News in this edition:
36-01. Solo Skier Abandons Continental Crossing Attempt.
36-02. Thirty-Two Race Yachts Entering Sub-Antarctic Waters.
36-03. Iridium Expected To Resume Full Service In January.
36-04. Solo 'Bicycle' Ride To The Pole Planned.
36-05. Mixed Success For Shackleton Crossing Attempts.
36-06. Ocean Frontiers About To Start Antarctic Operations.
36-07. Attempt on South Georgia's Unclimbed Mount Roots Planned.
36-08. Entrepreneur Eyes 'Snow Bugs', Antarctic Use Planned?
36-09. Penguin Island Monitoring, Research, To Continue This Season.
36-10. Requests For 2001-02 Macquarie Island Visits Soar.
36-11. Sub-Antarctic South Pacific May See Mir Re-Entry.
36-12. Coming Events Relevant to Non-Government Activities.

IN READING PLEASE NOTE: This newsletter is being produced in the interest of improved information sharing in the Antarctic community. Inclusion of information in it should not be taken to imply endorsement, by the publishers of ANAN News, of any company, program or associated activity that is listed, nor that the activity has necessarily completed all environmental impact assessments required under the legislation of the 'home' nation.

Solo skier Stane Klemenc, who set out from 'Blue 1' in Dronning Maud Land (DML) in mid-November on a planned crossing of Antarctica using a unique chair-parasail combination, was forced to abandon his attempt late last week and was eventually flown back to his starting point last Sunday (ANAN-35/04, 22 November 2000). Klemenc is now expected to be flown from 'Blue 1' to Cape Town, South Africa, on the next Polar Logistics inter-continental flight sometime this week as weather allows.

The skier's web site, which is again reporting events only in Slovenien, is currently detailing a number of key reasons for the decision to retire according to translations obtained by ANAN yesterday.

One was related to the heavy sledge Stane was attempting to pull up the slope towards the main plateau from where it was hoped the parasail system would have come into its own. According to the web site, the sledge and special parasail chair which he was pulling weighed an incredible 200 Kg, presumably because the continental crossing was to be unsupported and he had to carry over 100 days of supplies.

In comparison, the Norwegian duo of Rolf Bae and Eirik Sønneland who are also travelling south from DML to the South Geographic Pole (SGP), each set out pulling 165 Kg (ANAN-33/07, 25 October 2000). Anne Bancroft and Liv Arnesen whose goal is a crossing of the continent, left 'Blue 1' at the same time as Klemenc with only 113 Kg sledges as commercial air operator Adventure Network International (ANI) is to deliver additional food and fuel for them to the Pole (ANAN-22/03, 24 May 2000). In another sector the Dutch Sasquatch pair Marc Cornelissen and Wilco van Rooijen, who aim to travel unsupported from the Patriot Hills to the SGP and return on a somewhat easier, but still difficult, route, each had problems pulling sledges of 165 Kg in the first week of their trek, and had to lighten the load in order to make acceptable progress (ANAN-35/01, 22 November 2000).

It appears that the stresses involved in pulling the very heavy sledge, and the typically difficult travelling conditions that prevailed, resulted in Klemenc suffering leg injuries of some kind. These were enough to confine him to his tent for at least two days last week as he attempted to recover before once again moving southwards, however his problems apparently persisted.

In addition to these injuries the web site says that some of Stane's food had 'spoiled' due to incorrect packaging prior to his departure for Antarctica, and that as a result he did not have enough suitable supplies to continue the crossing attempt. There were also persistent reports of poor to non-existent communications between the skier and the 'Blue 1' camp, some of which appear to have been caused by high levels of solar activity; something that has been a general problem in Antarctica over recent months (see ANAN-36/03 following). Stane's satellite-based navigation equipment was also said to have been 'unreliable', and he became increasingly concerned about his ability to find the SGP, or to provide his position accurately enough later in the trip when further inland such that any aircraft that may have been sent to assist could locate him on the vast, often featureless, ice sheet.

Personnel operating the Polar Logistics field camp at 'Blue 1' apparently became concerned when no reports were received from Klemenc for several days late last month. While communications problems had been experienced early on in his trek, the Slovenian language web site claims that there was considerable uncertainty about his situation; although whether this statement was merely an attempt to add 'drama' for the benefit of the general public visiting the site cannot be ascertained at this time. Position reports from his ARGOS satellite beacon apparently indicated that he had not moved for several days last week and this was apparently the time when he was resting because of leg-related problems.

