ANTARCTIC NON-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY NEWS
Tourism Industry |
Brief news items on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic
non-government expedition activities.
ANAN 82
Wednesday, 25 September 2002
News in this edition:
82-01. Call for management consistency, improved coordination, of NG activity.
82-02. Adoption of Shipping Guidelines considered key to 'big ship' issue.
82-03. Recommendation on cumulative impacts 'steering group' endorsed.
82-04. Important visitor management role seen for 'gateway' ports.
82-05. Report recommends 'binding measures' to regulate adventure activities.
82-06. Canadian company clarifies EIA situation.
82-07. More commercial 'yacht' owners show interest in joining IAATO.
82-08. 'Small vessels' considered better term for commercial 'yacht' ops.
82-09. Proposed traverse to involve sail-propelled buggies
82-10. Coming Events Relevant to Non-Government Activities.
CALL FOR MANAGEMENT CONSISTENCY, IMPROVED COORDINATION, OF NG ACTIVITY
[ANAN-82/01]
The need for a consistent and coordinated approach to the management of non-government (NG) activities across the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) is a key issue for ATS governments, according to the Chairman's report of an informal meeting on Antarctic tourism convened last April by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). The report also emphasised the importance of self-regulation by the tourist industry in contributing to the effective implementation of tourist-related management measures.
The April meeting, which was held in Aspen in the United States, was envisaged by IAATO as providing this year's Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-XXV) in Warsaw, Poland, with a series of recommendations that could form "the basis for effective and objective discussions" on tourism and related issues (ANAN-69/01, 27 March 2002).
The two-day Aspen meeting discussed a wide range of complex issues in the short time available to it (see ANAN-82/02, 82/03, 82/04 and 82/05 following). The Chairman's report of the meeting was submitted to ATCM-XXV by IAATO as an Information Paper. Details of the outcomes of the Warsaw meeting were unavailable when this edition of ANAN was prepared, although like the Aspen gathering its timetable for tourism discussions was also tight (ANAN-80/01, 28 August 2002).
The Aspen report noted concern over "what appears to be a growing number of instances in which" tourist visits are "taking place under the guise of official visits", and emphasised that Treaty regulations should "apply equally to all such activities regardless of who [is the] sponsor". Many commercial operators are uneasy that the use of government infrastructure to support tourist ventures could put them at a competitive disadvantage in the future.
The increasingly multilateral nature of tourist activities was also recognised as an issue, as there are "a growing number of situations in which more than one [Treaty nation] has the authority to regulate such activities". Criteria are needed so that governments can clearly identify who is responsible where uncertainty occurs, otherwise some activities could "slip through the cracks", says the report.
Another key concern identified in Aspen was what was seen as the tendency for individual governments to interpret ATCM measures on NG matters in "significantly different ways". The report says that this can be a particular issue when governments do not "provide sufficient basis in [their own] domestic law" to implement and/or enforce agreed positions, and can lead to NG operators from one nation having "substantively different obligations" to those of another country for the same type of activity. Variation in interpretation and action appears to "go beyond variance resulting from differing [national] legal systems" according to the report (see ANAN-82/06 following).
The Aspen report also says "the group emphasised the importance of self-regulation by the tourist industry itself as a contribution to effective implementation of the measures applicable to tourism in Antarctica". Such efforts were seen as "highly desirable", and "the experience of IAATO was highlighted in this regard", although the degree to which the tour body should have responsibility for carriage of such matters has been challenged in some quarters (ANAN-52/02, 1 August 2001 and ANAN-56/03, 26 September 2001).
Seven of the 16 people who took part in the Aspen meeting were officials from five Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties, five were from IAATO or its member companies, and three were from non-government groups (ANAN-74/01, 5 June 2002).
Those who attended did so "in their personal capacities" says the report, and many were also in Warsaw for ATCM-XXV earlier this month either as members of national delegations, or representatives of 'observer' and 'invited expert' groups. IAATO attends ATCMs in the latter capacity.
