It is not difficult to understand the connection between Patagonia and Antarctica. Only 1,000 kilometers separate Argentina’s southernmost city, Ushuaia, from the Antarctic Peninsula. It was only a matter of time before the neighboring countries established permanent settlements and laid claim to this continent.
Until then, Antarctica had been a little-known place that even whalers and sealers kept secret. No one wanted to reveal locations that might jeopardize the monopoly of certain companies.
Antarctica was a place that was little known and even kept secret by whalers and sealers.
This general attitude among whalers hindered the development of knowledge about this continent, which was—and in some respects still is—a mystery to the world.
The whalers were unwilling to reveal their positions, as this could jeopardize the monopoly held by certain companies.
After Perito Moreno had negotiated with Professor Bruce, the ship Scotia left the port of Buenos Aires on January 21, 1904, and reached Laurie Island on February 14. There, Professor Bruce handed over the equipment to the Argentine government, as he was no longer able to conduct his surveying work there.
It was on February 22, 1904, that the Argentine Republic opened the South Orkney Islands Meteorological and Magnetic Observatory. It has been in operation ever since. Thus, the Argentine Republic has maintained an uninterrupted presence in Antarctica since 1904.
On March 30, 1927, the sounds of Morse code were heard in Antarctica for the first time. On that day, the Orkney Station (LRT) was officially inaugurated at the South Orkney Islands Meteorological Observatory, establishing contact with the LIK Station in Ushuaia and, through it, with Buenos Aires.