As a result of the uncertainty ANI, which was providing search and rescue cover for the skier, dispatched a Twin Otter from 'Blue 1' on the morning of 1 December, and it reached the vicinity of Klemenc's position twenty-five minutes later. The aircraft was unable to land closer than eight kilometres from the trekker due to fog and whiteout conditions in the area, and that flight had to be aborted. A second sortie made on the afternoon of the 3rd was successful and the skier was returned to 'Blue 1'.

Few details of Klemenc's condition on arrival at 'Blue 1' are available as the web site is sketchy on details. The inference appears to be however that he is in a satisfactory condition.

Of the other six traverses still underway towards the Pole the two Norwegians are now making very good progress on the main polar plateau with the aid of parasails, Bancroft and Arnesen are also now on theplateau but need to travel close to 50 km each day between now and mid-February to reach Ross Island, and the Dutchmen are now near Latitude 85° South and travelling well.

The Norwegian Antarctic Expedition headquarters said in an advisory issued on 4 December that on that day they had heard from their two trekkers for the first time since 24 November, and speculated the pair's ARGOS beacon may have been turned off. On that day Bae and Sønneland were approaching Latitude 83° South are were some 1,185 km south of Troll station where they wintered this year (ANAN-27/02, 2 August 2000). In the previous eight days they have averaged close to seventy kilometres per day which indicates they are using their parasails to good effect. If they are able to maintain that rate of progress they could reach the Pole around mid-December, well before any of the other traverses. This would be a full two weeks better than their best travel-time estimate prior to the traverse getting underway.

The Danish trekkers Gregers Gjersoe and Kristian Joos (ANAN-33/10, 25 October 2000) have travelled close to 200 km from Hercules Inlet; Thomas and Tina Sjorgen of the Wearables venture (ANAN-35/05, 22 November 2000) are not far south of the Patriot Hills; and the four-man 'Challenging Horizons' quartet of Miles Hilton-Barber, Jon Cook, Doug Stoup and Damien Gildea (ANAN-30/02, 13 September 2000), are in the same general area, although their reports contain little detail about their position.

Of the two other traverses currently known to be planned to the SGP this season, the ten person 'Pole to Pole 2000' group arrived in Punta Arenas on 26 November and were expecting to be flown to the Patriot Hills to commence their trek over the last few days (ANAN-35/01, 22 November 2000), while a solo attempt via bicycle will not start until next month (see ANAN-36/04 following).

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Thirty-two yachts from two around-the-world race fleets are expected to enter sub-Antarctic waters over the next week. One of the races the 'Vendee 2000' will head eastwards or down-wind from the South Atlantic, while the other, the BT Global Challenge, is to round Cape Horn and head westwards into the prevailing winds.

Twenty yachts from the 'Vendee 2000' single-handed fleet are currently in the vicinity of Tristan da Cuhna and are expected to start entering sub-Antarctic waters over the next few days. The sub-Antarctic part of their non-stop, 42,000 km journey from and to France via the Atlantic and around Antarctica, is the longest and toughest sector of the race, and the fleet is not expected to leave high southern Latitudes until it rounds Cape Horn and heads north up the Atlantic in the first half of January.

The BT Global Challenge fleet is to leave Buenos Aires, Argentina, for Wellington, New Zealand, next weekend, on the 9,600 km third leg of what is a 45,000 km around the world race from and back to the U.K. Unlike the 'Vendee 2000' race however, the twelve, identical, twenty-four metre yachts that make up this fleet are each crewed by between twenty and thirty people. Nevertheless these boats also face a formidable challenge as they head westwards into the prevailing winds and seas, on what is expected to be a month-long journey westwards to New Zealand.

In the month since their departure from France on 5 November, the 'Vendee 2000' yachts have travelled down the western side of the Atlantic and are now headed south-eastwards to the south of the Prince Edward and Crozet Islands and then to the vicinity of Kerguelen and Heard Island in the south Indian Ocean. After passing there the yachts, which are between fifteen and eighteen metres in length, will sail onwards towards Cape Horn along Latitude 57° South. Macquarie Island which is well to the south-east of the Australian mainland is expected to be the closest they come to land between Heard Island and the Horn.

The leading five 'Vendee 2000' yachts are currently within a few hundred kilometres of each other, the fleet stretching back from there towards the north-west. One of the twenty-one boats that set off from France a month ago was forced late last week to head for Cape Town, South Africa, after its leading edge keel fin was badly damaged in a collision with an unidentified object. It is not known at this stage whether that yacht will rejoin the race at a later date. Another is believed to have struck a whale last weekend, however it appears to have suffered no significant damage.

