the Endurance and were all anxiously hoping for news of a successful rescue. The period after the Yelcho had set off to the rescue of the crew waiting on Elephant Island, was a time of great uncertainty. The impossibility of communicating with the boat only served to increase the tension felt by the people of Punta Arenas and the country in general. When they reached land the crew of the Yelcho were feted by all the community; everyone wanted to show their affection and admiration. The protagonists of this adventure became real celebrities and their faces were on the front pages of all the newspapers of the day. Even in formal ceremonies given by the authorities those attending often asked these special guests to autograph their shirt fronts. The adventure caused such a stir that the sailors were invited to
l muelle y las calles de Punta Arenas estaban atestados de gente que esperaba a la embarcacin. Toda la ciudad se haba conmovido con la historia del naufragio del Endurance y mantenan la esperanza de un rescate exitoso. El tiempo que pas desde que la Yelcho sali al rescate de los tripulantes que esperaban en isla Elefante fue de gran incertidumbre. La imposibilidad de comunicarse con el barco slo aument la tensin del pueblo puntarenense y del pas en general. Ya en tierra, los tripulantes de la Yelcho fueron agasajados por la
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comunidad, todos queran demostrar su cario y admiracin. As fue como los protagonistas de esta historia se convirtieron en verdaderas celebridades que ocupaban las portadas de los peridicos de la poca; hasta en las ceremonias de etiqueta, ofrecidas por las autoridades, los presentes pedan que los festejados autografiaran las pecheras de sus trajes. Fue tanto el revuelo causado que los navegantes fueron invitados a Valparaso para recibir honores. En el puerto ms importante de Chile los recibi el Intendente, Anbal Pinto y el Alcalde Jorge Montt. Luego se entrevistaron con el Presidente Juan Luis Sanfuentes, ocasin que Shackleton aprovech para agradecer pblicamente el rescate chileno. El marino irlands alab desde un principio el tino e inteligencia del Piloto Luis Pardo. Asegur que sus determinaciones sabias y oportunas permitieron cumplir con xito una misin que contaba con precarios recursos para afrontarla. El Piloto Segundo Luis Pardo, que se convirti en el primer chileno en dirigir una expedicin antrtica de la Armada de Chile, recibi medallas de distincin de la Municipalidad de Punta Arenas, del Cuerpo de Salvavidas de Valparaso, de la Sociedad de Historia y Geografa, de la Liga Martima de Chile y de la Liga Patritica de Chile. La Armada lo nombr Piloto Primero y le dio un bono de diez aos de servicios. Tres aos despus se acogi a retiro. Por su parte, el gobierno britnico le obsequi una ponchera de cristal y plata con una grabacin que deca: Su hazaa admir al mundo entero!, adems de 25 mil libras esterlinas que humildemente no acept por considerar que slo cumpla con su deber. En 1930 el gobierno chileno lo nombr Cnsul en Liverpool, su ltimo aporte al pas. Cinco aos despus, a los 54 aos de edad, Luis Pardo muri en Santiago producto de una bronconeumona.
Valparaiso to receive honours. They were met by the provincial Governor, Anibal Pinto and the Mayor, Jorge Montt in the important Chilean port. Afterwards they had an attendance with the President Juan Luis Sanfuentes, on which occasion Shackleton took the opportunity of publicly thanking the Chileans for their rescue. The Irish sailor had praised, right from the outset, the excellent skill and calm judgement of Pilot Luis Pardo. He claimed that Pardos wise and opportune decisions were what allowed the mission to be successful despite the precarious resources. Second Pilot Luis Pardo became the first Chilean to lead an expedition by the Chilean navy to Antarctica. He received several Distinguished Service medals from the Punta Arenas Municipality, the Lifeboat Organisation of Valparaiso, the Geographical and Historical Society, the Chilean Maritime League and the Patriotic League of Chile. The navy promoted him to First Pilot and gave him a bonus of 10 years of service. Three years later he chose to retire. For their part the British government gave him a crystal and silver punch bowl with the engraving The whole world has admired your deeds as well as 25,000 pounds in sterling. Pardo humbly would not accept the money saying that he had only done his duty. In 1930 the Chilean government named him as the Consul in Liverpool, his last contribution to the country. Five years later at the age of 54 he died from pneumonia in Santiago. The navy named an Antarctic research ship after Piloto Pardo, and the Valparaiso Municipality changed the street Capilla where he lived with his family to Yelcho. In 1949 his name was given to a street on Cerro Polanco. Ernest Shackletons destiny was somewhat different. A few years after
La Armada bautiz como Piloto Pardo a un buque de investigacin para la Antrtica, la Municipalidad de Valparaso cambi de nombre la calle Capilla, donde alguna vez vivi Pardo con su familia, por Yelcho y en 1949 el nombre del navegante ocup una calle del cerro Polanco. El destino de Ernest Shackleton fue un tanto distinto. Algunos aos despus de haber recibido distinciones y dinero por parte de su pas, el explorador qued sin fondos, ni empleo y sus sueos se vieron frustrados. En 1921 se embarc en su ltima expedicin. El objetivo de la misin no fue claro, lo nico que le importaba era volver al inhspito territorio austral. Shackleton se dirigi a Georgia del Sur, a la estacin ballenera noruega que lo haba socorrido durante la viaje del Endurance y en ese lugar, el 4 de enero del ao siguiente, despus de un tranquilo da, muri de un infarto en su camarote. Como Ernest Shackleton y Luis Pardo, muchos marinos y aventureros han dedicado su vida a explorar territorios desconocidos y adversos para el ser humano. El afn por dominar el mundo en que vivimos, los ha hecho protagonistas de las hazaas ms increbles, que cuando se logran, amplan las fronteras de lo conocido, y cuando reina la derrota, pone a prueba el temple y la perseverancia del explorador.