The adoption and implementation of Antarctic Shipping Guidelines could play a key part in allaying concerns about 'big ship' operations in Antarctic waters, according to the Chairman's report from last April's Aspen meeting on Antarctic tourism (see ANAN-82/01 preceding). The guidelines, which are expected to apply to all ships greater than 500 tonnes, are being developed by Treaty nations in order to raise ship safety standards and so minimise serious incidents and the potential environmental damage and impact on science programs that could result (ANAN-20/01, 26 April 2000).
The Chairman's report says that those present in Aspen noted the "upward trend in overall [Antarctic tourism] over the past decade", and that the bulk of tourist visits are made via relatively small vessels. The meeting summary indicates that much of the time that was spent discussing shipping operations per se, involved recent visits to Antarctica by large [500 plus passenger] cruise ships and 'the likelihood' that further increases in that type of visit might occur.
According to the meeting report "the size and carrying capacity of such large vessels - both in number of passengers and in the amount and type of fuel oil, as well as their capability for operating safely in Antarctic waters - led to concerns over possible accidents and the potential severity of resulting impacts" (ANAN-81/01, 11 September 2002).
Despite the fact that the proposed Shipping Guidelines are not expected to be compulsory, work on them should be a "priority objective" for the Antarctic Treaty System says the Aspen report. It was recognised that finalisation of the Guidelines could take several years and therefore in the mean time Treaty nations should ensure "that [companies] operating ships in Antarctic waters, particularly [those that use] large cruise vessels, [should be made] aware of and comply with measures already in force".
During the coming 2002-03 austral summer, four 500-plus passenger vessels, all operated by US-based companies are scheduled to operate in the Antarctic Peninsula region (ANAN-75/01, 19 June 2002). US legislation requires that operators from that country submit an environmental impact assessment for their planned Antarctic activities to the Environmental Protection Agency for scrutiny (ANAN-51/05, 18 July 2001).
In addition to the large vessels at least 18 small or medium-sized tour vessels (the highest number on record), from a range of nations are also expected to conduct landing operations in Peninsula waters in 2002-03. If passenger load levels on those vessels remain around the same as the last few seasons, a new record could also be set for passenger landings in the Peninsula region by March next year (ANAN-75/01, 19 June 2002). All but two of the 18 ships will be operated by IAATO member companies.
The IAATO personnel present at the Aspen meeting were from companies that normally operate ships with capacities of between 50-120 passengers. No representatives of companies that currently operate, or plan to operate, large cruise ships in Antarctica chose to attend, although several are members of the tour operator association (ANAN-77/03, 17 July 2002).
The Aspen Chairman's report with its Antarctic Shipping Guidelines recommendation was submitted to ATCM-XXV by IAATO as an Information Paper. IAATO attends ATCMs in the capacity of an "invited expert".
The recommendation of the June 2000 workshop on the potential for cumulative impacts (WCI) at tourist visitor sites that an 'independent steering group' be set up to coordinate work in that field, was endorsed by those who attended the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) informal meeting on Antarctic tourism in April this year. According to the Chairman's report from the April meeting, those present considered establishment of the steering group to be "a particular priority" for the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-XXV) held earlier this month in Warsaw.
The report of last April's meeting, which was held in Aspen in the United States (see ANAN-82/01 preceding), says that there is an urgent need to address matters related to the possible cumulative impacts of ship-borne tourism, "particularly at sites where there are regular [tourist] landings".
Those present at Aspen were of the view that the WCI identified "key elements of a structured response to [the cumulative impacts] issue". The WCI, whose prime focus was on the Antarctic Peninsula region, was jointly organised by two US government agencies and IAATO (ANAN-70/10, 10 April 2002).
To date none of the WCI's recommendations appear to have been followed up in a detailed, coordinated, way, although IAATO established a group to look at the development of site-specific guidelines for the more popular visitor sites in June last year (ANAN-51/03, 18 July 2001).
