News in this edition:

22-01. Canadian Company Acquires Vessel for Polar Tourism Trade.
22-02. Second Women Pair Planning 2000-01 Antarctic Crossing.
22-03. Bancroft-Arnesen Traverse Includes Enroute Resupply.
22-04. New Building Aimed at Luxury Expedition Cruising.
22-05. 'World Discoverer' Remains Aground.
22-06. Coming Events Relevant to Non-Government Activities.

A former Swedish Coast Guard vessel, which was purchased earlier this year by a Canadian shipping company, is to be used for polar tour operations from the beginning of 2001 once extensive modifications are completed to it in the first half of next year. The company, Karlsen Shipping of Halifax, Nova Scotia, expects an as yet unnamed Spitzbergen-based tour group to charter the vessel for tourist voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula region commencing in November 2001.

Karlsen's new acquistion the 'Njord', which is to be renamed 'Polar Star', has since its commissioning in 1969 served as a mine layer and training ship with both the Swedish Navy and Coast Guard. She is ice strengthened, is eighty-seven metres long, twenty-one metres wide, has a draft of almost seven metres, and is close to 2500 gross registered tonnes.

Once modifications are complete 'Polar Star' is expected to be capable of carrying 100 passengers and a crew of around 30, although it appears that when expedition staff are allowed for the actual fare carrying capacity will be around 90. While Karlsen Shipping will operate the vessel, it is expected to be owned by a subsidiary and may be registered in Barbados. Indications are that Canadian officers are to be employed for the ship, however no decision has been taken about the rest of the crew as yet.

Karlsen shipping, which operates fishing, rig tender and other vessels, has had previous experience in Arctic tour operations having chartered a vessel to a tour operator in Spitzbergen over a ten-year period. According to Martin Karlsen, President of the shipping company, 'Polar Star' will be chartered and marketed for Antarctic and Arctic tour operations by the Spitzbergen operator. No details are available at this time about either the ship Karlsen has operated in Spitzbergen or the tour company involved.

Acquisition of 'Njord' appears to have been part of a long-term strategy by Karlsen and its Spitzbergen associate to expand operations in the polar tourism field. Martin Karlsen, said last week that he had "inspected ten to fifteen" vessels over the past five years before purchasing both 'Njord' and her sister ship 'Tor' earlier this year. It is not known what the purchase price of either of the vessels was. 'Tor' has already been sold to "European interests" however the trade she will now be engaged in is unknown.

According to Karlsen the modifications planned for 'Polar Star' include adding three-decks to it's stern section for new passenger cabins and a panoramic lounge, redesign and refurbishment of the dining room and galley, and other general alterations which he says "will make the vessel more comfortable for passengers".

'Polar Star' arrived in Halifax from Sweden on 14 May however arrangements have not yet been made for the conversion work. Martin Karlsen was quoted in the local media on 19 May as saying that his company was hoping that firms in the Halifax area will be able to undertake the conversion and that he will be will be inviting some of them to bid for the work . Reports earlier this year suggested that the cost of conversion could be around $US5M.

The vessel's Antarctic operations are expected to be based from Ushuaia, Argentina. During the northern summer 'Polar Star' is to operate primarily out of Spitsbergen, although voyages to Greenland, Iceland and Labrador in Canada's east are said to be being contemplated.

[ANAN-22/01]

Two women, Sunniva Sorby of Canada and Uiloq Slettemark from Greenland, are proposing to cross Antarctica in 2000-01 in what they are promoting as the first such journey by an all-women team. The pair, who plan to travel from Berkner Island to the Ross Sea via the South Geographic Pole (SGP), are the second all-women's group attempting the crossing of the continent next austral summer, the others being Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft who are also aiming for the 'first all-women crossing' title (ANAN-22/03 following, ANAN-9/07, 24 November 1999 and ANAN-18/05, 29 March 2000).

