Esperanza Base

The Argentine Esperanza Station (Spanish Base Esperanza ( "Hope Station") ) lies on the Hope Bay on Trinity Peninsula of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The station was established on 17 December 1952 by Captain Jorge Edgar Leal and has been in operation since then. On June 14, 1962 started from here a sledge expedition.

The station houses in winter 55 inhabitants, with ten families and two teachers are covered. The province school # 38 " Julio Argentino Roca " was founded in 1978 and gained independent status in 1997. 1979 also began the radio station Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel to send.

The average temperatures range from -5.5 ° C and fluctuate during the year between -10.8 ° C in winter and 0.2 ° C in summer. The winds can reach speeds of up to 200 km / hr.

The 43 buildings of the station together cover an area of ​​3744 square meters, annually consume four generators 180,000 liters of fuel to generate electricity. The research projects include glaciology, seismology, oceanography, coastal ecology, biology, geology and limnology.

The Esperanza station has a certain fame because it is the birthplace of Emilio Palma, the first ever born on Antarctic mainland person. The station has tourist facilities that are visited annually by about 1,100 tourists.

The motto of the station is " Permanencia, un acto de sacrificio " (such as " resistance, an act of sacrifice demanded ").

The telephone number of the base from Argentina is 0810-222-0770, and the cost of a local call which correspond.