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The Historic Huts of the Ross Sea Region |
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Antarctica is the only continent where wooden buildings constructed by the original human inhabitants still remain. They are linked with inspirational feats of exploration and scientific achievement, endurance, and tragedy.
Early exploration of the Ross Dependency of Antactica during the so-called "heroic-age" (1895-1917) was carried out by mainly British expeditions. These parties built substantial wooden huts at locations accessible by ship. It was from these bases that sledging parties left for the interior.
There are 34 historic sites recorded in the Ross Sea area and four of them are huts. Two of Norwegian construction are at Cape Adare and were used for the first wintering on the continent by Carsten Borchgrevink's expedition in 1899. Another hut at Cape Adare was occupied by the Northern Party of Scott's "Terra Nova" expedition in 1911 and has since been largely destroyed by wind. The remaining huts are on Ross Island. Two of these are from Scott's expeditions, one at Hut Point from his 1901-04 "Discovery" expedition, and the other at Cape Evans from the 1910-13 expedition of "Terra Nova." A hut at Cape Royds, was built for Shackleton's 1907-09 "Nimrod" expedition. All three Ross Island huts were also used by the Ross Sea Party of Shackleton's attempted Trans-Antarctic expedition who were marooned at Cape Evans in 1915.
Since 1955 New Zealand has assumed the responsibility for the preservation of all these sites on behalf of the international community. The Antarctic Treaty and Protocol on Environmental Protection require that these historic sites be preserved and protected and this responsibility is undertaken by the Antarctic Heritage Trust.
I was honored to be able to visit all four huts in January 2000.
The following photographs were my documentation of those visits.
--Lee
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