In addition to agreeing on the need for on going and improved monitoring work at visitor sites (ANAN-60/08, 21 November 2001), last April's meeting also considered that the long-term impacts on the marine environment of regular visits by ships and other craft to marine areas off-shore of landing sites is also an issue that warrants detailed consideration. Relatively little work has been conducted in that field to date.
Despite the recognition of the potential for problems to develop at individual sites, no mention is made in the Aspen report of any need to look at broader, regional-scale, land use issues such as the work under way on Deception Island (ANAN-69/05, 27 March 2002). The matter is complex though and the meeting in Aspen, which covered a wide range of issues, had only two days in which to complete its discussions.
The Antarctic Peninsula region in particular is increasingly being used by tourist and adventure groups and there is potential, giving continued growth of the industry, for land-use conflicts to develop in the future both within the NG community and in relation to national program and general management of operations. Regional-scale land use planning has proved to be critical to providing 'top level' guidance in the establishment of land-use plans in other parts of the world.
The Chairman's report with its recommendation on cumulative impact issues was submitted to ATCM-XXV by IAATO as an Information Paper.
Antarctic 'gateway' ports and airfields could play an important role in ensuring that those travelling to the continent are well prepared and are aware of their environmental and safety responsibilities when in the region, according to the Chairman's report from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) informal meeting on Antarctic tourism held at Aspen in the United States last April (see ANAN-82/01 preceding).
According to the meeting report "there continue to be examples of visitors departing for, or arriving in, Antarctica, who are apparently unaware of the relevant regulations and guidelines applicable to their activities". This is occurring despite the efforts of Antarctic Treaty member nations and IAATO to overcome the problem.
Most of the difficulties are said to relate to operations conducted by non-commercial, private yacht operators, and the report suggests that Treaty nations seek "more complete data on the scale of visits by yachts [and of the operators] who visit Antarctic waters by such means (see ANAN-82/07 following).
While last April's meeting suggested the use of gateways as a tool for improved management, it was recognised that while setting rules for port entry may be straight forward, any extension of that power to conditions for departure "could be problematic". The Aspen group felt, however, that there are international agreements already in place that offer possible models by which such an arrangement could be introduced, and that Antarctic Treaty nations should examine the matter in detail.
All regularly used Antarctic 'Gateway' ports are located in Treaty nations, although only a handful of those see significant numbers of tourist departures (ANAN-80/04, 28 August 2002).
The ports of Ushuaia, Argentina, and Puerto Williams, Chile, which lie only 50 km apart on either side of the Beagle Channel in the far south of South America, are between them the departure points for over 95 per cent of all yachts that visit the South American sector of Antarctica. Little yacht activity normally occurs in other parts of Antarctica (see ANAN-82/08 following).
In addition to gateway procedures, improved pre-season and 'real time' communications among tourist and other operators in Antarctica was also considered important to "ensure that all those operating in a particular area [are] aware of each other's activities and itineraries".
The growing number, and class range, of ships that have been operating in Antarctic Peninsula waters, and the activities they conduct have, according to the Chairman's report, made such an approach necessary "both to avoid conflicts in [visitor site] use, in particular negative impacts upon science activities, and to facilitate mutual assistance in the event of emergencies".
Such improvements were considered particularly important given what the Aspen report says is the "trend toward increased government-sponsored tourism" (ANAN-80/02, 28 August 2002). Record numbers of tourist ships in the Antarctic Peninsula region have added to coordination concerns (ANAN-75/02, 19 June 2002), although IAATO says it has systems to deal with such issues. Although potential 'crowding' is not considered a problem in other parts of the Antarctic continent, emergency response is even more of an issue there given the distances, ice conditions, and fewer tour ships involved.
The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs established a web-based ship position reporting system late last year to improve the coordination of a response in emergencies (ANAN-58/12, 7 November 2001). However, few tourist ships are believed to have contributed real time information to that system as yet.
