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On Captain James Cook's second voyage of discovery (1772–1775), he circumnavigated the globe in high southern latitudes, raising doubts about the existence of the Antarctic continent, still undiscovered at that time. During this expedition, Cook discovers the South Sandwich Islands and lands on South Georgia Island, deeming them "Lands doomed by Nature to perpetual frigidness," where they never feel the warmth of the sun's rays, exhibiting horrible and savage aspects he finds indescribable.
He names the South Sandwich Islands after Lord Sandwich, considering them, along with South Georgia, a UK Dependent Territory, currently uninhabited. While Cook observed some islands, several remained undiscovered until Bellingshausen's visit in 1819.
Situated around 740 km southeast of South Georgia, the islands form a 350 km long chain, comprising 11 large and several smaller islands, totaling about 600 sq. km. Most are ice-capped, with the tallest peak, on Montagu Island, reaching 1,370 m. The climate is cold, marked by frequent snowfall and strong winds.
The islands, volcanic in origin, have active ones among them. Zavodovski Island, for instance, is in constant eruption and reeks of rotten eggs (its volcano is named Mt. Asphyxia), while Visokoi, Candlemas, Saunders, and Bellingshausen exhibit definite signs of activity. Bristol, Cook, and Thule islands are heavily glaciated, showing no signs of warmth or activity. All islands have steep sides above water, rapidly descending into water more than 1,500 m deep.
In this untamed environment, nature dictates our activities and observations. If conditions permit, we aim to explore the dramatic coastlines of some islands aboard the ship or by Zodiac. Limited biological and geological work, primarily in the 1960s by the British Antarctic Survey, provides scant knowledge about these islands. Vegetation is sparse, but Zavodovski Island hosts an extraordinary wildlife spectacle: a chinstrap penguin colony numbering around one million on its steep volcanic slopes. Those who witness this massive penguin colony are left in awe.