Tuesday
November 18, 2008
18:15
This afternoon we visited Grytviken a highlight weve all been looking
forward to, and one that holds a very special meaning to me. This is
where Shackleton is buried, and where his memorial is located. An old
whaling factory has been somewhat preserved here. Another building
houses a museum, offering a detailed and tactile history of whaling
and also of the people who lived in this incredibly remote place.
Most of the buildings in the bay are available to visit and explore,
which gives insight into island life. On top of the actual buildings,
the remnants of the whaling ships and factory as a photographers
paradise. There is a distinctly Scandanavian church built of wood, the
original jail, and a post office where you can buy special stamps from
South Georgia and send postcards home officially stamped with
Antarctica. There are even the remains of a ski jump used by the
Norwegians. Marine research is actively taking place here to this day.
Upon landing, we went directly to Shackletons grave. The whole
experience of visiting Shackletons resting place is always very
meaningful, and always somewhat poignant. But today the visit held even
more meaning as we commemorated a memorial to Ger McDonnell, my good
friend who was with us here in 2006. Like Shackleton, Ger was an amazing
adventurer. Sadly, he and another friend of mine, Rolf Bay, who was
also a guide for Beyond Endurance in 2006, died in 2008 on K2. At the
gravesite, I paid homage to Ger along with Sinead Walsh from Kilcornan.
As we placed a photo of Ger at the graveside, I was saddened by the fact
that he and Rolf were not present with us this year, and memories
flooded back of the great adventures we had throughout the world, may he
rest in peace.
I also went to the very tip of the bay with the rest of the traverse
team, and had our photo taken at Shackletons memorial cross.
Our ship anchored in the bay for the night, and conditions were
absolutely gorgeous. The skies were clear, the stars were out, and the
water was so perfectly still that you could see an endless reflection of
the stars on the bay. Later that night, Pat Lorcork the commissioner
for South Georgia and four of his research scientists joined us on
board for dinner and stayed well into the night playing guitar and
singing. Old whaling songs, Irish songs, funny songs written on this
trip by Brian van Niekerk, a presenter for our film crew
and even a
dash of The Eagles with a round of Take it easy.
It was a great night.
Pat Falvey,
Expedition Leader
PHOTO: A group of us at Shackletons grave site
