WAP‘s good friend Prof. Lyubomir Ivanov has sent an abstract of his last experience on the South Shetlands Islands where he has been involved among the Bulgarian Scientific Expedition of last Jan-Febr.2025.
In connection with the interest of Bulgarian geologists and other scientists in the possibilities of field work on Smith Island in the South Shetland Islands, during the 33rd Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition on January 10 and February 12, 2025, preliminary surveys were carried out by the naval Research/Survey Vessel RSV 421 under the command of Navy Commander Radko Muevski on the southeastern side of the island (mostly remotely) and more thoroughly in the area of Cape Smith at the northeastern end of the island. Of particular interest is the identification of accessible ice-free areas with disembarkation from the ship by Zodiac boats. After analyzing the collected data about the vicinity, including the results of a detailed photographic recording, a convenient route from a landing site on the shore to an ice-free locality of elevation 90 m could be successfully identified. The relevant locality is situated on the isthmus connecting Cape Smith with the rest of the island, a place suitable for a Bulgarian refuge and a starting point for the main ridge of the island’s Imeon Range towards the peaks of Matochina and Mount Christi, as well as for the possible deployment of Bulgarian scientific equipment.
Due to the notorious inaccessibility of the island, the opportunities for field work and scientific research are extremely limited. During the first geological survey of the island in Glozhene Cove area, 15 kg of rock samples were taken for geochemical analysis in laboratories, and a metal plaque for the Bulgarian geological studies of the island’s rocks was placed by Prof. Christo Pimpirev, doyen of the Bulgarian Antarctic science.
Thanks and credit Prof. Lyubomir Ivanov
The wok the Bulgarian Team did on Smith Island sounds great with a good perspective in the near future!
Smith Island is 20 miles (32 km) long and 5 miles (8 kilometers) wide, lying 49 miles (79 km) west of Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands of the British Antarctic Territory.
Bulgaria seems to be going to set a Refuge on Cape Smith at 62°52’44” South, 62°19’13” West.
WAP hopes that, next year they can carry on a Radioamateur among the scientific Team!
Smith Island and of course the New Bulgarian Refuge on it, will be a brand “New One” for the entire Ham Radio world, as well as a Ham radio operation from onboard of the Research/Survey Vessel RSV 421!
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Let us not forget that last 2 activity on Ham radio bands by Bulgarian Ham radio operators were on 1995 (by LZØA) and on 2006 (by VP8/LZ1UQ) WAP BUL-Ø1 from St. Kliment Ohridski Base!