Discovery Investigations

The Discovery Investigations were a series of scientific cruises and shore-based investigations into the biology of whales in the Southern Ocean. They were funded by the British Colonial Office and organised by the Discovery Committee in London, which was formed in 1918. They were intended to provide the scientific background to stock management of the commercial Antarctic whale fishery. The work of the Investigations contributed hugely to our knowledge of the whales, the krill they fed on, and the oceanography of their habitat. The investigations continued until 1951, with the final report being published in 1980.

Additional recommended knowledge

Weighing the right way

Safe Weighing Range Ensures Accurate Results

How to quickly check pipettes?

Laboratory

Shore-based work on South Georgia took place in the marine laboratory, Discovery House, built in 1925 at King Edward Point and occupied until 1931. The scientists lived and worked in the building, travelling half a mile or so across King Edward Cove to the whaling station at Grytviken to work on whales as they were brought ashore by commercial whaling ships.

Ships

Vessels used were:

• RRS Discovery from 1924-1931
• RRS William Scoresby from 1927 to ??
• RRS Discovery II from 1929 to ??

Reports

Results of the investigations were printed in the Discovery Reports. This was a series of many small reports, published in 38 volumes by the Cambridge University Press, and latterly the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences. Many were printed as individual reports rather than in large volumes.

(Incomplete) List of the Discovery Reports

Books

The Discovery Investigations are described in the following books, all of which are out of print:

• Great Waters by Sir Alister Hardy - Collins, 1967
• South Latitude by F D Ommanney - Longmans, 1938
• Discovery II In The Antarctic by John Coleman-Cooke - Odhams, 1963
• A Camera in Antarctica by Alfred Saunders - Winchester Publications, London, 1950