Antarctic Treaty Parties should consider the development of 'binding measures' that groups planning and conducting small-scale adventure activities are required to meet, according to the Chairman's report from last April's Aspen meeting on Antarctic tourism (see ANAN-82/01 preceding). Several small private expeditions have experienced difficulties in recent years and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has expressed concern that it is sometimes incorrectly linked to such ventures (ANAN-78/03, 31 July 2002).
While measures agreed at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings in the past require all who travel to the continent to undertake their activities in a safe and self-sufficient manner, the increasing tendency for small-scale programs to operate with very limited funding has sometimes cut into their safe operating margins (ANAN-41/04, 14 February 2001 and ANAN-42/05, 28 February 2001).
Most Antarctic Treaty nations formally require their nationals to meet environmental requirements set out by the Madrid Protocol, however, their ability to insist that small ventures meet safety and other requirements is far from straight-forward at the present time. Many nations may be reluctant to go down the 'authorisation' path for a number of complex philosophical, administrative and legal reasons.
The text of the Aspen Chairman's report suggests that discussions on 'land-based tourism' concentrated on activities that are conducted well inland from the coast. These include high plateau traverses of various kinds, mountaineering, marathon running, and other adventure pursuits. Problems that can arise from such ventures are said to more likely be "health and safety" emergencies that can impact on science and other operations, rather than ones of an environmental nature.
While the report does not specifically mention problems with expedition groups in Antarctic waters or near-shore areas, a similar situation applies there. Although environmental impacts are likely to be higher than what they might be inland, the size of the support craft normally used for such ventures means that emergencies will more likely be of a search and rescue nature (see ANAN-82/08 following).
The Chairman's report of the Aspen meeting was submitted to ATCM-XXV by IAATO as an Information Paper. IAATO said earlier this year that it hoped that recommendations from Aspen could form "the basis for effective and objective discussions" on tourism and related issues (ANAN-69/01, 27 March 2002).
Canadian company Fathom Expeditions, which is preparing to operate its own tourist voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula region for the first time during the coming austral summer, has moved to clarify the situation regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its planned operations with the tour ship 'Professor Molchanov'. ANAN reported earlier this month that the EIA would be part of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) 'consolidated' EIA for Peninsula operations (ANAN-81/02, 11 September 2002).
IAATO advised ANAN last week that while it had compiled a 'consolidated' EIA for seven US-based companies involved in Antarctic operations for the 2002-03 season, Fathom was not one of the firms included in the EIA document submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 'review'. The EPA confirmed that advice and went on to emphasise that it has no authority to require, or review, EIAs for programs proposed by operators or individuals that are not based in the United States.
Fathom President Dave German said this week that he misunderstood ANAN's question regarding his company's EIA. He believed that the query, which came at the end of a 25-minute telephone conversation, referred to IAATO voyage reports and that he did not mean to imply that Fathom's EIA would be part of the IAATO 'consolidated' document.
German says that Fathom are in fact now working on their own EIA and that following recent advice from Canadian authorities the assessment will be submitted to that country's Foreign Affairs and Environmental Departments. Preparation of the assessment is said to be "well under way" and it should be forwarded to government officials in October, well ahead of Fathom's first voyage in late January. However, Canada, which is an acceding state to the Antarctic Treaty, has not yet ratified the Madrid Protocol and is not known to have a specific domestic legal mechanism for the official review of Antarctic EIAs proposed by its nationals: just how Fathom's document will be handled within the Canadian government is therefore not certain.
Fathom is sub-chartering the 'Professor Molchanov' from US-based Quark Expeditions. Quark, which is using the ship for eight of its own voyages in 2002-03, prepares and submits its own EIAs directly to the EPA and its operations are not covered by IAATO's consolidated document.
One of the two EIAs Quark has prepared this year is for operations in the Antarctic Peninsula region by the ships 'Orlova', and Professor Multanovskiy' and the 'Molchanov', and the other is for the icebreaker 'Kapitan Khlebnikov' which is conducting a 66-day circumnavigation of Antarctica from and back to New Zealand commencing on 27 November (ANAN-50/02, 4 July 2001).
