Almost fifteen years have passed since the frigate “Nadezhda” safely dropped anchor on the Kronstadt roadstead, completing the first Russian “round the world” under the command of Commander Kruzenshtern. The young members of the expedition, guards lieutenant Andrei Shuvalov and his friend, midshipman of the Naval Corps Thaddeus Bellingshausen, matured and became real “sea wolves”, but both were still drawn to the vast expanses of the ocean in search of yet undiscovered lands. And finally their dream came true: On June 4, 1819, the sloop “Vostok” under the command of captain of the second rank Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen left the Kronstadt port and headed for the Atlantic Ocean. And of course, next to the captain on the bridge stood his best friend and assistant Andrei Petrovich Shuvalov. The first Russian Antarctic expedition began. Ahead were 751 days of dangerous and difficult voyage, dozens of undiscovered islands, storms and hurricanes and, most importantly, the discovery of a new, sixth continent!..