7The South Orkney Islands
The South Orkney Islands are northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula’s tip. They were officially discovered by British and American sealers back in the 1800s when they were used as a base for whale and seal hunting. At present, these islands host a pair of research stations.
One is managed by the British Antarctic Survey and the other is run by the powers that be in Argentina. These islands are usually cold, windblown, and more or less inhospitable. They feature what some refer to as “ends of the Earth landscapes,” and feature little more than hardy local grasses and mosses that harken back 4,500 years. The only residents you might see are leopard seals and a lot of penguins including both sturdy southern rockhoppers and chinstrap penguins.
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