In 1775, English navigator James Cook, exploring the seas and oceans of the Southern Hemisphere, claimed that a continent did not exist at these latitudes. He asserted: "I can confidently say that no one will dare to go further south than I have." However, this statement was refuted by Russian sailors.

On July 4, 1819, two Russian ships, "Vostok" and "Mirny," set sail from the port of Kronstadt. The first was commanded by the famous captain Faddey Bellingshausen, and the second by Mikhail Lazarev, who had already completed a circumnavigation on the frigate "Suvorov." In early autumn, with favorable winds, both sloops headed across the Atlantic Ocean towards the shores of Brazil.

From the first days of the voyage, scientific observations were conducted, which Bellingshausen and his assistants meticulously recorded in the logbook. After four months, the ships arrived at the Brazilian port of Rio de Janeiro, where the crews received a brief respite.

As they progressed towards the South Pole, the weather worsened. Temperatures dropped, squalls with rain began, followed by thick fogs. To avoid getting lost, the ships stayed close together, and at night they lit lanterns on the masts. In case of losing visual contact, the crews were ordered to fire cannons upwards.

With each passing day, "Vostok" and "Mirny" drew closer to the mysterious land. When the wind calmed and the sky cleared, the sailors enjoyed the play of sunlight on the ocean waves and observed whales, sharks, and dolphins.

Soon, strange creatures with unusual gaits appeared on the ice floes, marking the first sighting of penguins by our compatriots. On January 16, 1820, Russian sailors were the first in history to approach the Antarctic ice shelves.

The expedition lasted 527 days. Thanks to it, the primacy in the discovery of Antarctic lands was secured for Russia. For his participation in this expedition, Lazarev was awarded the rank of captain of the 2nd rank, bypassing the rank of lieutenant captain.