Whale Catcher Petrel at Grytviken

sub-Antarctic South Georgia.

After decades of overexploitation Antarctic whaling collapsed in the mid-1960s. Expecting the whale stocks to recover quickly, the whalers layed up some of their whale catchers and abandoned the shore stations on South Georgia. The rusting hulk of the catcher Petrel still lies where she was abandoned. The whalers never returned but six decades later whale stocks are finally recovering.

oil on board

49.2 x 59.2cm, framed