Sorby and Slettemark's 'Trans-Antarctic Expedition 2000' (TAE 2000) traverse is expected to take up to 100 days and cover close to 2900 km, the women travelling on skis while pulling sledges behind them. Para sails, which have enabled previous polar expeditions to travel long distances each day, will be used when conditions are suitable (ANAN-10/04, 8 December 1999 and ANAN-11/12, 22 December 1999). The expedition route shown on their web site indicates a 'near standard' trek from Berkner to the SGP. After that however the route illustrated is a highly unusual one and includes travel north up Longitude 150° West from the SGP to the Gould Coast, thence north-westwards across the Ross Ice Shelf to Ross Island. Most traverse groups heading for the Ross Sea usually leave the SGP up around Longitude 170° East.

While no details are known, to achieve its aims TAE 2000 will need to utilise support from commercial air operator Adventure Network International (ANI) for transport to and from Antarctica, and for search and rescue cover and resupply while the trek is underway. The logistics plan calls for two resupplies of food, equipment and fuel by air during the journey, and ANI is the only private group currently operating in Antarctica with such a capability. The resupply flights will add considerably to the costs of the venture however they should enable the two women to travel more quickly as their sledges will be lighter.

In common with most adventure activities to Antarctica in recent years, TAE 2000 is promoting an environmental and educational focus on Antarctica, with the internet being used as the key window to disseminate information. The use of satellite phones to relay data is mentioned in current expedition material, however it is not clear as yet how the current problems in this field will be overcome (ANAN-18/01, 29 March 2000). The educational component of the expedition is targeted at children up to grade nine and will include work in matters such as "social studies, mathematics, science, history, technology, geography, reading, writing and health".

A research program involving physiological, psychological and immunological studies of the two trekkers is to be undertaken by a medical institute in Canada. Considerable baseline testing on the two subjects has already been conducted. It is understood that during the two resupply operations researchers from the institute will accompany the aircraft to carry out a range of tests on the two in the field.

Sorby has been to Antarctica previously but this will be Slettemark's first visit to the continent. The Canadian took part in a 67 day traverse to the SGP from the Patriot Hills in Ellsworth Land with three other women, including Ann Bancroft, in the 1992-93 season. That group became the first all-women party to achieve that objective, although their original plan was to cross the continent however that to be abandoned due to injuries suffered, poor weather, and difficulties with funding.

Sunniva also took part in a traverse of King George Island in the South Shetlands in December 1997 with Laurie Dexter who is planning his own trans-Antarctic crossing from Berkner island in 2000-01 provided he can raise sufficient funds (ANAN-19/07, 12 April 2000). Sorby has also been a guide and lecturer on tourist voyages operated by Canadian company Marine Expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic Peninsula region. Uiloq has travelled across Greenland, climbed Mount Aconcagua the highest peak in South America, taken part in number of other adventure pursuits, and is a highly rated cross country skier.

The two women took part in field training in Norway last February and in northern Canada in April. No information is currently available about what environmental impact assessments are being prepared for the expedition.

[ANAN-22/02]

Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft who plan to cross Antarctica next austral summer are to obtain a resupply of food and equipment at the South Geographic Pole (SGP) enroute, probably sometime around New Year. Advice from the expedition last year was that the crossing attempt would be unsupported (ANAN-9/07, 24 November 1999), however the use of a depot has apparently always been part of their plan. Commercial air operator Adventure Network International (ANI) will be used to establish the SGP depot for the two trekkers. ANI regularly flys tourists and other non-government personnel there from the Patriot Hills in Ellsworth Land in the period from November to January (ANAN-17/01, 15 March 2000).

Arnesen and Bancroft will be flown from Cape Town, South Africa, to Queen Maud Land in late October by ANI to commence their trans-continental journey. No details are available however as to how the two plan to leave Antarctica at the end of their trek to Ross Island. The expedition's web site currently indicates that "upon completing their traverse in February 2001 at McMurdo, Bancroft and Arnesen will fly to Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ)", however the trekkers' U.S. Headquarters told ANAN yesterday that arrangements for this part of the expedition program are yet to be finalised.