receiving distinctions and rewards from his country the explorer was left without either funds or job and his dreams were frustrated. In 1921 he set off on his last expedition. His objective was not clearly stated, all that mattered to him was to return to the inhospitable southern territory. Shackleton headed to South Georgia, to the Norwegian whaling station which had provided help during the voyage of the Endurance and it was here, on the 4th January of the following year, after a tranquil day, that he died of a heart attack in his bunk bed. Like Ernest Shackleton and Luis Pardo, many sailors and adventurers have dedicated their lives to exploring unknown and adverse territories. The eagerness to dominate the world in which we live has produced the most incredible exploits. The attainments have further widened the frontiers of our knowledge and the failures have pushed to the limit the tenacity and perseverance of the explorer.
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Esta fotografa del Yelcho, capta el regreso del pequeo remolcador al puerto, fu tomada por el seor vega, fotografo de la ciudad. 3 de septiembre, domingo. Hermoso amanecer con espectaculares efectos de la bruma sobre las colinas y distantes montaas que rodean Punta Arenas. Poco despues de las 7 de la maana, sir E. rem hacia tierra y telefone anunciando nuestra llegada a Punta Arenas, de modo que la gente pudiera venir a saludarnos despues de misa, ya que debamos llegar a las doce del medioda. El Yelcho estaba decorada con banderas... al acercarnos al embarcadero nos ensordecieron los silbidos y los vtores de las lanchas de motor, de los que se hizo eco la vasta multitud reunida en los muelles. diario de Hurley
This photograph of the Yelcho captures the moment when the little tugboat returned to port. It was taken by Seor Vega, a local photographer, on Sunday, 3rd December 1916. Beautiful dawn with the mist on the hills and mountains surrounding Punta Arenas producing a spectacular effect. At shortly after 7 in the morning Sir E. rowed ashore and telephoned to announce that we would be arriving in Punta Arenas at around noon so that the people could come to greet us after church. The Yelcho was decorated with flags and as we came close to the pier we were deafened by the whistles and the cheers coming from the launch boats which were then echoed by the vast crowd that had gathered on the dockside Frank Hurleys Diary
Agradecimientos/Acknowledgements
Departamento Antrtico del Ejercito Rodrigo de la Maza, Comandante del Rompehielos Oscar Viel, ao 2004 Francisco Azocar, Comandante del Rompehielos Oscar Viel, ao 2005 Pilotos de helicoptero del Rompehielos Viel, ao 2004 y 2005 Dotacin 2004 y 2005 de la Base Bernardo OHiggins del Ejercito
Reconocimientos Especiales Luis Opazo Baltra Sra. Susmita G Thomas, Embajadora de la India en Chile Veronica Chain, Ministerio de Relaciones exteriores Coronel Miguel Santibaez, Comandante a cargo del departamento Antartico del Ejercito, ao 2005
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Fuentes consultadas/Bibliography
Alone - Richard E. Byrd Island Press (ISBN 1559634634) Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure Frank A. Worsley (ISBN 0393319946) The Voyage of the Discovery - Robert Falcon Scott Greenwood Publishing Group (ISBN 0837113342) Atrapados en el Hielo - Caroline Alexander Editorial Geo Planeta (ISBN 8408053051) Shackleton versus Pardo - Alfonso M. Filippi Parada Revista de Marina - Armada de Chile
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Sobre el autor/About the author
No cabe duda que la Patagonia cobra con creces el proceso y resultado de lograr una fotografa de entero contenido y expresividad. Viajar en ella se hace extenso, el clima muchas veces es inhspito y la soledad eterna, cuando se trata de capturar la imagen deseada. Luis Bertea, con ms de 18 aos en Punta Arenas y fotgrafo desde hace 6, ha plasmado en su propia agencia de diseo innovadores proyectos que hacen relato a unos de la parajes ms apartados del planeta, incluso desarrollando los primeros Cd-Rom tursticos de Chile y los mapas de esta austral regin. Con ello y un ojo cultivado por la naturaleza le han hecho merecedor de publicar en el libro alemn Feuerland und Patagonien de la Rowohlt Berling Verlag, fotografiar en India tras invitacin del mismo gobierno y ser fotgrafo de la Patagonia Expedition Race. El respeto nace hacia un artista por sus obras y sacrificios vividos para con ella. As, sin dejar de lado su perseverante profesionalismo, Luis Bertea por sobretodo ha amado lo que ha registrado.
CLAUDIO ALMARZA VALENZUELA Director REVISTA GEOGRAFICA Escritor Fotgrafo de Exploraciones National Geographic Magazine
Without a doubt it is not easy to produce photography of great content and expressiveness in such a place as Patagonia. Travelling involves great distances, the climate is often inhospitable and the solitude eternal - all endured to capture the desired image. Luis Bertea, has lived in Punta Arenas for 18 years and worked as a photographer for the last 6 of those years. He has formed his own design agency and created innovative projects, recording one of the most isolated places in the world, including CD ROMS of Chile for tourists and maps of this southern region. This experience, as well as a cultivated eye for nature, has led to him being published in the German book Feuerland und Patagonien (Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia) by Rowohlt Berling Verlag, being asked to take photographs in India at the invitation of the Indian government as well as being chosen as the photographer of the Patagonia Expedition Race. Respect for an artist is born through their works and the sacrifices they have made to achieve this art. Thus, without setting aside his consistent professionalism, I would like to say that Luis Bertea has, above everything, loved that which he has photographed.
CLAUDIO ALMARZA VALENZUELA Director GEOGRAFICA Magazine Writer and Expeditions Photographer National Geographic Magazine
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A N T The A last R frontier CTICA

