maria curie-skłodowska univwrsity in lublinie
The History of UMCS
Polar Expeditions
Journey into the Past …
UMCS Polar Expedions
History
The Spitsbergen Treaty of 1920 made it possible to undertake economic activities as well as conduct scientific research. Poland, being one of the signatories, embraced this opportunity by organizing polar expeditions, both before and after World War II. Visiting Svalbard did not require a Norwegian visa, which reduced the amount of necessary paperwork. This was particularly important after 1945, during the so-called ‘Cold War.’ One notable fact was Poland’s active participation in studies related to the 3rd International Geophysical Year (1957–1958). This led to the establishment of a permanent polar station on Spitsbergen, at Hornsund.
Professor Kazimierz Pękala (1936-2018) (Photo J.Magierski 1990)
In addition to the year-round operations of the Polar Station of the Polish Academy of Sciences at Hornsund, studies related to Spitsbergen are also based on data gathered during seasonal expeditions organized by various Polish scientific institutions. Maria Curie-Skłodowska University of Lublin joined the ranks of these institutions in 1986. A series of expeditions was organized by the Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences of UMCS with the purpose of conducting comprehensive studies of the environment. These expeditions were led by Prof. Kazimierz Pękala, Ph.D., who had previously participated in polar expeditions organized by the University of Wrocław (1973), the Polish Academy of Sciences (1980), and the Jagiellonian University (1983). In addition to him, another individual with polar experience was Jan Rodzik, Ph.D., who was a member of the year-long Central Expedition of the Polish Academy of Sciences in 1982–1983 to Hornsund.
The first UMCS Polar Expedition, organized in cooperation with the Institute of Geology of the University of Warsaw, set out from Lublin on June 24, 1986. It had been preceded by a long period of preparations, which took place during a decade that was quite difficult for the country’s economy. Purchasing the necessary equipment, clothing, and provisions for a dozen or so people was not an easy task. The expedition members also had to account for the possibility of having to make some repairs to the buildings, so they needed to have the necessary building materials. Through agreements with the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the equipment and provisions were transported by a ship chartered for the Central Expedition of the Polish Academy of Sciences (this was also the case during successive expeditions).
Uczestnicy Pierwszej Wyprawy Polarnej UMCS w 1986 r. – przed czołem lodowca Recherche (fot. K.Pękala)
Participants of the First UMCS Polar Expedition in 1986 – Chamberlindalen (Photo by K. Pękala).
In the beginning (between 1986 and 1990), most of the expedition participants would arrive in Spitsbergen by plane: from Warsaw to Moscow, and on the next day from Moscow via Murmansk to Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen. Such a trip took at least two days. The last stage (from the airport at Longyearbyen to the base camp at Calypsobyen) involved renting a helicopter from ‘Trust Arktiugol,’ which often wasn’t possible until a few days after arrival. Similar difficulties awaited during the return journey. Direct contact with Poland was possible only if one of the expedition members had been authorized to use a two-way radio.
The first landing in Calypsobyen (Photo A.Gluza).
The year 1991 introduced significant changes, especially in terms of logistics. From that point onwards, researchers would travel by plane from Warsaw via Oslo to Longyear, which was considerably shorter and allowed them to extend the period of field studies. Other options were also available, such as traveling by ship from Gdynia to Spitsbergen (in 1999, the r/v Professor Shtokman). Various means of transportation, including the Norwegian Aviation Company Airlift AS (helicopter), the Russian ship ‘Pomor,’ the research vessel s/y ‘Oceania’ (captain Marek Marzec), and the yacht s/y ‘Eltanin’ (captain Jerzy Różański), were used for personal transport and cargo shipment from Longyearbyen to Calypsobyen
After 1999, expedition participants could communicate with the outside world using a satellite phone (‘Iridium’), and later on – cellular phones. This was an important improvement in safety for expedition participants. Additionally, acquiring provisions for these expeditions became much easier, especially after 2000, when the MS ‘Horyzont II’ – a training vessel of the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia – began making regular trips between Gdynia and Spitsbergen.
Some other means of transport were used, typically during the return trip. Twice in 1999 and 2000, the return route from Calypsobyen (Svalbard) to Lublin (Poland) involved two stages: first, from Longyearbyen to Tromsø by ship (e.g., a/s Nordbjørn), and then from Tromsø to Lublin by car.”
m/s Horyzont II in Bellsundzie (Photo P.Zagórski 2000)
s/v Eltanin – Josephbukta (Photo K.Siwek 2001)
Logo
Contact Us
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University
al. Kraśnicka 2D
20-718 Lublin
(+48) 81 537 69 96
inoz@mail.umcs.pl
Get Connected
All rights reserved © 2024 Piotr Zagórski