ANTARCTIC NON-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY NEWS

News in this edition:

63-01. 'Marco Polo' listed for second South Georgia visit in 2003.
63-02. Foundation to continue Thiel Mountains meteorite search.
63-03. Station clean-up operations well under way.
63-04. Wearables progress slows; tight timetable ahead.
63-05. Protesters lose track of whaling fleet.
63-06. Climbers reach the Forbidden Plateau, trek south.
63-07. Runners prepare for first plateau marathon.
63-08. Peninsula kayaking venture about to commence.
63-09. Magazine and web site feature 'Ice Island' expedition activities.
63-10. Disabled kayaker completes program safely.
63-11. 'Polar Quest' defers planned SGP traverse to 2003-04.
63-12. Special exhibition features 'Discovery' expedition items.
63-13. Coming Events Relevant to Non-Government Activities.

'MARCO POLO' LISTED FOR SECOND SOUTH GEORGIA VISIT IN 2003
[ANAN-63/01]

US tour operator Orient Lines is planning a visit to South Georgia with its ship 'Marco Polo' in January next year. Current advertising for the voyage emphasises Sir Ernest Shackleton's historic links to the island (ANAN-27/04, 2 August 2000). Up to 550 passengers are expected to be on board the vessel during the three-days the ship is scheduled to be at the Island; visits to Grytviken, Elsehul and Gold Harbour are listed on the itinerary.

The Government of South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands (GSGSSI) that manages the island has, according to Orient Lines, approved a request for a landing at Grytviken. This will be the ship's second visit to the Island, it having carried 430 passengers there in December 1993. The only other large tour vessel known to have called there was the 'Europa' that had 428 passengers on board during its visit in November 1994.

Nigel Sitwell who is expected to lead expedition operations for the company told ANAN this week that while at Grytviken passengers are expected to visit the whaling museum, church, and Shackleton's grave.

Plans for the landing call for maps to be provided to those going ashore and staff members to be positioned at intervals around the suggested walking route so that passengers' movements can be managed at all times. Orient Lines says that all guidelines given to them by the GSGSSI will be followed with safe routes around the whaling station being established prior to the disembarkation of passengers.

Marco Polo's passenger landings are similar to those offered by other tour operators, although because of the total numbers involved passengers generally stay on shore for a shorter period and wander less extensively while there. Their movements and activities are closely monitored by staff members at all times, with a nurse or doctor also on shore at all times during landings.

While not a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), 'Marco Polo' normally conforms to the requirement to limit the number of people who are off the ship at any one time to 100 whilst in Antarctica, however, according to Sitwell given that Grytviken is not considered "a sensitive wildlife site" different arrangements may apply for next year's landing.

In contrast to Grytviken no landings are planned at Elsehul or Gold Harbour, however, if conditions permit, passengers are to be offered a cruise to view the shore scene and surroundings using the six inflatable boats the ship carries. Ten to fourteen passengers will be carried in each boat in what will be a continuous operation. Fur seals normally pack the beach at Elsehul while King penguins are the attraction at Gold Harbour.

The South Georgia visit is to take occur in the period 22-24 January on the third of five voyages in the South American sector of Antarctica that 'Marco Polo' is scheduled to conduct in 2002-03, one fewer than the number for the current season, although with the exception of the South Georgia visit the general voyage pattern of the two seasons is similar.

While one less voyage than the present season is involved, with the exception of the South Georgia sojourn the general pattern of voyages is similar. The 2002-03 season opens with a 13-day journey that is to leave Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 30 December and visit the Falkland Islands and the north-west Antarctic Peninsula region before finishing in Ushuaia. Two 9-day voyages to the Peninsula are scheduled from Ushuaia on 11 and 31 January 2003 either side of the South Georgia trip. The ship's final voyage to the Peninsula leaves Ushuaia on 8 February and ends in Valparaiso, Chile, after a visit to Punta Arenas and the Chilean fjords.

Operations in the Peninsula area in 2002-03 call for the ship to visit Elephant Island (two visits), Deception Island (1), Cuverville Island (2), Hope Bay (3), Half Moon Island (5), the Lemaire Channel (4), Port Lockroy (4) and Paradise Harbour (4). Landings are currently anticipated at Hope Bay and Half Moon Island, although at Hope Bay passengers will, according to Sitwell, be landed "well away" from the Argentinian national program station Esperanza and no visits to the station are proposed. No landings are planned at either Elephant or Cuverville Islands but the ship will offer small boat cruises off-shore at both locations provided conditions allow.

