By Alejandro B. (6º Primaria)

A group of Spanish scientists, accompanied by military personnel, have carried out 19 expeditions to Antarctica in recent years to study the animals that live there.

This group of scientists has studied the relationships between six of the 17 types of penguins, that live there, which eat seals among many other things.

Thanks to them, we can learn about a little-explored area. We had the privilege of interviewing one of its crew SANTIAGO ATAYDE FONTANALS, who told us about the expeditions, their daily routines and how interesting the life of an explorer is. He also showed us videos of the Hésperides (A-33), journeys last year and the weather condition in Antarctica.

Antarctica is a continent in the southern hemisphere, measuring approximately 14 million square kilometres, roughly the length of the European continent, and whose average temperatures are below 0°C, with temperatures as low as -87°C having been recorded.

Spain has two bases in Antarctica, located in the South Shetland Islands; one is on Livingston Island and the other on Deception Island. These bases are only operational during the summer months; they are closed in winter. The expeditions are carried out aboard the Hésperides (A-33), a polar research vessel based in Cartagena, Spain, that conducts research campaigns for the Marine Technology Unit, an agency of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and other organizations.

The Hespérides has a draft of 4.42 meters, a depth of 7.35 meters, a beam of 14.30 meters, a length of 82.5 meters, and a speed of 14.7 knots.

THANKS A LOT SANTIAGO. By the way, he is Javier Calatayud’s uncle.