Luis Bertea Rojas

The F R O N T E R A , U N V I A J E P O R L A P E N I N S U L ANTARCTICA A A N TA Rlast T frontier ICA1

Exclusive photo expedition

Expedition Cruise photography, cience & education

ANTARCTICA The last frontier

A N T The A last R frontier CTICA

Luis Bertea Rojas

ANTARCTICA - The last frontier

ANTARCTICA The last frontier

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ANTARCTICA The last frontier

ANTARCTICA The last frontier

Secretos del Continente Blanco

The secrets of the white continent

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The Origin of the Continent

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El Implacable Clima Antrtico

The implacable Antarctic climate

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Day and Night

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The Threat of the Ozone Hole

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Acuarelas de Ricardo Matus Ricardo Matus watercolor

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Poblacin y Bases Antrticas

Antarctic Bases and Populations

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En Busca de la Tierra Austral

In search of the South Land

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Cazadores de Focas y Balleneros

Seal and Whale Hunters

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Objetivo: El Polo Sur

Objective: The South Pole

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Flights over Antarctica

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Amanecer en Canal Beagle Sunrise in the Beagle Channel

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Glaciar Italia, en la avenida de los glaciares Italia Glacier, on glacier avenue

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Cabo de Hornos, Chile Cape Horn, Chile

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ANTARCTICA The last frontier