Arctic Geology > Departing Cape Tegetthoff by Ella Derbyshire

Nikon D80's

Here we are awaiting our departure from Cape Tegetthoff. The helicopter takes 20 passengers on each trip back to the ship, The 50 Years of Victory, which you can see in the distance behind the helicopter.

Cape Tegetthoff was the first land of Franz Josef Land discovered by Weyprecht and Payer on their North Pole expedition in 1873. Their first landing however was on nearby Wilczek Island.

The remains of an octagonal hut used by the Wellman Expedition in 1899-99 sits on the beach, and there is a plaque on the top of the flat rock on the left.

In 2008, Franz Josef Land remains a wild place with no permanent inhabitants. There are some Russian research stations on other islands in the Archipelago, but there are no permanent residents yet.

As our climate changes and trade routes open over the north coast of Canada, Russia and Alaska, perhaps Cape Tegetthoff and Franz Josef Land will be become more than a sightseeing stop for tourists to the North Pole.

The 17 images of this panorama were photographed with a Nikon D80 and stitched with Autopano Pro.