A US EPA spokesperson also told ANAN that the Agency does not, as indicated in ANAN-81/02, provide 'authorisations' for US-based operators, rather it reviews EIAs in consultation with other interested Federal agencies. Should such a review find that an EIA for a US-based operator does not meet EPA regulations then the company concerned could be subject to enforcement and penalties should the expedition proceed.
It is understood that Fathom proposes to forward a "courtesy copy" of the 'Molchanov' EIA to the US EPA in a similar manner to those provided by some non-US groups in the past.
The EPA says that while such copies are appreciated, it is very concerned that such a move not be seen as implying that it is officially reviewing environmental documents prepared by non-US operators. If, for example, EPA should receive an EIA that addresses expeditions by both US-based and non-US-based operators, the Agency would officially review the document only on behalf of the US-based operators.
Fathom says that until "the EIA is completed and reviewed to adhere to all environmental protocols", they have no firm plans to sail the replica of Sir Ernest Shackleton's famous boat the 'James Caird' in Antarctica. Fathom does, however, "anticipate re-creating Shackleton's famed landing on South Georgia" early in March.
Attempts to encourage more owners of yachts and small vessels that conduct commercial tour operations in Antarctic waters to join the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) may bare fruit over the next 12 months, according to a presentation to the tour body's annual meeting in July. Such a move could, along with possible 'gateway' reforms (see ANAN-82/04 preceding), play a role in improving management of private, one-off, visits by private "holidaying" yachts.
Skip Novak, who has operated the yacht 'Pelagic' in Antarctic Peninsula waters since 1988 and who plans to introduce a second craft in 2003-04 (ANAN-59/05, 14 November 2001), was asked by IAATO Executive Director Denise Landau last year to "canvass" yacht operators about the potential for them to become more closely involved with the tour body. IAATO currently has three yacht operators as members (see ANAN-82/08 following).
Yachts have been used over the last 20 years for a range of tourist and science-support activities in the South American sector, as well as sub-Antarctic and continental regions south of Australia and New Zealand. Biological surveys conducted from them are contributing to the understanding of how some animal species are coping with climate change and human activities. The filming of popular television wildlife documentaries in the Antarctic region, such as 'Blue Planet' and 'Life in the Freezer', has depended on yachts to a large degree.
Novak said that the wider Antarctic community appears to have the view that all 'yachts' present a major management challenge for the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). IAATO collates details of planned tour operations in the Antarctic region each austral summer for its members and the ATS, however, obtaining accurate information on small-vessel activities is not always possible.
Several reported incidents involving private craft have added to the sometimes 'negative' view of yachts. Currently, German environmental authorities are understood to be prosecuting two of their nationals from the Swiss-registered yacht 'Spirit of Assy'. The couple, who own the craft, are alleged to have "disturbed penguins" at Waterboat Point on the Antarctic Peninsula during the 2000-01 austral summer. The two later published details of their activities on a German language web site (http://www.trans-ocean.org/assy/).
Pelagic's owner and his industry colleagues are concerned that commercial operators are being inappropriately 'lumped' with private, 'one-off' visit 'holiday makers' on small sailing craft. The latter are said to often be "basically ignorant of the requirement to apply to their national authority" for environmental clearance, and are unaware that guidelines exist for their activities in Antarctica (see also ANAN 82/04 preceding).
Novak believes commercial yacht operators have a great deal of knowledge of the Peninsula area and that because they encounter private yachts regularly, they have a 'logical role' to play in trying to ensure that private craft are made aware of their obligations while in the region. Commercial vessels could, for example, carry copies of guidelines on board to pass on to private boats. The goal, says Novak, is to try and ensure that such visitors do not "create an 'incident' due to lack of knowledge", a philosophy that is also behind separate suggestions regarding 'gateway' ports (see ANAN-82/04 preceding).