The first leg of the BT Global Challenge race was from the U.K. across the Atlantic to Boston in the U.S., and the second from there to Buenos Aires. After New Zealand the yachts will visit Sydney, Australia, then in mid-March they are to head back into sub-Antarctic latitudes for the run, again against the prevailing winds, to Cape Town, South Africa. The fleet it expected to arrive back in the U.K. at the finish of the race around mid-year.

The yachts in both fleets are equipped with a variety of satellite communications systems, and receive detailed analysis of weather systems in their area each day. The latter will be particularly important as they sail across the vast expanses of the southern Indian and south Pacific Oceans. Crewmembers have been lost in these waters during past races and a number of yachts damaged or lost. In addition a number of dramatic rescues of crew from single-handed yachts have been made by national rescue authorities working near the limit of their range.

The yachts from one other race fleet are scheduled to cross sub-Antarctic waters in around the world ventures in February 2001.

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After months of uncertainty, the Iridium satellite telephone system is expected to be restored to full service sometime in the next six weeks, after its sale to a new company, Iridium Satellite LLC, was approved by a U.S. bankruptcy court on 15 November (ANAN-34/16, 8 November 2000). While the move will be welcomed by many, it may have come too late for many non-government operations to reconfigure their handsets for use this season, although at least one such group has been using Iridium over the last month with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Defence (DOD).

Access to Iridium services slowly decreased for civilian and most other users after the original company filed for court-assisted voluntary reorganisation under U.S. bankruptcy law in August 1999, the final blow coming last March when it failed to attract sufficient financial support to continue operations. The service had proved to be a major boon to small-scale expedition and other operators in Antarctica in the 1999-2000 austral summer, and its non-availability this year has, as anticipated, been felt by many, particularly as solar activity has made high frequency radio communications so difficult in polar regions so far this season (see ANAN-36/01 preceding and ANAN-18/01, 29 March 2000).

Following the hearing last March, it was announced that Iridium was being wound down and that plans were being developed to de-orbit the system's constellation of satellites. Despite this limited commercial service was still being provided, however in late August it was announced that the system would close down (ANAN-29/04, 30 August 2000), although accurate information on what was actually happening was hard to find (ANAN-34/16, 8 November 2000). Despite the uncertainty reports now indicate that the U.S. DOD has continued to use the system worldwide, apparently without interruption.

The availability of Iridium became apparent when the expedition web site of Anne Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, who are currently attempting to cross Antarctica overland (ANAN-33/09, 25 October 2000), began to run daily voice reports from the pair. The sound quality of the message received from them in the interior of the continent made communications experts suspect that Iridium was probably being used to relay their messages.

Expedition organisers have now confirmed to ANAN that Iridium was being used and that access to the system is being provided courtesy of the U.S. DOD via a gateway located in Hawaii. To place their voice messages on the web, Bancroft and Arnesen call their expedition headquarters in the U.S. via Iridium and leave a voicemail message. From there the message is transferred to the expedition web site from where they can be downloaded by visitors with a Quicktime plug-in. The Bancroft-Arnesen expedition has a particularly strong marketing component and its organisers would have seen access to Iridium as a key component of their public relations efforts.

Some reports have suggested that Iridium Satellite LLC plan to target niche markets for their services in the future. The prime customer will continue to be the U.S. DOD, however services to remote area operations, particular in places such as Antarctica, seem likely to play an important part in the company's future success. A long defunct Iridium satellite re-entered the Earth's atmosphere last week and a second is due to follow in the next week. The loss of those satellites is not expected to effect the system's operation however.

An arm of the Boeing Company is to take over responsibility for operation of the Iridum's ground and space-based assets on behalf of Iridium Satellite LLC. Few details are available at this time however it appears that companies and groups who already own Iridium handsets will probably need to obtain up-dated versions of their SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards before they can use the system once it returns to operation.

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A U.S. adventurer plans to ride his specially-designed, two-wheeled, 'polar ice bike' overland to the South Geographic Pole (SGP) from the Patriot Hills in Ellsworth Land next month in what is one of the more unusual non-government Antarctic ventures of recent years.

The 'Alone' expedition is being organised by the California-based company 'Xstream Climb', and one its principles, Doug Stroup, is to attempt the SGP ride using a bicycle engineered for high latitude travel by the U.S. cycle manufacturer Dan Hanebrink. Stroup is currently guiding blind U.K. skier Miles Hilton-Barber on his trek to the SGP (see ANAN-36/01 preceding and ANAN-35/01, 22 November 2000), and he has indicated that after that journey is completed in January he will be flown back to the Patriot Hills by air operator Adventure Network International (ANI), have "two days rest", and then head south again on his bicycle attempt.

