Hope Base

The Esperanza Antarctic Base (BAE) is a scientific station of the Argentine Republic located at Punta Foca (between the Choza and Águila coves) of Esperanza Bay in the Trinidad Peninsula, which is located on the Antarctic Strait on the Antarctic Peninsula (or Tierra de San Martín) in Argentine Antarctica. Together with the Chilean Villa Las Estrellas (which since 2018 closed its F-50 school, so the only school for children operating is the Argentine one) they are the only establishments in Antarctica where there were temporary personnel fulfilling military, scientific or administrative functions. service accompanied by their families. It was called Hope Army Base until its name was changed to Hope Antarctic Base in the 1990s.

The motto of the base is: «Permanence, an act of sacrifice».

The scientific activities at the base are brought together in the LABES (Mutidisciplinary Antarctic Laboratory at Esperanza Base).

History

Background

The stone shelter known as the Swedes' Hut was erected in Esperanza Bay by the shipwrecked of the ship Antarctic of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition led by Otto Nordenskjold. The castaways occupied the hut between March 12 and September 29, 1903, when they were rescued by the corvette Uruguay.

Base D was established on February 13, 1945 by the United Kingdom in Esperanza Bay, but partially burned on November 8, 1948 and remained occupied until February 4, 1949.

The Argentine Navy in January 1952 put the Esperanza lighthouse into service, located on the largest of the Grunden rocks in Choza cove, southeast of Esperanza bay. On January 14, 1952, construction of the Esperanza naval detachment began, which was inaugurated on March 31, 1952.

This place was the scene of the first war shooting in Antarctica on February 1, 1952 when a team from the Argentine Navy, after giving a warning, fired machine gun bursts on a civilian team from the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey that was unloading materials of the ship John Biscoe with the intention of rebuilding Base D, and forced it to reembark.

Hope Base

A small team of the Argentine Army that had the mission of establishing the Esperanza base was housed in the naval detachment in 1953. In November of that year, construction of the base began, which was opened on December 17, 1952 as < b>Hope military detachment. The crew was composed of Captain Jorge Edgar Leal, Captain Héctor Manuel Benavidez, Lieutenant Carlos Néstor Bulacios, Lieutenant Domingo Héctor Crotti, Assistant Sergeant Alberto Benicio Balegno and Assistant Sergeant Pedro Nicanor Ramos, and has been in permanent operation since then. Once the main building was completed, on March 4, 1954, the formal inauguration of the base took place with the presence of the Minister of the Navy Aníbal Olivieri.

In the winter of 1962, on June 14, a land expedition with dog sleds commanded by First Lieutenant Giró left there and reached the San Martín base on October 24. The sled dogs were from the Argentine polar dog breed, now extinct.

On February 28, 1976, the San Francisco de Asís chapel was inaugurated at the base, the first installation of Catholic worship in Antarctica, and the first religious marriage in Antarctica was celebrated there on February 16, 1978.

Fortín Sargento Cabral, part of the base, was the scene of the birth of Emilio Marcos Palma on January 7, 1978, the first recorded birth of a human being in Antarctica. In total eight people were born on the base between 1978 and 1983.

In 1978, seven families settled on the base, forming a town, so the Presidente Julio Argentino Roca school was created, endowed with autonomy since 1997 (belonging to the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands) and becoming the southernmost school in the world.

In 1979 the radio station LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel was also installed at the base. The base has a Civil Registry office (number 2506, installed in 1978) and a Post Office of the Argentine Mail.

Description

It is located on a solid rock surface, 25 m s. n. m. and about 30 m from the coast, in front of a bay with a suitable anchorage. Adjacent to it is the Buenos Aires glacier, where medium-sized airplanes can anevize. The base also has a heliport.

The area where the base is located corresponds to the Antarctic territorial claims of Argentina, Chile and the United Kingdom.

The station occupies 43 buildings, covering a total of 374,000 m²; It hosts about 1,100 tourists annually, who visit it during the warm season. It houses about 80 inhabitants during the winter, including two teachers who work at the town school.

It has a laboratory from the Argentine Antarctic Institute and a meteorological station; Research is also carried out on glaciology, marine and terrestrial biology and seismology.

The infrastructure of the base has 3,877 m² under roof, 135 m² of scientific laboratories, a logistics area of 252 m² and 90 beds. Account for transportation: 2 Zodiac with outboard motor, 2 1.5 ton all-terrain trucks, a pickup truck, 1 snowcat, 1 caterpillar tractor, 1 truck, 1 all-terrain bicycle, 1 road roller, 1 mobile lift and 5 snowmobiles.

Climate data

The average annual temperature is -5.5 °C, -10.8 °C during winter and 0.2 °C in summer. The trend since 1948, when the first reliable measurements are available, is +0.0315 °C/year, +0.0413 °C/year for winter and +0.0300 °C/year for summer. Icy winds can reach speeds of 200 km/h.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2017, the news was confirmed and published that on March 24, 2015, the highest temperature in the history of Antarctica was recorded at this base. That day, the thermometer marked 17.5 °C (63.5 °F). However, the Mendel base in the Czech Republic reported that they recorded a higher temperature: 17.8 °C, although this data has not yet been recorded. has been confirmed by the WMO. However, on February 6, 2020, the National Meteorological Service recorded a temperature of 18.3 °C, thus confirming that Esperanza Base holds the record for the maximum temperature recorded in Antarctica.

