Information For Visitors

 

Visitors are very welcome at Arctowski Station. As every day station personnel have their daily activities and duties please make sure to inform about your expected arrival as early as possible.Please include the following information:

  • vessel name,
  • estimated time of arrival,
  • estimated time on shore,
  • number of guests on shore,
  • name of the expedition leader.

Please note that there can be only 100 guests on shore at the same time. After your arrival our crew will provide a short safety briefing.

We ask you to please follow those guidelines when visiting Arctowski or any other site in Antarctica:

Safety:

  • Be alert!
  • Plan you activities always with “safety first” in mind.
  • Be self-suffivient in your plans and the equipment you carry.
  • Do not expect a rescue service.
  • Always stay with your group.

Environment:

  • Plants are rare, fragile and slow growing. Avoid walking on moss and lichens. It takes years for them to recover.
  • Do not collect organic matter such as lichens and mosses.
  • If birds or seals react to your presence, you are too close. Please, keep your distance.
  • Allow fossils and rocks to remain undisturbed.
  • Keep to established tracks or trails. Avoid walking on undisturbed ground.
  • You are free to take photographs but please be sensitive in doing so. While photographing please do so without disturbing animals.

Human impact:

  • Take all your litter with you.
  • Do not throw litter overboard from ships.
  • Please respect historic sites. They are protected by the Antarctic Treaty.
  • Emergency depots and refuges must not be disturbed.

Science Station and Programs:

  • Check with the Station managers before you visit Antarctica. They can inform you about current activities.
  • Stations are home for Antarctic personnel. Please respect their property and privacy.
  • Do not disturb sites where scientific research is in progress.
  • Please, do not automatically expect support from research stations. They are primarily research facilities, not set up for tourist management.

If during your stay you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask our crew!

Please remember that penguin nesting sites on western shore of Admiralty Bay are Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA-128) and entrance there is strictly prohibited. Please go no further than the end of the Halfmoon Cove beach. Signs are there to inform you where ASPA starts.

Jasnorzewski Gardens (the large mosses area in N/S axis between the Penguin Ridge and Arctowski Cove and in S/W axis between Upłaz Hill and Halfmoon Cove) are very fragile and therefore specially protected. Please do not walk in this area.

Usual, suggested place for visitor’s zodiacs landing is a beach near the light house G1387.4. See the VR view of the Shag Point landing site.

Before landing please establish VHF radio contact with Station personnel.

There is a possibility to send a postcard from the Station ($2 postcard + $2 postal fee). Also you can stamp your passport with the Station emblem. Remember to bring it in a waterproof protection as sometimes Zodiak landings are rough.

Even if you have no intention of landing on shore, please feel free to establish a VHF radio contact just to say hello or ask for weather and ice condition in the Admiralty Bay. As we usually have a lot of water operations going on daily, we will be very grateful if you could inform us about your coursing plan in the Bay, so that everyone is aware and safe.

In case of emergency the Station radio operator is always monitoring VHF marine CH 16 (156.800 MHz). Current working channel for internal Station comms (monitored by all Station personnel) is VHF marine CH 10 (156.500 MHz).

We wish you a pleasant stay on King George Island!