Stroup says that during his planned bicycle traverse he will pull a 30 Kg sledge behind his cycle and that he will have enough food for forty days, however he anticipates that he will take only twenty days for the 1,100 km journey. To achieve that the cyclist will have to average 50-60 km per day en route to the Pole, something that is normally only possible with parasails or powered vehicles.

The bike that is to be used for the attempt appears to have had its origins in the 'Antarctic Ice Prowler' project whose aim was to design and build a bike for a research consortium that is constructing and operating an astronomical observatory at the U.S. national program's Amundsen-Scott station at the SGP. The original purpose of the cycle was to assist station staff in moving between buildings at the Pole, some of which are a considerable distance from the main station area, and to provide 'recreational activities' in the vicinity. Two versions of the bike built on frames supplied by Hanebrink Bicycles were tested at the Pole over several days last January as part of U.S. national program activity. Reports on that testing program are available on line.

The most obvious feature of the ice bikes that were tested are their wide rubber tyres, which are from golf carts and have been specially cut with deep, snow-chewing treads which are also fitted with wire chains. The frame of the bikes are made of carbon fibre and gearing systems are designed to allow a speed of around fifteen kilometres per hour to be maintained in all except the softest of snow. Probably the biggest challenge for the bike apart from crevasses on the proposed Pole ride will be sastrugi.

While the precise details of the bike to be used next month are not known, part of expedition plans include the production of a documentary for television on the ride to be called 'Alone', the same title as the book written by U.S. explorer Richard Byrd of his solo winter on the Ross Ice Shelf seventy years ago. In order that filming can be undertaken during the bicycle trek a helmet-mounted camera and built in sound recording devices will be used by Stroup in what the expedition believes will be an "unusual and candid story" of the exploits of a "modern-day explorer".

Stroup's previous Antarctic visits have included climbing and snow boarding on Vinson Massif and in the Antarctic Peninsula region during the 1999-2000 austral summer (ANAN-17/02, 15 March 2000). The 'Alone' expedition's web site claims that Stroup "is considered one of Antarctica's foremost explorers" because of his activities over the last twelve months on Vinson Massif, in the Antarctic Peninsula, and on the current traverse to the Pole with Hilton-Barber. Despite modern knowledge, many non-government expeditions still refer to their members as 'explorers', and sometimes display a limited knowledge of polar history in their attempt to attract interest in their activities from the general public.

Stroup says that he plans to donate the bike to the renowned Smithsonian Institute in the U.S. if he completes the journey to the Pole. ANI are expected to provide search and rescue cover for the venture and fly Stoup back to Chile via the Patriot Hills following what is planned as his second arrival at the SGP this season. Other details of the expedition can be found on the Xstream Climb web site.

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The first attempts by a tour operator to provide its clients with the opportunity to retrace Sir Ernest Shackleton's historic 1916 crossing of South Georgia appear to have met with mixed success. The initial venture in mid-November apparently completed the full crossing from King Haakon Bay to Stromness, however the second, which ended yesterday, was first truncated, then eventually arborted due to weather and surface conditions.

Initial information available suggests that a total of thirty-four tourists were involved in the overland journeys conducted on the island over the past month, with nineteen believed to have made the full Shackleton crossing. The first and second groups were supported by an experienced group of seven and five mountaineers respectively. Both adventure programs were undertaken from the thirty-six passenger vessel 'Grigory Mikheev' and were marketed and organised by the U.K. based company Adventure Network International (ANAN-34/08, 8 November 2000).

It appears that 'Mikheev' arrived at Grytviken on its first voyage to the island on 8 November, and it seems that it was able to deploy a party of around nineteen clients and seven staff the next day close to where Shackleton commenced his memorable journey at the head of King Haakon Bay on the south-west coast. Details of the crossing, including the time, actual route taken, and conditions experienced, are unavailable at this stage. One report however indicates that on reaching Fortuna Bay the crossing party went on board 'Mikheev' for a short stay and showers, before it completed the final leg to Stromness. As yet however it has not been possible to confirm the limited facts that are available about this crossing.

'Mikheev' arrived back at the island from Ushuaia, Argentina, with another group of tourists on 27 November, and visited a number of locations along the north coast, including Grytviken. The weather was however generally very poor and it was not until the 30th that the ship was able to enter King Haakon Bay. An attempt to deploy the crossing party there that day had to be abandoned however as weather conditions quickly deteriorated, high winds and very limited visibility forcing the ship to put to sea.