Average Esperanza Base climate parameters
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	14.8	18.3	17.5	13.7	14.0	12.8	10.9	13.0	10.5	17.0	10.3	14.6	18.3
Average temperature (°C)	3.1	2.6	-0.4	-3.4	-5.6	-6.6	-6.4	-6.2	-2.7	0.3	1.3	3.2	-1.7
Average temperature (°C)	0.5	-0.5	-3.1	-7.3	-9.6	-10.9	-10.8	-10.5	-7.0	-3.6	-1.7	0.4	-5.3
Temp. medium (°C)	-1.8	-2.9	-6.4	-11.1	-13.4	-15.1	-15.0	-14.7	-11.1	-7.4	-4.6	-2.1	-8.8
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	-6.9	-12.0	-20.9	-26.0	-29.6	-30.0	-32.3	-31.0	-27.0	-23.0	-17.8	-8.9	-32.3
Total precipitation (mm)	56.2	65.0	75.5	59.1	54.4	47.4	54.1	72.1	62.2	56.4	65.0	59.0	726.4
Days of snow (≥ 1 mm)	16	15	16	16	14	13	14	14	16	15	16	16	181
Hours of sun	93.0	127.1	89.9	60.0	31.0	12.0	21.7	43.4	87.0	136.4	144.0	161.2	1006.7
Relative humidity (%)	82	80	80	80	80	79	80	80	79	80	81	80	80.1
Source No. 1: National Meteorological Service (Argentina), NOAA
Source No. 2: Weatherbase

Services

• Nursing and Hospital
• Internet and telephone services
• Satellite antenna for TV DirecTV. At the base there is an antenna that allows to see Buenos Aires channels
• School No. 38 President Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín
• Post Office
• Civil registration
• Radio: LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel
• Laboratory (Waith)
• San Francisco Chapel of Assisi
• Chief
• Main and auxiliary
• Automobile park
• Automotive workshop
• Seismographer
• Miscellaneous
• 13 houses

The small dock of the Esperanza base (Puerto Moro) is on the site of the old Puerto Moro shelter, which the Argentine Navy built in the 1951-1952 summer campaign.

The Esperanza naval detachment, which was inaugurated on March 31, 1952 and destroyed by fire on October 15, 1958, is currently part of the Esperanza Base, where the reconstructed building is called Galpón de Marina, and in which there is an incinerator, telephone components and a satellite antenna.

In 2008 INVAP installed a wind generator.

Shelters

The maintenance and care of 18 shelters are under the responsibility of the base: General Martín Miguel de Güemes, Cristo Redentor, Libertador General San Martín, San Roque, Florentino Ameghino, Sergeant Cabral, General Pedernera, Abrazo de Maipú, Argentine Infantry, Argentine Independence, Paso del Medio, Kurtzman, Malvinas Islands (former Antonio Moro), San Nicolás, Choza de los Suecos, etc.

Historical settlements

First Antarctic Catholic chapel

Dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, the Army installed the first Catholic chapel in Antarctica as a dependency of the Esperanza base.

Founded on February 18, 1976, it provides spiritual help to resident families and base personnel. Its first priest (who wintered in the place two consecutive years) was the Jesuit Buenaventura De Filippis.

Population of Fortín Sargento Cabral

On August 13, 1954, General Hernán Pujato (then director of the Argentine Antarctic Institute -IAA-) submitted a report to the national authorities proposing to install a "hamlet" in Cape Primavera. The plan envisaged populating it with family groups, a functional building and listed the necessary expenses. General Pujato considered that the work could not be postponed given the interest that other nations showed in Antarctica and wrote: About those first settlers who, with their permanence, with the children who will come and with the possible activities that were carried out in that environment, they will be able to develop; They will do more for the rights of the country than anything that has been done to date.

At the end of 1977, the first families who wintered during the following year traveled to Esperanza.

In February 1978, on the occasion of Argentine Antarctic Day, a ceremony was held in Esperanza that had no precedent in Antarctic life.

The Catholic baptism of the first child born on this base (Emilio Marcos Palma, on January 7, 1978), the marriage of two members of the base and the imposition of the name Sergeant Cabral on the group of homes and facilities neighboring the Esperanza base, which fulfilled an old aspiration of Pujato: «To see Antarctica occupied by peoples with men and women so that the two extreme regions of the Homeland were truly united».

The fort facilities were expanded at the beginning of 1979; Ten families and sixteen children stayed. The Cruz del Sur Sanatorium was established to care for family groups.

María de las Nieves Delgado was the first Antarctic girl, born at the Esperanza base on March 27, 1978.

On September 21, 1979, Rubén Eduardo De Carli and Francisco Javier Sosa were born on October 11, 1979, third and fourth children respectively.

