The exhibition of the Penza Literature Museum features a letter from the personal archives of the writer and renowned navigator Konstantin Sergeyevich Badigin, addressed to Mr. Marlow, governor of Longyearbyen.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your interest in our expedition which you voiced in your telegram to Consul Volnukhin. Throughout our research activities in the Arctic, I have always recalled with great respect the names of great Norwegian explorers who have studied the North and contributed to our work,” wrote Konstantin Badigin, captain of the ship.
The letter was written in German in blue ink and accompanied by a typewritten translation into Russian. It was dedicated to the arrival of the drifting ship, Georgy Sedov, to the island of Spitzbergen (nowadays known as Svalbard). During two years of drifting, the crew not only managed to repair the damaged rudder and safely reach land but also contributed greatly to the development of Russian science. There were no professional researchers onboard the ship, all the crew members were sailors. However, they painstakingly and carefully conducted scientific observations every day for more than two years. They studied meteorology, hydrology, the Earth’s magnetic field, and the force of gravity, using almost the same program and instruments as the North Pole station. They measured depths of over 3,000 meters at 38 points and obtained soil samples. They also discovered new underwater ridges and currents. This legendary drifting of the Georgy Sedov resulted in a valuable contribution to the study of the North. During this period, Konstantin Badigin conducted advanced training courses for the crew in his spare time, delivering lectures in navigation and political economy. Classes were held regularly according to a college program that was transmitted over the radio from Moscow.
