Vostok (sloop-of-war)


Vostok was a 28-gun sloop-of-war of the Imperial Russian Navy, the lead ship of the First Russian Antarctic Expedition in 1819–1821, during which Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev circumnavigated the globe, discovered the continent of Antarctica and twice circumnavigated it, and discovered a number of islands and archipelagos in the Southern Ocean and the Pacific.

History

Vostok was launched in 1818 at Okhta Admiralty shipyard, Saint Petersburg.
On Vostok under the command of Commander Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, the leader of the expedition, alongside Mirny under the command of Lieutenant Commander Mikhail Lazarev left Kronstadt and on reached the shore of Antarctica, which was sighted for the first time in history. After repair in Sydney in Australia, the expedition explored the tropical parts of the Pacific, and on again turned to Antarctica. On the sloops reached the southernmost point of their voyage at 69° 53' S and 92° 19' W. On they returned to Kronstadt.
In 751 days they covered 49,723 miles. Apart from the discovery of the world's sixth continent, Antarctica, 29 islands were mapped and complex oceanographic works carried out. A medal was issued by the Russian Admiralty to commemorate the expedition.
In 1828 sloop Vostok was excluded from navy lists and scrapped.

Named in honor