A 'substantial increase' in the number of commercial small vessel companies applying for IAATO membership is anticipated in the next 12 months. Novak says that "four have already contacted the [IAATO] Secretariat, and up to another eight could do so" in the near future (ANAN-81/07, 11 September 2002). Should that occur, and their applications are approved, around 60 per cent of known Antarctic commercial yacht operators would then be affiliated with the tour body.
Despite the interest, not all yacht operators wish to join the tour body. What Novak describes as the "general nature" of those who earn their living operating yachts, and the fact that the 'companies' involved are run by only one or two people, mean that there can be real administrative and financial difficulties for them in becoming formally involved with IAATO. The workload for yacht owners can be very high and involves "everything from skippering, keeping the boat afloat and maintaining it, selling charters, possibly tending to a family, communicating from an internet café when not at sea" and other tasks. "A modest revenue stream" from as few as 2-3 voyages to Antarctica each year limits the ability of small companies to pay relatively significant affiliation fees, while the costs of travelling to IAATO's annual meetings can preclude yacht owners from attending.
Despite this, and "the constant rumours of restrictions coming, and what [all small vessel operators] consider a massive overload in ship tourism", Novak believes that most commercial operators now have a "desire to participate in the processes that will dictate the future of the continent". Times have changed he says, and it is one thing to "see the [49 passenger tour ship] 'Professor Molchanov' coming around a corner ", but encountering a ship like the 'Rotterdam' [with 1,000 or more passengers], is another.
Commercial tour and expedition support activity conducted by yachts and similarly-sized craft should be described as 'small vessel' operations in order to differentiate them from 'private' sailing craft, according to a paper presented to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) annual meeting in July. The paper suggests that use of that term would contribute to a better understanding by the Antarctic community of the non-government small craft sector.
The paper's author, UK-based Pelagic Expedition's Skip Novak, believes that the professionalism of commercial operators is not well recognised and that the "misdemeanours" of some private craft have coloured the general Antarctic community's view about the sector as a whole (see ANAN-82/07 preceding). He says that the word 'yacht' can often raise "the hackles on the necks of various bureaucrats and other self-appointed experts on Antarctic tourism", who view 'yachtsmen' as being simply "on a jolly".
Novak's company was the first yacht operator to join IAATO and is now a full member of that body. IAATO currently has two other 'small vessel' affiliates, Full member Golden Fleece Expeditions of the Falkland Islands (ANAN-77/03, 17 July 2002), and Associate member Mission Antarctica from the UK (ANAN-80/03, 28 August 2002).
According to Novak, there is a simple rule, "more or less international standard", that defines a small vessel as one that carries up to 12 passengers. Apart from sail-powered craft, such a definition would also cover motor vessels like the 'Able J' and 'Braveheart' (ANAN-67/03, 27 February 2002). While they are much larger than the average sailing vessel, they only carry 10 and 12 passengers.
Novak says that he is not aware of a single small vessel being lost in Antarctic waters over the last few decades and that this points to how carefully those involved prepare and operate their craft.
Despite this, he acknowledges that a "few rescues of injured tourists and climbers" have been necessary, and that there have been two deaths: Giles Kershaw while flying a gyrocopter from the yacht 'Sol' in 1989, and Philippa Gregory's diabetes-related death early last year on '2041' (ANAN-52/05, 1 August 2001). In addition, several yachts have had brushes with sea-ice, some of which have been reported on by this newsletter (ANAN-40/02, 31 January 2001 and ANAN-41/09, 14 February 2001).
Novak argues though that the 'smallness' of small ships means that the "threat of disaster, whether it be grounding, fuel leakage or injury" is a relatively minor event on a small vessel when compared with cruise ships.
Around a dozen commercially operated 'small vessels' operate in Antarctic Peninsula waters each austral summer, several times the number that operated a decade ago. All up there are around 25 such vessels that operate in the area on a fairly regular basis, however, around half of them do not operate every year, sometimes showing up every other year, or even once in three or four years.
