Introduction
Almost 110 years ago, on the 16th August 1897, Adrien Victor Joseph de Gerlache (lieutenant in the Royal Belgian Navy) and his multinational crew (Belgian, Romanian, Polish, Norwegian, Russian and American) set sail from Antwerp to Antarctica. This expedition was the most cosmopolitan of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration. Two of its members became world famous: second officer Roald Amundsen the first person to reach the South Pole in 1911 and Doctor Frederick Cook who claimed to have discovered the North Pole in 1908. It took about three years to prepare the Belgica expedition. The 250 tonnes three masters barque purchased in Norway underwent extensive refitting and was then renamed The Belgica.
On its way to Antarctica the expedition explored various areas. It was the first expedition ever to include scientific results that were later internationally recognised. The Belgica expedition was one of the most important ever to visit Antarctica. For the first time meteorological data of the geological composition of the Antarctic peninsula was gathered during a whole year, including an Antarctic winter The first profound study about ice phenomena in Antarctica and about the composition and exchange of sea waters was made. Unknown plants were reported, numerous new specimens of the Antarctica fauna were discovered and for the first time the Antarctic food chain was described.
Between January and February 1898 the expedition completed 20 landings on the islands along the Belgica Strait (later to be renamed the Gerlache Strait). On the 28th of February 1898 the barque was trapped in the ice of the Bellinghausen Sea. Despite incredible efforts from the crew to escape the icy water, the Belgica remained for 13 months frozen in the ice. It was the first time ever that anybody had overwintered in the South Antarctic. Finally, on the 14th March 1899, just before the onset of the second winter, the crew managed to clear the ice by cutting and blasting a channel through pack ice of 4.4 meters. The Expedition returned to Antwerp on the 5th November 1899.
In celebration of the 110th anniversary of the Belgica expedition, following the steps of Adrien de Gerlache, Dixie Dansercoer and the crew of The Euronav Belgica, intends to repeat this expedition in the South Pole in the winter of 2007-2008. Whilst in the South Pole, Dixie and his team will not only follow step by step the route taken by Adrien de Gerlache, but also attempt to climb previously unexplored and unnamed mountains and try to gather ecological and meteorological data. To find out more information about the previous expedition, you can click here .
Euronav, an integrated owner, operator and manager of ocean going tankers is proud to be the sole sponsor of "In The Wake Of The Belgica" expedition.
Please read the "Purpose" section to find out more about Euronav's and the expedition's objectives.
To find out more information about the sponsor please log on to www.euronav.com
