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You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / On The Road – arrieve – Vernadsky Station, Antarctica

On The Road – arrieve – Vernadsky Station, Antarctica

by WaterGirl|  March 8, 20225:00 am| 19 Comments

This post is in: On The Road, Photo Blogging

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On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.

From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.

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arrieve

I’ve never been to Ukraine, but I have been lucky enough to visit Vernadsky Station, their research base in Antarctica. I know I submitted Antarctica pictures to On the Road back in 2018, but don’t believe these were included. If they are a repeat, I hope no one will mind.

This was originally another British base (F, at first, and then Faraday after the scientist.) Before the environmental regulations for Antarctica were strengthened, research stations that could no longer be supported were simply abandoned. (We actually visited two of these; the one on Detaille Island had to be evacuated with almost no notice when the relief ship was unable to make it through the ice. There are still magazines and shelves of canned goods and a pair of longjohns hung up to dry.)

So when the British wanted to leave Faraday, instead of tearing the base down and removing every piece, as would now be required, they sold it to Ukraine for one British pound.

We saw the outside of a few research stations, but the Ukrainians are the only ones who allow visitors. For the few months a year that it’s possible to visit, they will cheerfully show visitors around, stamp their passports with a custom Antarctica stamp, and sell them homemade vodka what they proudly claim is “The Southernmost Bar in the World.”

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 7
Antarctica

I love the cheeky humor of that sign.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 6
Antarctica

Kyiv is thataway.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 5
Antarctica

The chapel.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 4
Antarctica

Unfortunately the weather was bad even for Antarctica the day we were there, so it wasn’t really possible to wander around much outside and the skies were very gray, but I loved that all of the buildings were painted in bright colors.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 3
Antarctica

So much of what you see in Antarctica is missing any sign of a human presence: ice, mountains, water, wildlife. But I did love seeing penguins scampering around on human infrastructure, like these power lines.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 2
Antarctica

The desk of one of the scientists. I thought that I would never manage to get much work done because I’d be too busy watching the penguins all day, but it is dark outside six months of the year.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica 1
Antarctica

Not a great picture, unfortunately, but here is the Southernmost Bar in the World. I didn’t sample the vodka, because the bad weather made walking the ramps leading down to the boats the equivalent of doing a slalom without skis.

On The Road - arrieve - Vernadsky Station, Antarctica
Antarctica

In addition to the bar, the scientists also run the Southernmost Gift Shop in the World. I have one of these penguins sitting on my bookshelf. Slava Ukraini!

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Reader Interactions

19Comments

  1. 1.

    bjacques

    March 8, 2022 at 5:47 am

    Great pix!

    Wise of them to maintain an outpost, even now, to keep a close eye on the Mountains of Madness.

  2. 2.

    OzarkHillbilly

    March 8, 2022 at 6:15 am

    Those guys in the bar look cold. Don’t they heat it?

  3. 3.

    HeartlandLiberal

    March 8, 2022 at 6:36 am

    Fantastic pictures. What an experience, to visit Antarctica. I watch videos of life there all the time, there are some great ones of the starry skies at the South Pole on Youtube, too, but at 76, with a bad back, I think that is one bucket list item I will not be able to check off. Le Sigh.

  4. 4.

    P Thomas

    March 8, 2022 at 6:38 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: The people in the bar in the red jackets are with whatever group was visiting at the time.  I did a trip in 2015 and the group from my boat were all in identical bright yellow.  Note they are still wearing their little “mae west” type life jackets, since they probably arrived at the station in little Zodiac boats  It was just so much easier to just leave your jacket on without having to remove everything.  The people at the station were usually in sweaters, etc.  Verdansky was a very interesting stop!

  5. 5.

    arrieve

    March 8, 2022 at 7:07 am

    @P Thomas: Yes, that was my group in the red jackets. You have to put on so many layers to go ashore in Antarctica, you’re not going to take any of it off, including the life jackets, until you’re back on the  ship.

    Glad to hear from another Vernadsky visitor!

  6. 6.

    HinTN

    March 8, 2022 at 7:12 am

    @HeartlandLiberal: Yes, as much as I would like to go, and this travelogue is very enticing, vicarious appreciation is the only realistic avenue. Thanks for taking us to the Southernmost Bar, arrieve.

  7. 7.

    BretH

    March 8, 2022 at 7:24 am

    Thanks, love the photos and the adventure!

  8. 8.

    Fair Economist

    March 8, 2022 at 8:16 am

    Fun trip! My cousin invited me along to a cruise in Antarctica last fall but I just couldn’t manage it.

  9. 9.

    Grumpy Old Railroader

    March 8, 2022 at 9:25 am

    Thank you!

  10. 10.

    MelissaM

    March 8, 2022 at 9:46 am

    I love the wonky penguin sculptures! Thanks for the trip.

  11. 11.

    Yutsano

    March 8, 2022 at 9:52 am

    I’mma let you finish but…

    PENGIES!!!

  12. 12.

    West of the Rockies

    March 8, 2022 at 11:08 am

    Super interesting post!  Thank you for sharing!  I recall that there is/was a writer in residence program at one such station.  That would be a weird and interesting position.

  13. 13.

    JustRuss

    March 8, 2022 at 11:22 am

    Thanks for sharing this!  How many people are stationed there?

  14. 14.

    SkyBluePink

    March 8, 2022 at 11:43 am

    Really enjoyed this view into another world-

    Thanks for posting!

  15. 15.

    J R in WV

    March 8, 2022 at 12:42 pm

    The Southernmost vodka is likely similar to the local clear whiskey made in these here parts. Called Moonshine,  when done well by someone with bio and chem degrees, a nearly tasteless burn.

  16. 16.

    Groucho48

    March 8, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    No hand rails on the stairs in the first picture. As someone who regularly has to navigate slippery stairs in winter, that makes me very nervous just looking at them.

  17. 17.

    Bill in Section 147

    March 8, 2022 at 1:16 pm

    I think I read to many expedition stories and adventure novels as a kid because I have always dreamed of going to Antarctica. Weirdly, I have never dreamed of going to Hawaii or Alaska, not that I wouldn’t, just I never really thought about going. My spouse is keen on Alaska so we will probably go – a hard no on Antarctica though (sigh).

  18. 18.

    Ruckus

    March 8, 2022 at 1:38 pm

    arrieve

    I applied to be stationed in Antartica while in the Navy but was told that I’d have to sign up for another 6 yrs to be allowed to go. I figured at some point in life I’d travel there to find out how cold really freaking cold is, rather than give 5 extra years, just for the possibility of going for one. Also a visit isn’t as long as living there a year. Also it was cold enough in the North Atlantic in winter. Ship I was on was assigned three times to NATO duty. Once stopped in a port in the very north of Norway, I seem to recall it was Berlevag. In winter.

    The pictures are wonderful and from everything I’ve seen and read it is an amazing place. I’d like to go but am not sure I’ll ever be able. Thanks for the pictures of a trip of a lifetime.

  19. 19.

    Nutmeg again

    March 8, 2022 at 8:48 pm

    Nifty!  The son of Vladimir Vernadsky (George) was a historian (of Russia) and a wonderful person. He was a professional mentor for my dad, and he and his wife Nina were extra grandparents. It’s wonderful to be reminded of them.

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