As the ship had to leave the island by 5 December in order to meet its remaining commitments this season, by the morning of the 1st it would not have been possible to complete a full crossing in the time remaining, therefore a readjustment was made to the on-shore program. The 'crossing' party, which is thought to have been made up of around fifteen clients and five guides, were eventually landed at the head of Possession Bay on the north-west coast on the morning of 1 December in good weather. They were reported to have reached the Murray Snow Field by noon that day, and then camped on the west side of Trident Ridge in high winds that evening, having travelled a total of eight kilometres.

The party was confined to their tents on the 2nd by heavy snow, however a reconnaissance made down from Trident Ridge towards the Crean Glacier the next day found unsuitable snow conditions, one report indicating that there was a danger from avalanches if the party had of proceeded further. As a result they retreated to Possession Bay and rejoined the 'Mikheev', which then travelled to Fortuna Bay in the hope that the traverse group could undertake the final leg from there to Stromness prior to departure for Ushuaia. No details were available at publication time as to whether this final leg of the venture was actually completed.

Three members of the 'Shackleton's Steps' Expedition were amongst the second 'crossing party' (ANAN-32/02, 11 October 2000).

Three more attempts to follow Shackleton's route have been proposed over the next four months, one from a tourist vessel (ANAN-29/02, 30 August 2000), and the other two from smaller craft (see ANAN-36/07 following and ANAN-32/04, 11 October 2000).

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New ship operator Ocean Frontiers expects to commence their planned two-voyage Antarctic season next week when its refurbished, thirty-seven metre vessel the 'Sir Hubert Wilkins', heads south from Hobart, Australia. During the next three months plans call for the ship to be used to undertake a variety of work in coastal regions of the George V and Adelie Lands, as well as in the Ross Sea.

'Sir Hubert Wilkins' (SHW) was purchased in Finland earlier this year and travelled to Lyttleton, New Zealand, where according to the company she underwent a major refit in preparation for the season ahead (ANAN-28/10, 16 August 2000). Work undertaken over the last month has been reported as including the fitting of a helicopter deck, a general up-grade of safety systems, installation of new radios and satellite communications equipment, fitting new davits for handling the ship's four inflatable workboats, and a complete near all-white repaint.

Following this work Ocean Frontiers says that a stability assessment was undertaken and the vessel was inspected by Lloyds of London and received its certificate of class. In parallel with this activity a Hughes 300, float-equipped, helicopter was purchased in Australia for use on the voyages ahead.

Ocean Frontier's first voyage is scheduled to leave Hobart on 12 December for Commonwealth Bay in George V Land where it is planned that a party of eight will be put ashore to undertake conservation-related work on Sir Douglas Mawson's 1991-14 expedition huts (ANAN-35/08, 22 November 2000). While that party is ashore there the ship plans to undertake a variety of work, including scientific observations around the nearby South Magnetic Pole, bathymetric work in Commonwealth Bay, a sea bird census (ANAN-8/06, 10 November 1999), other science-related work, as well as some general 'tourist' landings. It also plans to visit France's Dumont d'Urville station just after New Year.

The second 'SHW' voyage is scheduled to leave Hobart in the last half of January and its prime task is to travel to the Ross Island area at the head of the Ross Sea to pick-up trans-Antarctic walkers Anne Bancroft and Liv Arnesen and return them to Australia (ANAN-33/09, 25 October 2000). Originally this second voyage was to have involved 'coastal exploration' in coastal regions of Oates Land (ANAN-21/02, 10 May 2000). The trekkers are aiming to reach Ross Island in mid-February, although at the present time their expedition headquarters estimates that they will have to travel an average of fifty kilometres each day for the next two months if they are to reach Ross Island on time (see ANAN-36/01 preceding).

While 'SHW' is ice strengthened, it has no significant ice breaking ability and therefore there is no guarantee, particularly if ice conditions are difficult in the Ross Sea this austral summer, that it will be able to get close enough to Ross Island to embark the traverse pair. Prudent navigation of the vessel will therefore be essential. Should the ship not be able to travel far enough south, it is understood that the trekkers have commercial air operator Adventure Network International (ANI) as a back-up. Under such a scenario ANI would retrieve the pair from Ross Island with a flight from the Patriot Hills in Ellsworth Land and transport them from there back to Chile (ANAN-28/02, 16 August 2000).

