Stromness is an abandoned whaling station on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. It was the destination of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s rescue journey in 1916. Exhausted and lacking a map, he and his men descended through the valley and encountered a frozen waterfall. Not realizing an easier path existed around it, they lowered themselves straight down the ice using their last bit of rope before arriving at the whaling station. These falls now bear his name, and we hiked a 3-mile round trip over rocky terrain to see them.

When Shackleton arrived at the station, he knocked on the door of the white building shown below to seek assistance. It is the only structure that has been restored within the otherwise dilapidated whaling station.