Grytviken, South Georgia Cruise Port

As part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Grytviken is a settlement in the South Atlantic between South America and Antarctica. Once a large whaling station, it is now home to a research station and invites cruise ship visitors in manageable-sized parties. The landmass in located at the head of King Edward Cove, which sits within the larger Cumberland East Bay. The harbor is considered the finest on South Georgia Island and is highly protected. Despite being founded by Carl Anton Larsen in 1904, Grytviken played a big part in Ernest Shackleton’s Trans-Atlantic expedition, acting as the site where he organized the rescue party for his surviving crew members. Aside from the scientists manning the station, a UK government officer and a postmaster, the only other residents are the museum staff which offer a detailed history of the islands during the summer months.

• Visit the South Georgia Museum during the summer to learn about this unique and beautiful civilization in an otherwise deserted and desolate place.
   
• For another dose of history, the defunct Grytviken Whaling Station still displays the boats and machinery that aided in the slaughter of whales until the 1970s. Today, as a bit of revenge, the station is inhabited by seals and penguins.
   
• Having stood for more than a century, the Norwegian Lutheran Church has seen much renovation over the years and is a pleasant place to check out during your visit.
   
• After succumbing to a heart attack on an expedition years after the famous one, Sir Edward Shackleton died amid the South Georgian Islands. His grave is on display in Grytviken and is a must see for admirers of the great explorer’s work.