Visits by these craft have been primarily limited to the western shore of the Antarctic Peninsula. While weather conditions there are often very difficult, the relatively short trip from southern South America and the presence of large areas of open water during most austral summers makes the area attractive to small craft.
Three relatively limited areas of the coast of the continent in the Indian and Pacific Ocean sectors have also been visited by small craft over the last two decades, although the general ice conditions found there, and the longer distances involved, have limited the amount of activity that has occurred.
Novak thinks that it is likely that there will be an increase in the number of small vessels operating over the next few years, but "even if the numbers double from present levels, the total number of people visiting the Peninsula area [by such means] is unlikely to exceed 500 in a season".
Discussions with fellow operators have suggested to Novak that "great disparity exists" in the way individual Antarctic Treaty countries manage yacht or small vessel activities proposed and/or undertaken by their nationals. Several take their role seriously and liaison with the officials involved "goes very smoothly", however, others have been far less approachable.
The need for a consistent, coordinated, approach to the management of non-government (NG) activities across the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) was raised by last April's IAATO-organised meeting on Antarctic tourism (see ANAN-82/01 preceding).
PROPOSED TRAVERSE TO INVOLVE SAIL-PROPELLED BUGGIES
[ANAN-82/09]
Two UK-based adventurers are proposing to use ski-mounted buggies propelled by the wind to conduct a traverse between the South Geographic Pole (SGP) and the Patriot Hills later this year. Expedition organisers anticipate that the 1,100-km journey, which normally takes man haulers 60-70 days, could be completed in "about a week" provided conditions allow.
Brian Cunningham and Jamie Young are proposing to engage US-based tour operator Adventure Network International (ANI) to fly them, the ski-buggies and support equipment to the SGP from Punta Arenas, Chile, via the Patriot Hills some time in December this year. Under their plan, ANI would also provide search and rescue cover during the journey and fly the men back to Chile at the end of the venture.
The two men say that European-based company Nestlé Kit Kat has signed on as the "title sponsor for the expedition". Over 70 per cent of the funding required for the venture has been acquired and the duo say that they are "confident the rest will come". Cunningham had previously been involved in the much larger Polar Trilogy Expedition which had to be abandoned due to lack of sponsorship interest (ANAN-81/04, 11 September 2002).
The prime focus of the endeavour is the two "ski-buggies" that each man hopes to ride on the 'down-wind', 'down-hill' journey from the Pole. The buggies have been constructed from materials that contain "a variety of alloys", including "lots of titanium", that are both light and suitable for low temperature operations. The buggies, which are about three metres wide and long and weigh just 30 kg, are designed to be pulled by either kites or parasails.
The seat and cargo platform on each craft sits on a frame mounted on three "high tech snow mobile skis", each of which has an independent suspension "to cope with the expected [rough] conditions" on the plateau. Cunningham says that the ski runners "have been designed to run on a range of conditions from hard ice to deep snow".
Cunningham and Young's buggies are to carry five kites ranging in size from two to ten square metres. Each will "easily pull [a buggy] up wind", the smaller sails being used in strong winds and the larger when winds are light.
"A fast, safe system for kite launching and recovery" has been developed that works "in bad conditions [when the men will be] wearing heavy mittens". The pair says that their "life time of sailing experience in everything from racing dinghies to maxi ocean racers" will contribute to effective use of the sails.
The buggies have been designed and built by Kieron Bradley, an engineer who works at Williams Formula 1 motor racing company. They have been designed with "huge safety margins" and that "in the unlikely event of a serious buggy failure, both members of the expedition, plus all their gear, can safely be carried on a single buggy". The buggies can also "be safely towed", and "in the event of an injury they can be hitched together and pulled by a single kite in the lead buggy".
Cunningham and Young say that "unlike sledge-hauling, kiting [will not be] an exhausting endurance exercise", and that "consequently [they] will require proportionately less food and fuel" during the traverse. They say that "moisture management" from the sweat of hauling "is no longer a serious problem", and that "in favourable winds [they] will be able to kite for 18hrs a day if required". The pair plans to set up tent camps at the end of each day's journey.