While 'Marco Polo' has not visited Elephant Island previously, Sitwell has previous experience there during a 1994 visit by the 390-passenger 'Ocean Princess'. The single Deception Island visit by 'Marco Polo' is to involve an hour-long cruise of the ship around Port Foster and no one is expected to leave the ship, while the Lemaire visits involve passage through the spectacular channel.

The cost of participation in the South Georgia voyage starts at $US5,292. Prices for the basic Ushuaia-Peninsula-Ushuaia voyages commence at $US3,957, an eight per cent increase on the fare for the same trip this season. The opening voyage from Buenos Aires starts at $US5,238, up ten per cent, and for the final voyage of the season which travels north via the Chilean fjords the basic cost is $US5,290, a twelve per cent rise on 2001-02.

Full details of Marco Polo's 2002-03 voyages are available on line at the Orient Lines' web site at: http://www.orientlines.com/Antarctic/antarctic.html.

FOUNDATION TO CONTINUE THIEL MOUNTAINS METEORITE SEARCH
[ANAN-63/02]

Over the next few weeks the US-based Planetary Studies Foundation (PSF) plans to continue its search for meteorites that it began in the Thiel Mountains of Ellsworth Land two years ago. The privately funded, non-profit Foundation, which has organised meteorite-related visits to Antarctica twice before, collected twenty from the vicinity of the Patriot Hills and the Moulton Escarpment in the Thiel Mountains in January 2000 (ANAN-18/04, 29 March 2000).

The eleven people taking part in this season's operation, which is believed to have cost around $US500,000, are to be supported in the field by commercial tour operator Adventure Network International (ANI). They are understood to be listed to fly into the ANI's Patriot Hills summer field camp from Punta Arenas, Chile, and on to their study areas sometime later this week as weather allows.

The party is being led by planetary geologist Professor Paul Sipiera who will be undertaking his fourth meteorite search expedition to the continent. Sipiera took part in the US national program's 1983-84 meteorite search program and subsequently led PSF's two previous Antarctic ventures.

Each member of this season's PSF group has specific duties that range from specimen collection to video recording. One member of the party will be Dr Brigit Sattler from the University of Innsbruck in Austria, her specific task being to collect ice samples for a study related to cryophilic lifeforms.

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research expressed "serious concerns" two years ago about the potential for 'unrestricted collection of meteorites, by private expeditions' (ANAN-40/09, 31 January 2001). Sipiera told ANAN last week, however, that the PSF follows the protocols for such materials set by the US National Science Foundation and that any specimens found by his group will be stored appropriately and be available for research by qualified institutions.

He said that the basic characterisation of the meteorites the PSF collected in January 2000 was made at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and Harper College home of the PSF. Additional studies on the most interesting specimen are currently under way at the University of Arizona and the Max-Planck Institut fur Chemie in Germany. The PSF says that any meteorites found by its group this month will be handled and examined in a similar manner and that collaboration with other scientific institutions is welcomed.

In addition to the meteorite work the party hopes to establish an "educational link" via e-mail with various schools in the US. PSF says that such interaction was an important part of its 1998 expedition and that this proved to be "extremely successful" in generating an awareness of Antarctic science amongst students.

The first PSF visit to Antarctica occurred in 1994 when some members took part in a tourist voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Attempts were made to communicate from the ship with classrooms in a number of countries via the Internet, however, PSF says that that program only met with limited success.

The second program in January 1998 involved a small group flying to Antarctica with ANI, and during eight days on the continent visits were made to the Patriot Hills, the area around Vinson Massif, and the SGP. This was followed by the successful visit in January 2000.

STATION CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS WELL UNDER WAY
[ANAN-63/03]

Non-government group 'Mission Antarctica' (MA) is reporting that the operation to remove rubbish and scrap materials from Russia's Bellingshausen station on King George Island (KGI), which has now been under way for just over two weeks, is progressing well (ANAN-61/03, 5 December 2001). By New Years' Eve half the hold space of MA's ship 'Anne Boye' had been filled and the removal of the estimated 1,000 tonnes of materials from the station is expected to be completed on time in mid-January.