[ANAN-22/03]

Internationally-known golfer Greg Norman signed a contract with Australian ship builder Oceanfast on 10 May to develop a new line of "aluminum-hulled motor yachts" for long-range luxury ocean cruising and exploration "from the Amazon to the Antarctic". While each of the proposed "Norman Expedition Yacht" series is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars, the sporting identity believes that there is a global market for such vessels and that a number of them could be operating in remote areas of the world, including Antarctica, later this decade.

Oceanfast claims that the new line is "an entirely new classification of yacht unlike any ever built" and that "it provides the exploration essentials typical of a commercial expedition vessel without sacrificing the luxury of a traditional yacht". The company describes the new series as being "a marriage between [the late Jacque Cousteau's expedition vessel] 'Calypso' and the most luxurious yacht you can imagine".

The first of the new vessels, to be called 'Aussie Rules', will be owned and operated by Norman, and is likely be used to break new ground in "luxury expedition cruising" to remote areas. 'Aussies Rules' will be just over seventy metres in length, have a beam of thirteen metres, accommodate up to twelve guests in six cabins and have a crew of fourteen. Two 2,000 horse power engines are expected to give it a top speed of 15.5 knots, while its range will be around 8000 km. The aft deck will house a fourteen metre boat and all the equipment necessary to offload it and other watercraft including tenders and submersibles. A decompression chamber will also be provided on board.

Norman is known to enjoy off shore fishing, deep-water scuba diving and exploring "new areas of the world" and the new building is expected to allow him "to explore virtually any navigable ocean or sea on earth, from watching piranhas feed in the Amazon to whales mating in the Antarctic".

Full technical details of the new design have not been released as yet however it is known that aluminium will be used extensively throughout each of the new vessels. Oceanfast says that "thick aluminum plates" will make up the hull of the new vessels and that they are "as strong as steel but much lighter weight allowing for a higher power-to-speed ratio and lower maintenance costs". The shipbuilder's parent company Austal Ships has considerable experience in building aluminum-hulled fast ferries much larger than the "Norman Expedition Yachts". There appears to be little experience world-wide however in the use of aluminium-hulled ships in polar regions where sea ice is present.

Detailed design work for 'Aussie Rules' is now underway at Oceanfast's Perth, Western Australia, facility. Construction is due to start there next October and commissioning is anticipated in July 2002. No information is currently available about the type of programs that might be conducted in Antarctic waters by the vessel, or what technical aspects related to Antarctic operations are being included in specifications for the new craft. Australian authorities have opened a dialogue with Oceanfast in order to discuss, early in the design phase, the range of environmental and other issues involved, including the vagaries of, and variations in, ice conditions and ice types found around the continent.

[ANAN-22/04]

Society Expeditions' vessel 'World Discoverer' is still ashore nearly four weeks since after it was deliberately beached in the Solomon Islands on 29 April following an encounter with an uncharted reef (ANAN-21/04, 10 May 2000). Engineers and marine surveyors have inspected the vessel however the company told ANAN earlier this week that they are still awaiting a report which is to detail recommendations regarding the ship's future.

'World Discoverer' has spent three months each austral summer over the past twenty years conducting tourist voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula region, and during that time it is estimated that she has carried in excess of 12000 passengers to the southern-most continent. Plans announced by Society last year for the 2000-01 austral summer call for the ship to conduct seven tourist voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Atlantic region between early December and the end of February.

ANAN-22/05]

23 June 2000 (Christchurch, New Zealand).
Workshop on Tourism in the Ross Sea Region.
Contact: v.allan@antarcticanz.govt.nz (Vivienne Allan)

25-28 June 2000 (Hobart, Australia)
IAATO year 2000 annual meeting.
Contact: iaato@iaato.org (Denise Landau)

9-15 July 2000 (Tokyo, Japan)
COMNAP (including the sub-committee on Tourism and Non-Government Operations).
Contact: jsayers@comnap.aq (Jack Sayers)

4-6 October 2000 (Boulder, United States)
American Polar Society Bi-Annual Meeting (includes tourism component)
Contact: mckie@cires.colarado.edu (Julie McKie)

5 February 2001 (King George Island, Antarctica)
Fourth Antarctic Marathon and Half Marathon.
Contact: marathon@shore.net (Thom Gilligan)

[ANAN-22/06]

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