South Africa's new icebreaker is almost finished in Finland. The icebreaker is a research vessel with facilities for scientific work. The icebreaker can break through 1 meter of ice. Watch the video below to learn more about the Angulhas 2.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Sparta crew waiting for rescue in Antarctica
The Sparta is a fishing vessel that is currently in the Antarctic waiting to be rescued. The ship has taken on water due to a hole caused by an iceberg. There have been several attempts by other ships to reach the Sparta, but the ice conditions have made it too difficult. The crew did abandon ship to lifeboats at one point, but have returned and at least temporarily repaired the hole partially with help from supplies including a pump dropped off by at C130 Hercules from the Royal New Zealand Air Force. A South Korean icebreaker, Aaron, has been commissioned to rescue the crew, but it could be a week before the ship gets to them.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011
100th Anniversary of First Expedition Reaching South Pole
Recently there has been a lot of news about preparing for next year being the 100th anniversary of Scott's expedition reaching the South Pole, but I think today deserves more attention in terms of Antarctic history. Today is the 100th anniversary of Roald Amundsen and four others (Olav Bjaaland, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel, Oscar Wisting) being the first humans to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911.
While Amundsen is criticized for just racing to the pole and not doing surveying or taking more than 2 photographs, he still did lead a much better planned expedition that allowed his men to safely reach the pole as well as return. One of the reasons for his success is his use of sled dogs instead of how Scott attempted to use horses, which did not work out and ended up forcing him and his men to pull their supplies.
While Amundsen is criticized for just racing to the pole and not doing surveying or taking more than 2 photographs, he still did lead a much better planned expedition that allowed his men to safely reach the pole as well as return. One of the reasons for his success is his use of sled dogs instead of how Scott attempted to use horses, which did not work out and ended up forcing him and his men to pull their supplies.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Is Meteorite Hunting in Antarctica a Wasteful Project?
The Antarctic Search for Meteorites (Ansmet) is beginning its 35th year of searching for and collecting meteorites in Antarctica. The program is quite successful at finding meteorites, but what value does it have? It was recently listed at #75 on a list of 100 most wasteful projects. The report was made by two Senators (McCain and Coburn). It does seem that the project has collected a lot of meteorites and that there certainly are more to find in Antarctica. However, what is the value of finding the meteorites? I am not saying they have no value, but I cannot really figure out the practical value the meteorite hunting has.
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Final Frozen Planet episode won't air in US, but will be on DVD
The BBC documentary series Frozen Planet is about both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. The series includes seven episodes, but the last episode called "On Thin Ice" will not be airing on the Discovery Channel in the US. It is not because the episode is about climate change, but rather Discover Channel said it is not being aired due to them only scheduling six time slots for the series. However, some of the footage from the last episode will be put into the six episode and all episode will be available when the series is released on DVD in the United States.
Frozen Planet has already started airing on the BBC in UK and the Nine Network in Australia. It is scheduled to premiere in February 2012 on the Discovery Channel in the US.
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Frozen Planet has already started airing on the BBC in UK and the Nine Network in Australia. It is scheduled to premiere in February 2012 on the Discovery Channel in the US.
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Monday, November 14, 2011
Unique concerto incorporates video game in honoring 100th Anniversary of Terra Nova
The Terra Nova concerto involves an orchestra playing live and changing the music based on how the person playing it is doing. For example, they change to the respawn theme if the player ends up falling off a cliff in the video game. The video game is a virtual Antarctica game. During the concerto the creator of the video game, Matt Hollis, will attempt to make it through 3 levels that are based on Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition. The Terra Nova concert honors the 100th anniversary of Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition (1910-1912).
The Terra Nova concert is being performed at West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, England beginning on Monday, November 14, 2011. Learn more here.
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The Terra Nova concert is being performed at West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, England beginning on Monday, November 14, 2011. Learn more here.
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Friday, November 11, 2011
Centenary of Captain Scott's Terra Nova Expedition Honored with Coin
The 100th anniversary (i.e. centenary) of Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition end is coming up in 2012 (the 100th anniversary of beginning was back in 2010). To honor the Centenary of Captain Scott's Terra Nova Expedition a Commemorative Coin has been issued by the Treasury of the British Overseas Territory of Antarctica. This special coin is the third British Antarctic Territory commemorative coin.
The Terra Nova Expedition was somewhat of a failure in that the mission was to reach the South Pole first. Scott and four men did successfully reach the South Pole on January 17, 1912. Amundsen beat them by 33 days and none of the Terra Nova pole party survived the trek back from the South Pole. However, the Terra Nova expedition is still one of the early British expeditions that helped form the tradition of British involvement in discovery and research that continues to this day in the Antarctic.
Learn more about the coins features and see images here.
The Terra Nova Expedition was somewhat of a failure in that the mission was to reach the South Pole first. Scott and four men did successfully reach the South Pole on January 17, 1912. Amundsen beat them by 33 days and none of the Terra Nova pole party survived the trek back from the South Pole. However, the Terra Nova expedition is still one of the early British expeditions that helped form the tradition of British involvement in discovery and research that continues to this day in the Antarctic.
Learn more about the coins features and see images here.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Christie's Sale 3013: Lot 75 - Ernest Shackleton's The Antarctic Book Winter Quarters 1907-1909
One of the items in the Christie's Sale 3013 is an Ernest Shackleton book called The Antarctic Book Winter Quarters 1907-1909. This is a 1909 book that is a supplement to the limited edition of The Heart of the Antarctic. This book is part of a limited edition of 300 that were signed by all members of the expedition including Shackleton and Frank Wild.
Sale 3013 will take place on November 28, 2011.
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Sale 3013 will take place on November 28, 2011.
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Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin Area Coming to Sea World Orlando in 2013
In 2013, Sea World plans to open a whole new Antarctica and penguin experience area called Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin Area. This area is going to include a ride that is supposed to allow visitors to explore the world from a penguin's perspective. The ride uses interactive ride technology so that it will be at least slightly different each time you ride it. This new area is the largest expansion ever done by Sea World Orlando.
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Recreating Shackleton's Journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island
A group of six adventurers is working on the preparations to recreate the journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island. Ernest Shackleton made it in 1917 in the James Caird lifeboat with five of his crew. The Shackleton Epic Expedition will attempt to do the same using the same technology and supplies available to Shackleton and his men (although I am guessing along with some a modern ship following or something). They are even have a replica of the James Caird built to use for the expedition. The replica is named Alexandra Shackleton in honor of the patron of the expedition, who is also the closest living relative of Ernest Shackleton. This is also in keeping with the tradition that the James Caird lifeboat was named after one of the patrons of the original Endurance expedition.
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