The wreck makes an excellent mooring point for the numerous small yachts that visit the area. The bay containing this wreck also makes a spectacular place to visit, as it is well protected and the high ice walls of the bay make a beautiful ice amphitheater. We were lucky enough to spend two nights there and were able to experience five spectecular dives exploring the old wreck, the marine life it has attracted and the old bones of numerous whales that litter the sea floor.

If time permits and suitable transport can be arranged, we would like to make a return trip to this location for another dive on the wreck. This dive will help provide us with an accurate indication of the type and quantity of rubbish being carelessly discarded in the area.

Our second, and by far the worst observastion of pollution, occured in the channel beside Vernadsky Station on Galindez Island.

Vernadsky Station was first called Faraday Station and operated by the British From 1935 - 1995 and then sold for $1 to the Ukrainian government for ongoing research.

The pollution was first observed during explorative dives conducted by Ukrainian divers Dr. Ilyin and Dr. Utevsky in the summer season 2002-2003, and recently by us when we accompanied Dr. Chesalin in our Dive Antarctice expedition in January 2006.

Simple analysis and research showed that the waste discovered around Vernadsky Station, near Marina Point, had accumulated between 1954 and 1996, during the existence of "Station F - Faraday"", renamed in 1977. It is possible that some rubbish was discarded in the initial construction of buildings on Galindez Island in 1954, however, most of the underwater pollution can be linked to the rubbish discarded in the intensive re-construction effort undertaken in the summer of 1979-80, when more than 800 tonnes of building materials were delivered to the station.

For further information on Vernadsky Station
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/About_Antarctica/Heritage/Stations/faraday.html

The underwater wastes near “Wordie House” in Skua Creek, near Winter Island, predominantly consist of the building materials from the “northern” base of British expedition to the Graham Land under the leadership of Australian John Raymill. The base was constructed in 1935 and fully destroyed in 1946 by high tide.

These items were left undisturbed and upon our possible return to the area we hope to remove these items after appropriate approval to raise them has been sort.

"Wordie House" was designated as Historic Site No. 62 in 1995 due to its importance as an early British scientific station. The orignial hut was built and used by the British Garham Land expedition (1935/36) and then later used as a base for the start of Britain's meterology Antarctic research which continued through to 1954. The original base was extended in 1951 to include a generator shed, office, store and toilet. It was then closed in 1954 and the reasearch continued at a new site on the nearby Galindez Island where they built Faraday Station. The old base still houses many items and artifacts that also includes instruments that were used in the early meteorolgy research.

For further information on "Wordie House"
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/About_BAS/Cambridge/Divisions/EID/Environment/Wordie_House.html

We were wittness to some of the most awe inspiring scenery, beautiful natural wildlife, both above and below the water while taking part in this amazing trip. It is for this reason we have decided to return to the water's we love in order to restore and preserve one of the world's most unique and beautiful environments for further generations.