The only other groups that are currently known to be proposing long-distance journeys on the high plateau in 2002-03 are the 'Cure Walk' venture (ANAN-81/03, 11 September 2002), and, depending on client interest, ANI's 'Ski the Last Degree' and 'Ski South Pole' commercial ventures (ANAN-73/01, 22 May 2002).
Cunningham and Young say that it will "be surprising if [their] expedition [does] not radically change the way adventurers think about travel on the great icecaps of the world".
Slovenien adventurer Stane Klemen attempted a high plateau traverse with a chair-like device that was to have been pulled by sails during the 2000-01 austral summer, but he was forced to abandon the attempt before that system could be used to any effect (ANAN-36/01, 6 December 2000). Klemen's chair was made of carbon fibre.
A web site for the ski-buggy venture has not yet been developed.
COMING EVENTS RELEVANT TO NON-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES
[ANAN-82/10]
Please forward notice of events via e-mail to: tourism@aad.gov.au. Up-dates are made to ANAN's web site at: http://www.antdiv.gov.au/goingsouth/tourism/Research/BibConf/Confer/default.asp as soon as new information comes to hand.
YEAR 2002
16-28 December (South Geographic Pole)
High Plateau Marathon (see ANAN-79/10, 14 August 2002).
Contact: general@adventure-network.com
YEAR 2003
3 March (King George Island, Antarctica)
Sixth Antarctic Marathon and Half Marathon (see ANAN-68/09, 13 March 2002).
Contact: marathon@shore.net (Thom Gillian).
[Date to be confirmed pending finalisation of ATCM XVI date] (Seattle, United States).
IAATO year 2003 annual meeting.
Contact: iaato@iaato.org (Denise Landau)(invitation required).
9-20 June (Madrid, Spain)
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXVI
18-20 September 2003 (Cambridge, UK)
Conference on the future of South Georgia (see ANAN-77/07, 17 July 2002).
24 November (Queen Mary and Dronning Maud Land regions).
Total solar eclipse (See ANAN-79/09, 14 August 2002).
YEAR 2004
Sometime around mid-year [Dates to be set] (Christchurch, New Zealand).
IAATO year 2004 annual meeting.
Contact: iaato@iaato.org (Denise Landau)(invitation required).
Next edition issued on Wednesday, 9 October 2002 @ 0600 UTC.
Deadline for items: Sunday, 6 October 2002 @ 2359 UTC.
ANTARCTIC NON-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY NEWS (ANAN)
IN READING PLEASE NOTE: This newsletter is produced in the interest of improved information sharing in the Antarctic and sub-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 concerned.
Links provided in ANAN stories are working at the time of first publication.
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ANAN archive (including this issue with its built in links):
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Coming events related to non-governmental activity:
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Links to tourist industry web sites:
http://www.antdiv.gov.au/goingsouth/tourism/Industry/default.asp
EDITOR: Dave Moser (David.Moser@aad.gov.au).
POSTAL: Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia 7050
TELEPHONE: +61-3-6232-3347 (2200-0600 UTC).
FACSIMILE: +61-3-6232-3357.
RESEARCH/WRITING: Martin Betts (Martin.Betts@aad.gov.au)
TELEPHONE/FACSIMILE: +61-3-6267-4790 (2200-1100 UTC).
FACSIMILE: +61-3-6232-3500.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2002
All images, text and downloadable files in ANAN are copyright ©Commonwealth of Australia 2002 or respective authors where indicated. You may down load, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Source credit must be given as follows: © 2002 Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston Tasmania 7050
Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved.
Requests for further authorisation should be directed to:
The Editor, ANAN
Antarctic Treaty and Government Section
Australian Antarctic Division
KINGSTON TAS 7050
AUSTRALIA
or by email to tourism@aad.gov.au