Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In 1897, Adrien de Gerlache led Belgica to Antarctica. The crew, including Amundsen and Cook, survived a harsh winter. The ship later sank in Norway. Its anchor returns to Ostend in 2024.
A group of divers found an anchor from the Belgica in a fjord in Norway. They gave the anchor to the Belgica Society, which keeps things from the ship’s journey. The anchor will be moved to the Flanders Marine Institute in Belgium. This institute studies the ocean and its history. The anchor will be shown to the public on March 19th, 2025.
Adrien de Gerlache led an expedition to the South Pole in 1897. He sailed on a ship called the Belgica. The boat got stuck in the ice. The crew was trapped for a whole year. They were the first people to spend an Antarctic winter. It was very cold. They got sick.
Cook and Amundsen helped the crew by getting them to eat seal and penguin meat. According to the officials, the crew worked hard to get the ship free. They used saws and explosives. They got free in 1899.
Is Belgica’s 1897 Anchor Returning to Ostend After Discovery?
According to the officials, the Belgica was used for science, business trips, and even the Arctic. Later, it was used to hunt whales. It was sold to Norway and became a floating storage for weapons.
They mentioned that when Germany attacked Norway, the Belgica was sunk in a fjord. This was done to keep the weapons safe. They mentioned Belgica helped people learn about the South Pole. People are trying to find the wreck of the Belgica now.
The Belgica’s story starts in Ostend. The vessel was meant to travel directly to the South Pole once it had departed from Antwerp in 1897, but there were issues. The crew disagreed and a few members of it deserted the ship.
De Gerlache had to find new crew members and get more supplies for the journey. This delay in Ostend helped the expedition get ready for the difficult conditions in Antarctica. Now, the anchor from the Belgica is going back to Ostend.
