Becoming more popular.
Rating: * * *
Why Visit?
Port Charcot is alive with history. Jean-Baptiste Charcot wintered his ship the Français here in 1904, and seemed to spend all his time picnicking and building. You can still climb to the cairn he built, or visit the Gentoo penguins that nest in the slightly more sheltered areas of the island.
Where is it?
Port Charcot is a small sheltered bay on the western side of Booth Island, which makes up the western side of the Lemaire Channel, along the Western Antarctic peninsula.
Challenges?
This location can be windy, making it difficult for your ship to anchor, but if the weather cooperates, landing is usually comparatively easy.
Wildlife
Gentoo penguins nest on the eastern side of the site, and Chinstrap and even Adelie penguins often come ashore here.
Human activities
Jean-Baptiste Charcot and 18 team members wintered over in 1904, with the “Francais” anchored in this little bay. He built several structures for both science and accommodation on shore, as well as the cairn still visible at the top of the little peak on the Western side of the bay. This home base served as the starting point to explore the region.
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