Adrien de Gerlache was a Belgian explorer and naval officer who is best known for his 1897-99 Antarctic expedition. He was born in 1866 in Brussels, Belgium, and was the son of a wealthy family. He was educated at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels and joined the Belgian Navy in 1884.
In 1895, Gerlache was chosen to lead the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, which was the first scientific expedition to the Antarctic. The expedition was funded by the Belgian government and the Royal Geographical Society. The expedition set sail from Antwerp in August 1897 and arrived in the Antarctic in January 1898. The expedition was made up of a crew of 24 men, including Gerlache, and two ships, the Belgica and the Vinca.
The expedition was the first to winter in the Antarctic, and the crew spent the winter of 1898-99 trapped in the ice. During this time, Gerlache and his crew made many scientific observations, including the first accurate mapping of the Antarctic coastline. They also made the first observations of the Antarctic wildlife, including penguins, seals, and whales.
The expedition was also the first to explore the Antarctic Peninsula, which is now known as the Gerlache Strait. The expedition also made the first observations of the Antarctic ice shelf, which is now known as the Gerlache Ice Shelf.
The expedition returned to Belgium in March 1899, and Gerlache was hailed as a hero. He was awarded the Order of Leopold and the Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Medal. He also wrote a book about the expedition, which was published in 1900.
Gerlache continued to serve in the Belgian Navy until his retirement in 1912. He died in 1934, at the age of 68.
Gerlache's legacy lives on in the Antarctic. The Gerlache Strait, the Gerlache Ice Shelf, and the Gerlache Glacier are all named after him. He is also remembered for his pioneering work in Antarctic exploration and science. His expedition was the first to winter in the Antarctic, and his observations and mapping of the Antarctic coastline were invaluable. He is remembered as one of the great explorers of the Antarctic.