In 1980 the fort showed new facilities and its expansion allowed accommodation for 14 families with 17 children. On January 14, 1980, the fifth birth was celebrated: Silvina Analia Arnouil; On January 24, 1980, José Manuel Valladares Solís was born and on February 4, 1980, the fifth boy was born; This is Lucas Daniel Posse. María Sol Cosenza was born on May 3, 1983.

For the 1994 winter Antarctic campaign, the Argentine Antarctic Institute sent, as part of the crew to Esperanza, the first family made up of technician Héctor A. Ochoa (in charge of the seismological station), his wife Elisa B. Minne (as radio host Arcángel San Gabriel) and her children Diego Gonzalo, Elisa Rocío and Vanesa Mariel Ochoa.

Antarctic school

On May 14, 1978, a day care center, kindergarten and the first Antarctic school dependent on the Dr. Institute were inaugurated at the base. Damaso Centeno, starting the regular annual courses at the primary and secondary level for the members of the fort. Since January 1, 1992, it became dependent on the General Staff of the Army (distance education). As of August 11, 1997, by decree no. 1673/96, it is in charge of the Ministry of Education of the province of Tierra del Fuego with the name of provincial school no. 38 - President Julio Argentino Roca. Since December 19, 2012, its name was changed to provincial school No. 38 - Presidente Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín.

First shortwave radio station in Antarctica (LRA 36)

It began transmitting from Esperanza on October 20, 1979; the radio station LRA 36 "Arcángel San Gabriel", on the 49 m band, on the frequency of 6030 kHz (today it transmits on the 19 m band, on the frequency of 15476 kHz).

This station is the first link of its kind that permanently unites the Antarctic sector and, especially, the continental territory of the Republic. Destined to offer culture, exchange information, provide spiritual ties between people separated by thousands of kilometers, in support of science, technology and land, air and naval transportation.

Radio Club Argentino

On June 20, 1980, the inauguration of the Argentine Radio Club took place, with a radio amateur contest in which 130 radio links participated.

Scout Group N°1156 Esperanza Blanca (Scout of Argentina Civil Association -SAAC-) the southernmost in the world

In February 2011, the opening of the Esperanza Blanca Scout group with number 1156 endorsed by the Scout Association of Argentina was approved. This group included young people belonging to the families that wintered that year. The idea had already been implemented by a scout master several years ago. On this occasion, another Scout Master, IM Maximiliano V. Gastón Cuesta Caburé Alerta, presented a project to the SAAC to implement scouting with young people between 7 and 18 years old. This scout group only functioned for a period of one year as the young people returned to their homes after the annual campaign.

Activities

The activities developed are the following:

• Logistics and maintenance of the base and shelters.
• Recognition and exploration.
• Support for tourist activity.
• Maintenance of search, rescue and rescue capacity.
• Health support.
• Communications and meteorology to national and foreign shipments, bases, ships and aircraft.
• Logistic support for scientific activity.
• Functions of Antarctic school.
• Operation of the radio station LRA 36.
• Operation of the Office of the National Register of Persons.
• Operation of the Argentine Postal Estafeta.
• Maintenance of satellite antennas.

Within the scientific tasks, with the participation of DNA-IAA personnel as well, there is the tideography task group (agreement with NOAA-United States); seismography task group (agreement with the Osservatorio Geofísico Sperimentale, Trieste, Italy); seismology and seismic data analysis (Permanent Seismological Station); glaciology; biology; penguin colony monitoring; geology; paleontology; limnology; ecology and environmental management.

Historical Sites and Monuments

Swedes' Hut

The Swedes' Hut, a stone house of the Swedish expeditioners built in 1903, was designated in 1972 as an Antarctic Historical Site and Monument under the Antarctic Treaty SMH 39: Hope Bay Hut. It was appointed at the proposal of Argentina and the United Kingdom, and managed by Argentina and Sweden.

Bust of General San Martín

Part of the base was designated in 1972 as an Antarctic Historical Site and Monument under the Antarctic Treaty SMH 40: Bust of General San Martín. He was appointed at the proposal and management of Argentina.

The historical structures that comprise the site are:

• Bust of General San Martín,
• small cave with a statue of the Virgin of Lujan,
• flag holder erected in 1955,

• cemetery and a trail that recalls the members of the Argentine expeditions that died in the areawhich are:
  • 1949: Arnoldo Serrano (*) -
  • 1949: Adolfo E. Molinero Calderón (*) -
  • 1949: Emiliano Jaime (*) -
  • 1957: Ever S. Rodríguez Argumedo -
  • 1962: Pedro P. Arcondo -
  • 1972: Oscar Kurzman -
  • 1977: Alejandro Merani -
  • 1977: Mario García -
  • 1977: Ricardo Segura -
  • 1980: Juan José Mariani -
  • 1987: Ernesto Daniel Lezcano -
  • 2014: Alberto Ioney Ramírez -

(*) They formed the nucleus of the first expedition to Margarita Bay in Copahue (Neuquén); They had the very important task of testing the equipment that was later used in Antarctica. In an endless storm, when they were fulfilling the tasks imposed by superiority, they lost their lives.