Built as a steel hulled ship by Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen, Denmark for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
   Launched under the name ATLANTIS (The space shuttle Atlantis was named in special recognition of this ship.)
   Displacement 490 ton, dim. 43.51 x 8.56 x 6.58m., draught 5.10m.
   Powered by one diesel engine 400hp., one screw.
   Ketch rigged. Sail area 536m². 
   06 July 1931 commissioned.

   26 August 1931 arrived at Boston.
   ATLANTIS was the first WHOI research vessel and the first ship especially for interdisciplinary research in marine biology, marine geology and physical oceanography.
Her form till today forms the WHOI logo.
   Her first master Columbus Iselin had a major influence in her design, he felt that speed was not essential; steadiness, silence and cruising range were of primary importance.
   Till 1958 used by WHOI, then taken out of service.
   The ATLANTIS made 299 cruises and covered 700.000 miles, doing all the type of ocean science for the WHOI.
   1966 Sold to the Argentinean Navy for the symbolic sum of US$ 3.000 renamed in El AUSTRAL (Q7). Named after the FRANÇAIS what was bought by the Argentinean Government from the French polar discoverer J.B. Charcot, and renamed in AUSTRAL 
   18 January 1967 under Argentinean flag and with an Argentinean Navy crew she arrived at Buenos Aires.
The Argentinean Navy did work together with CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas) to run the El AUSTRAL. She got a refit.
   April 1970 she made her first voyage in Argentinean waters as a research vessel, with on board 10 crew and maximal 17 scientists and technicians.
   Had 50m² laboratory space.
   During the following eight years she made 40 research voyages in the waters of Argentine.
   In 1978 the Argentinean Navy practically abandoned the ship, only a few sailors stayed on board.
   By 1980 the El AUSTRAL was dismantled of all her equipment, masts and rigging.
   First there were thoughts to give her back to WHOI but the high cost to sail her to Woods Hole did shelve this plan. Then the navy after consultation with WHOI decided to tow her to sea and set her on fire and scuttle her.
   But the delay in a new build research ship saved the El AUSTRAL from destruction.
   She was transferred to Society Centro Nacional Patagonico
   Towed to Puerto Madryn, where she again was rerigged, and new equipment installed.
   February 1982 she made trials. In April 1982 she made a new oceanographic voyage, crewed by the merchant marine.
   Till 1985 used in oceanographic research work. On her last voyage she lost an anchor and chain and without any logistical support she had to return to port.
   Then with increasing dept, and not any support of the government, abandoned at Puerto Belgrano. She lost her Certificate of Seaworthiness, but still under the care of the Argentinean Navy.
   1996 The Prefectura Naval (Coast Guard) after contact with the Argentinean Navy and CONICET took charge of the ship, and sail her to Buenos Aires under a new name DR. BERNARDO HOUSSAY, named after Dr. Bernardo Houssay a Nobel price winner, and a former director of CONICET.
April 1996 with a Coast Guard crew she sailed to Buenos Aires.
   In Buenos Aires at the present day, under restoration and alternations are made to minimize her draught. New scientific equipment installed and a new motor fitted in for her new role as a research ship on the Argentinean rivers.
   A photo on this URL shows her in February 2006 with a hole cut in her hull to remove the old engine and place the new one.