The international expedition of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society «Antarctica: Travelers Unite the World.» successfully came to a close in the Argentine city of Ushuaia. The program participants filmed a documentary, prepared material for a new «Lesson from the Ocean,» and collected scientific data on the unique biodiversity of the southern continent.
The outcome of the educational program within the framework of the expedition will be a geographical teleconference, scheduled for spring 2026. It will be dedicated to the Southern Ocean. The broadcast, which will traditionally be hosted by Tomsk State University, will be joined by thousands of schoolchildren from various regions of Russia, as well as from Argentina, Spain, Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Egypt, Turkey, and other countries.
The crew of the ship in the city of Ushuaia. Photo provided by the expedition members
The expedition members collected scientific materials at the Russian, Spanish, and Argentine stations in Antarctica. The crew also visited Fedor Konyukhov’s world’s only one-person Antarctic station. Of course, one of the most important missions of the project was the collaboration and close communication of seafarers from Russia, Argentina, and Spain, which clearly demonstrate the need for rapprochement and friendship between different peoples of the world.
«We are confident that in-person communication between people from different countries makes a significant contribution to curbing the moral degradation of humanity. Researchers and travelers from the team of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the RGS — Russians, Argentines, Spaniards — are already preparing new joint scientific and educational projects that will be implemented in the near future under the banner of the Russian Geographical Society,» said Yulia Kalyuzhnaya, scientific director of the expedition, Executive Director of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the RGS.
The ship Club off the coast of Antarctica. Photo provided by the expedition members
The crew of the sailing yacht Club successfully overcame all the difficulties of sailing in high latitudes. The return from Antarctica to the coast of Argentina was also difficult. They had to wait a whole week for suitable weather conditions off one of the islands of the Palmer Archipelago, but the voyage still did not allow the crew to relax.
«Almost immediately on the way back, the Drake Passage showed its ferocious temper. Strong winds became the main background for the next five days. Wind gusts reached 45 knots (80 km/h). As a parting gift, the great guardian of Antarctica decided to give our ship and crew a serious thrashing. And Francis Drake’s spirit was clearly determined to inflict irreparable damage on us. On the fifth day, we fell into the arms of Cape Horn, the wind increased, it became difficult to control the ship, and the pitch darkness increased the danger. It was decided to drift a few miles to the south. We drifted until dawn and continued moving in the early morning. By the evening of February 3, the Drake Passage and Cape Horn were left behind, and our sailboat entered the Beagle Channel. On February 4, at 9 a.m., we approached the port of Ushuaia,» said expedition leader Evgeny Kovalevsky.
The «Moya Planeta» TV channel plans to release a documentary about the expedition of the Tomsk Regional Branch of the RGS «Antarctica: Travelers Unite the World.»