Cape Adare - First Impressions | Antarctic Heritage Trust

Cape Adare First Impressions

By Patrick Power, Antarctic Heritage Trust’s GM Operations and Programmes

I have been involved with the Trust’s project to conserve Carsten Borchgrevink’s Hut for over six years. During these years I have heard the stories of Borchgrevink’s British Antarctic (Southern Cross) Expedition 1898–1900 and those who have been to site in the modern era. I was always intrigued as to how I would find Cape Adare and Borchgrevink’s hut? This year I had the chance to find out.

Even with modern day logistics support, Cape Adare is still a difficult remote location to get to, as it is over 800km from Scott Base, our start point on this adventure, and now I feel privileged to have been there. The helicopter ride in over Adare Saddle sets the scene. As you come over the saddle you see Cape Adare Peninsula for the first time, it looks tiny compared to the surrounding topography and icebergs frozen into the sea ice. As you get close you realise the scale of the black basalt headland and the number of Adelie Penguins.

Then you land and step out of the helicopter. Straight away you are hit be the noise, activity and unique smell that is a large penguin colony. Something that never leaves you, you find yourself watching in awe as the colony go about their business.

The majority of the time the cloud hangs low over Adare, this creates a cold, brooding atmosphere which again makes you realise how remote and unsupported you are. How would Borchgrevink and his team felt after the Southern Cross left? They were true explorers.

I had heard stories of the wind, and we were lucky to experience it at its worst. A storm blew in with little warning and winds picked up to 55-60 knots, which is hurricane strength. Thank goodness we had secure structures to hide out in. Everything was rattling, visibility was non-existent, and then you began to hear rocks and ice being blown into the side of the buildings. I love this weather but it is scary as you are at the mercy of the weather.

Flying over Adare Saddle looking out to Cape Adare_by DH

Flying over Adare Saddle looking out to Cape Adare. © Antarctica NZ/Doug Henderson

I finally had the opportunity to visit Carsten Borchgrevink’s historic hut. The first thing you realise is how small the living area was. Its dark, cold, damp and musty. You can feel the hardship that the first overwinter team would have gone through and how claustrophobic it would have been. I doubt they got any time alone. The drawings on Kolbein Ellefsen’s bunks show how the mind changes across a long dark over winter and shows the mental suffering you can still feel within the hut.

I will never forget my first visit to Cape Adare and Borchgrevink’s Hut but I have to ask “why any would build a hut here in the first place?!”