Ocean Frontiers said earlier this year that it intends to conduct operations in the Antarctic region with the twelve passenger 'SHW' for most of the current decade (ANAN-21/01, 10 May 2000). Ventures expected to be supported include private adventure activities, including mountaineering (see ANAN-36/08 following), as well as basic tourism and educational programs, and support for scientific research. During the austral winter plans call for the ship to conduct similar operations in Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific waters. In the longer-term the company says that it hopes to add a small submarine to the ship's inventory.

Ocean Frontiers principals are Don and Margie McIntyre who completed a winter in their own hut at Commonwealth Bay in 1995. Prior to the formation of their new company they have organised nine yacht-based expeditions to Commonwealth Bay, and have supported two other winter operations at Commonwealth Bay, one in 1997 involving solo winterer Alfred Winklemeyer, and the other in 1999 husband and wife pair Yvonne and Jim Claypole (ANAN-8/05, 10 November 1999).

The vessel and its operating company are registered in Vanuatu in the south-west Pacific Ocean.

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A U.K. group are planning an attempt on 2,244 m Mount Roots on South Georgia this austral summer in an expedition titled 'Southern Challenge'. The mountain is the highest peak on the South Atlantic Island that has yet to be conquered, having thwarted at least four previous attempts to reach its summit over the last few decades.

The group who are planning the ascent are understood to be travelling to South Georgia from the U.K. via the Falkland Islands on the yacht 'Ice Maiden'. They plan to make their attempt on the mountain in late January, early February, using the same general route used by previous parties. This involves approaching the peak from its northern side, expeditions being landed at the south-eastern end of Cumberland East Bay. Once ashore there they will traverse some eleven kilometres up the Nordenskjold Glacier, climbing around 1,300 m on snow and ice, and it is from there that they will start the final ascent and where the biggest challenge lies.

The main difficulties involved in climbing the higher parts of the mountain are the sudden changes in weather that are typical of sub-Antarctic Latitudes, and that the final part of the climb involves ascending very steep slopes of 'rotten' rock topped by what one expedition has reported as overhanging ice cliffs. The nature of the rock makes it difficult for climbers to secure themselves to the mountain and progress upwards is therefore normally very slow. Given these factors any successful group will probably have to camp overnight near the top of the mountain, which with the changeable weather that prevails could present problems.

It is understood that if time permits after their attempt on Mount Roots, the group is also hoping to cross the island along Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1916 route from King Haakon Bay to Stromness. One trek along that route has already been made this austral summer (see ANAN-36/05 preceding) and others are proposed for March (ANAN-29/02, 30 August 2000) and and ANAN-32/04, 11 October 2000). Two crossing were also made in the 1999-2000 season (ANAN-20/02, 26 April 2000).

While the climbing part is on Mount Roots 'Ice Maiden' hopes to make a circumnavigation of South Georgia. Plans call for a film to be made on the expedition, two cameraman taking part in the climbing leg of the expedition.

On shore expedition programs at South Georgia like the Mount Roots attempt are now being assessed by a newly established, independent assessment system, which provides advice to The Government of South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands' (GSGSSI) on the viability of activities proposed.

Those activities planned on the island that are assessed in this way are defined as "visits where it is planned for persons to spend one or more nights ashore on the island, living elsewhere other than Grytviken or King Edward Point". This therefore covers a wide range of activities from climbing and mountaineering to film projects and even scientific work. Groups applying to conduct programs on the island are required to pay a fee of U.K.£1,000 to the GSGSSI, half of which is refunded if an application is not successful.

Even though an independent assessment occurs, the final decision and responsibility for approvals rests with the GSGSSI based in Stanley in the Falkland Islands.

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Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith told a radio interviewer on 24 November that he had just returned from a visit to Belarus to examine 'Snow Bug' oversnow vehicles for possible use in Antarctica, and hinted that he may be considering using the vehicles for an overland journey to the South Geographic Pole (SGP) from the coast of East Antarctica sometime in the future.

The six-wheeled 'Snow Bugs' inspected by Smith in Minsk were used in Antarctica for the first time in January-February this year by the 'Millennium Expedition', four of the vehicles making the 2,000 km overland journey from the Patriot Hills in Ellsworth Land to the SGP and return in just twelve days at a very good average speed of around thirty kilometres per hour (ANAN-14/02, 2 February 2000).

