Who first discovered Antartica, and when they did, did they setup a camp?

Answer 1

Nathaniel Brown Palmer (1799-1877), sea captain, explorer, and reputed discoverer of the Antarctic continent. Between 1819 and 1831 he made seven voyages to the region of Cape Horn and the South Shetland and South Orkney islands on seal-hunting ventures. On the second of these, Palmer, only 21, but master of the (47-ft) sloop Hero, sighted the mainland of Antarctica as he searched for seals south of the usual hunting territory.

Although the continent of Antarctica was not discovered until 1840 (by the Wilkes expedition, 12 hours before the French), several nearby island groups were recognized earlier. Palmer Land named after Captain Palmer is one of them.

I can't find where they set up a camp but if they stayed for long they probably did.

Answer 2

On November 18, 1820, Nathaniel Palmer discovered it, although the famous Captain Cook came close, crossing the antarctic circle during his 1772-1775 voyage. John Davis made the first landing in 1821. The part of the antarctic peninsula by the South Shetland Islands is also called the Palmer Pninsula.