South Georgia possesses a rich and unique history. It was the southern capital for whaling in the 20th century, starting in 1904 with the establishment of the first whaling station at Grytviken by Carl Anton Larsen. By 1912, seven whaling stations were in operation and, by 1965 when whaling ceased, around 175,000 whales had been processed on South Georgia. The highly valuable whale oil produced at the stations was used in foodstuffs, cosmetics and in the production of nitro-glycerine. The now-deserted stations stand as evidence of South Georgia’s whaling past |