The Millennium Expedition's traverse was achieved despite the fact that the 'Snow Bugs' had significant problems with the drive units on each of their wheels, that frequent stops were required for repairs, and that the machines carried heavier than planned loads. Despite the difficulties encountered, reports from within the Millennium group indicated that the vehicles generally performed well on their first test in Antarctic conditions, and that an appropriate redesign of the drive units appeared practical. A representative of the Minsk Bearing Factory which manufactures the vehicles, told ANAN early this week that the drive units have now been redesigned and that no further problems are anticipated with them.

Smith, who has twice previously flown in his own aircraft to Antarctica (ANAN-14/07, 2 February 2000), organised the first modern-day jet aircraft day overflights of East Antarctica in the 1970s, has visited the continent on tourist vessels, and has sponsored a number of small non-government expeditions to the continent and surrounding waters. He said during the recent radio interview that he was personally interested in being involved in further Antarctic activities in association with the new Australian company Ocean Frontiers, however stopped short of outlining any details of what he may be considering.

Ocean Frontiers is planning to conduct operations to East Antarctic coastal regions in the vicinity of Victoria, Oates, George V, and Adelie Lands over the next few years with the vessel 'Sir Hubert Wilkins' (ANAN-21/01 and 21/02, 10 May 2000), and its first voyage to the Antarctic is scheduled to leave Hobart, Australia, early next week (see ANAN-36/06 preceding). Smith has worked with Ocean Frontiers principles Don and Margie McIntyre on several Antarctic projects in the past, including the apparently now dormant proposal to establish a blue ice runway facility and field camp on the Rennick Glacier in Victoria Land.

Dick is a major sponsor of Ocean Frontiers current initiatives through his company Dick Smith Foods, however it is believed that he has no other involvement in the McIntyre operation. He has on many occasions stated his admiration for Australian explorer and aviator Sir Hubert Wilkins, and on both occasions he has flown an aircraft to Antarctica, he has acquired the registration letters 'SHW' for them in honour of the polar pioneer (ANAN-12/07, 5 January 2000), the same name the McIntyres have chosen for their vessel.

Smith says in his 1991 book 'Our Fantastic Planet', which chronicled the 1987-88 pole to pole flight with legendary pilot Giles Kershaw, that during the Antarctic portion of his journey he found a site in the north-west coastal regions of Oates Land that would be "a great location" for "a small, perhaps privately run, scientific station". Should Smith be considering a SGP traverse attempt from that region it would be a major undertaking. Several fuel depots would have to be established on what would be a one-way journey of around 2,100 km, and return of the vehicles from the Pole would also be another issue that would need careful assessment and planning.

While a number of national program traverses have travelled overland >from the coast of East Antarctica to the Pole, no non-government ventures have yet attempted the feat, although Frenchwomen Laurence de la Ferriere completed a gruelling 2875 km trek in the other direction, travelling from the Pole to the coast of East Antarctica via Dome 'C' early this year (ANAN-16/02, 1 March 2000).

Any activity that Smith, or any other Australian national, plans to conduct in Antarctica is subject to environmental and other assessments under Australian legislation.

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Three German researchers are to spend the second half of December camped on Penguin Island in the South Shetlands as part of an on-going project aimed at improving knowledge of ways humans can minimise disturbance to Antarctic wildlife during their visits to the region. This will be the second season that field work for the project, which is funded by the German Federal Environment Agency Umweltbundesamt (UBA), has been conducted, studies last austral summer being undertaken at both Penguin Island and Hannah Point on nearby Livingston Island.

Research carried out last season centred on the sensitivity of various animal species to disturbance by humans, population monitoring, and preliminary work aimed at the developing draft management plans for both locations which can be considered by the Antarctic Treaty System. Studies scheduled for this month on Penguin Island include further population monitoring, data collection for a Geographical Information System of the area, and further disturbance studies on Giant Petrels, Skuas and Chinstrap Penguins.

The main activity at Hannah Point and Penguin Island last season centred on the behavioural responses of Giant petrels and Skuas to different levels of human disturbance. Artificial eggs placed in the nests were used to gather data on heart and respiration rates and nest temperatures as the animals were subjected to a range of approaches by humans. Data collected on those species is currently being analysed to try and determine what, if any, types of approach techniques are the most suitable for humans to use.

Last season's work by the UBA-sponsored researchers also involved counts of breeding animals and mapping vegetation in a continuance of similar activities conducted previously at both locations by researchers from the SPRI (ANAN-8/10, 10 November 1999), and the Oceanites group in the U.S. (ANAN-10/05, 8 December 1999).

Findings from this work will be fed into the development of >recommendations of how tourists and other visitors to sites in Antarctica should approach wildlife. Similar studies using artificial eggs have been conducted in recent years on Adelie penguins in Princess Elizabeth Land by Australian researchers (ANAN-30/05, 13 September 2000), and by the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) in the U.K.

