Reporter's Note: "There's an Antarctic atmosphere here"

This is the statue of the Antarctic explorer Bernaki taken on November 18. The "Xue Long" polar research vessel carrying China's 35th Antarctic Scientific Expedition will leave the port of Hobart, Australia, on the evening of the 18th local time and continue to advance towards the Antarctic continent. During the port call, the reporter walked into Hobart and felt the city known as the "Gateway to Antarctica". Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping

Xinhua News Agency,"Xuelong" November 18 -- Reporter's note: "Here is filled with the atmosphere of Antarctica" -- "Antarctic Gateway" Hobart saw and heard

Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping

The "Xue Long" polar research vessel carrying China's 35th Antarctic Scientific Expedition will leave the port of Hobart, Australia, on the evening of the 18th local time and continue to advance towards the Antarctic continent. During the port call, the reporter walked into Hobart and felt the city known as the "Gateway to Antarctica".

"Hobart has been at the forefront of Antarctic exploration since the 19th century, and there are many remnants of Antarctic explorers here," said Sun Bo, the leader of The 35th Chinese Antarctic Expedition, who has been here many times. ”

Disembarking from the Snow Dragon, not far from the pier, a group of sculptures including explorers, penguins, seals and huskies burst into view. The explorer in the statue is one of the first expeditions to overwinter the Antarctic continent, a physicist who grew up in Hobart, Bernaki. In 1899, his expedition landed on Cape Adair in Antarctica and stayed behind for the winter. Coincidentally, this time, China's 35th Antarctic expedition team will assist the New Zealand Antarctic expedition team to protect the wooden house they left behind in Cape Adair.

Near the Tourist Pier, the log cabin where the famous Australian explorer Mawson spent the Antarctic wintering was copied and became a place for people to visit.

A 10-minute walk from the pier is to Franklin Square, the largest square in Hobart, named after the British Arctic explorer John Franklin, and famous stories of polar expeditions.

In the 1830s and 1840s, british explorer Ross led the "Nether" and "Horror" to explore the Antarctic, and discovered the Ross Sea, ross ice shelf and so on. When Ross returned to Hobart from the South Pole, Franklin greeted him warmly. Hobart's state of Tasmania was then a British colony, with Franklin serving as governor.

A few years later, Franklin led the two ships to sail the North Pole in an attempt to navigate the Northwest Passage of the Arctic, but unfortunately encountered on the way, the two ships disappeared into the frozen Northwest Passage, and none of the more than a hundred members on board survived.

A post office across the street from Franklin Square sent news that humans had reached the South Pole for the first time. At the end of 1911, the Norwegian explorer Amundsen became the first brave man to reach the South Pole. After returning to Hobart from the South Pole, Amundsen stayed at the Hadris Hotel, which is still open today. After settling in a little, he hurried to the post office, which was less than 5 minutes' walk away, and sent a telegram to Norway. Amundsen was the first explorer to navigate the northwestern arctic passage, and his first arrival at the South Pole made him famous.

In Hobart, there are many more stories about Antarctica, but the city not only retains historical memories of Antarctic exploration, but also has a certain influence on antarctic governance and scientific research today.

Located in the southeast corner of Australia, Hobart is the capital of the state of Tasmania. There are many Australian polar researchers gathered here, and the Australian Antarctic Agency headquarters is also located nearby.

Hobart is also a witness to the Sino-Australian Antarctic scientific expedition. In January 1980, China sent scientists to Antarctica for the first time, with the strong assistance of the Australian Antarctic Bureau. After the construction of the Chinese Antarctic Zhongshan Station in 1989, Hobart became an important supply port for Chinese Antarctic research ships on their way to Zhongshan Station. Today, China's 35th Antarctic expedition has also arrived here, and has continued to advance towards Antarctica.