Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

The Antarctic

Omond House and the weather station

Omond House was erected in 1903 on Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands by members of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. It was named after Scottish meteorologist Robert T Omond, a strong supporter of the idea of making meteorological observations in Antarctica.

Its main purposes were to serve as the base for meteorological observations made at the nearby weather station (seen in the foreground of the picture) and as living quarters for small parties left behind both when the Scotia returned to Buenos Aires for repairs and supplies, and when the expedition finally returned to Scotland in 1904.

In 1904 the whole establishment was handed over to the Argentine Meteorological Office, which has maintained its Orcadas weather station on the site to the present day.