The 1999-2000 season program was carried out on behalf of the UBA by Dr Hans-Ulrich Peter and Simone Pfeiffer of the University of Jena, and Kathrin Schuster from the Philipps University of Marburg. UBA is also funding this season's work and associated follow-up on Penguin Island, Simone and Kathrin this year being joined by Jena student Elke Lindner.

Data collected by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and collated by the U.S. National Science Foundation, indicate that some thirty-five ship visits were made to Penguin Island in the 1999-2000 season, around 1,500 tourists going ashore there.

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Six tour companies have requested a record fifteen ship visits to Australia's sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island in 2001-02. Such operations would bring up to 1,250 tourists to the island, a figure that is well in excess of the limit of 750 tourists who are currently allowed to visit there each austral summer, and work is currently underway to determine final visit approvals.

Macquarie Island is managed by the Department of Primary Industry, Water and Enviroment (DPIWE), which is a Tasmanian State government agency. In addition to assessing 2001-02 visit applications, DPIWE is also working with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) which operates the research station on the island, to determine the number of visits that will be allowed to the station, as well as the arrangements that will apply to groups that are eventually permitted ashore there. As has been the case in other parts of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic, the AAD is concerned that too many visits to the station over the short three month season could be disruptive to research and other activities being carried out there.

A DPIWE representative told ANAN late last week that it is expected that advice on the results of visit applications will be provided to the companies involved by early in the New Year. DPIWE stated earlier this year that the information contained in tour company submissions would be critical in deciding just which companies and groups receive actual visit offers (ANAN-29/03, 30 August 2000).

Macquarie Island and nearby New Zealand sub-Antarctic islands and very important 'break of journey' points for ship-based tourist operations into the Ross Sea area of Antarctica.

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Sub-Antarctic parts of the South Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and South America seem likely to be within the splashdown footprint for the remains of Russia's 140 tonne Mir space station if deorbit plans currently set for 27-28 February go ahead as planned.

In announcing the decision to curtail Mir operations late last month, the Russian Space Agency (RSA) said that given its size and general configuration, they expect that "some fragments" of the station weighing up to 700 Kg, will survive re-entry and impact along a 6,000 km swath in the 'empty' southern Pacific Ocean.

One RSA official told the media last weekthat the re-entry is likely to be a 'spectacular event' for anyone who might be in the area as the spacecraft breaks up on the way to Earth. He went on to stress however that Mir will be by-far the largest, most complex, spacecraft that has ever been de-orbited, and that as such it may not be possible to guarantee the exact splash down area.

No tourist ships are known to be scheduled to be in sub-Antarctic South Pacific in late February, although there may be the occasional container vessel en route from New Zealand to a rounding of Cape Horn. Regular inter-continental air services between New Zealand and southern South America fly across the area daily and aviation authorities in the region are expected to be monitoring the situation as it develops over the next few months.

The proposals to de-orbit Mir has led to considerable controversy in both Russia and elsewhere, some proponents claiming that the station should be maintained in orbit. Those protests can be expected to continue to their opposition to the de-orbit proposal, however Russian authorities quoted by the media say they cannot afford to keep the long-serving facility aloft.

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YEAR 2001

5 February (King George Island, Antarctica)
Fourth Antarctic Marathon and Half Marathon.
Contact: marathon@shore.net (Thom Gilligan)

May [Date to be set](St Petersburg, Russia)
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXIV

July [Dates to be set] (Washington, D.C., United States).
IAATO year 2001 annual meeting.
Contact: iaato@iaato.org (Denise Landau)(invitation required).

20-24 August (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)\
COMNAP XIII (including the sub-committee on Tourism and Non-Government Operations).
Contact: jsayers@comnap.aq (Jack Sayers).

YEAR 2002

February [Date to be set](King George Island, Antarctica)
Fifth Antarctic Marathon and Half Marathon.
Contact: marathon@shore.net (Thom Gilligan)

July [Dates/location to be set] (Europe).
IAATO year 2002 annual meeting.
Contact: iaato@iaato.org (Denise Landau)(invitation required).

13-18 July (Shanghai, China)
COMNAP XIV (including the sub-committee on Tourism and Non-Government Operations).
Contact: jsayers@comnap.aq (Jack Sayers).

YEAR 2003

July [Dates to be set] (Seattle, United States).
IAATO year 2003 annual meeting.
Contact: iaato@iaato.org (Denise Landau)(invitation required).

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