The 'Anne Boye' arrived in Maxwell Bay off-shore of Bellingshausen on 12 December, the same day four members of MA's clean-up group arrived there from Ushuaia, Argentina, on the tour ship 'Professor Molchanov'. Members of the Russian clean-up group arrived on the tour ship 'Grigory Mikheev' on 19 December, the ship apparently being under charter to the Russian national program at that time.

Materials handling equipment was unloaded from 'Anne Boye' by the 16th, MA's web site indicating that the operation was frustrated by high winds. In addition, an independent news report from Chile says that the vessel "struck a small reef" in Maxwell Bay, although if that report is correct it appears that the incident only had a minimal impact on back-loading operations.

Meanwhile, Mission Antarctica's yacht '2041' arrived off Bellingshausen on 22 December after a quick three-day passage from Puerto Williams, Chile; having arrived at Ushuaia from Stanley in the Falkland Islands on 5 December. She left KGI on the 26th for a trip around the South Shetland Islands but is now back in Maxwell Bay preparing for the first of four planned voyages down the Peninsula.

According to MA's web site '2041' is to conduct four ten-day voyages from Bellingshausen with a multinational group of students, teachers and sponsors representatives from 2-12 and 12-22 January, 22 January to 1 February, and 1-11 February. Those involved are to fly to and from KGI at the beginning and end of their voyages. The maintenance of flight schedules across the Drake Passage from Punta Arenas, Chile, will therefore be important if the program is to run to schedule.

Each of the voyages is listed to visit Deception Island, Cuverville Island, Paradise Bay, the Lemaire Channel, Pleneau and Petermann Islands, Hydrurga Rocks and Livingston Island before returning to Bellingshausen. On their return each voyage group is to "assist with the clean-up" there for several days before flying back to Punta Arenas.

WEARABLES PROGRESS SLOWS; TIGHT TIMETABLE AHEAD
[ANAN-63/04]

'Poles Wearables' traverse pair Thomas and Tina Sjorgen have been hampered in their trek to the South Geographic Pole (SGP) by poor weather and surface conditions over the last two weeks. On New Years' Eve they reported they were 665 km from the Pole and now need to average nearly 22 km a day if they are to reach the Pole by the end of January when the summer season on the plateau comes to an end.

Over the last two weeks Thomas and Tina have hauled their sledges close to 215 km southwards, averaging 16.5 km a day, with 25 December being declared a 'rest day'. In that time they managed to exceed 20 km a day on only one occasion. On most days distances of between 17 and 19 km were achieved, with frequent periods of whiteout, strong winds and deep, soft, snow being experienced. The weight of their sledge loads is slowly dropping as they consume food and fuel, and they are currently each pulling around 80 kg; 45 kg less than when they started in late November.

It is now 33 days since the Sjorgens started their trek and during that time they have made a total of 371 km towards the SGP. Progress was particularly slow in the first week as they travelled up-hill from Hercules Inlet (ANAN-62/03, 19 December 2001).

When the two US-based adventurers attempted the same trek to the SGP twelve months ago they were nearly 60 km further south on New Years' Eve than they were this year. However, they had started that trip from Hercules Inlet on 19 November, ten days early than this season, although on that occasion Thomas suffered an injury that slowed their progress (ANAN-40/08, 31 January 2001). That attempt on the Pole was abandoned on 21 January last year when the pair was some 260 km north of the Pole (ANAN-40/08, 31 January 2001).

While details of the Wearables' trek is posted each day on their web site, little information is available about tour operator Adventure Network International's (ANI) 'Ski South Pole' (SSP) commercial traverse which is travelling on a similar route. Sketchy reports received by ANAN suggest that the three people involved, guide Paul Landry from Canada and clients Timo Polari (Finland) and Chris Weyers (Australia), commenced their journey from Hercules Inlet as originally planned, probably on 29 November at the same time as the Sjorgens.

A Finnish language web site (http://www.fazerleipomot.fi/) run by one of Polari's sponsors in Finland posts reports there each week, although only limited information has been provided in them to date.

The SSP skiers are expected to be resupplied several times by air during their two-month trek (ANAN-39/10, 17 January 2001). ANI's 'Last Degree' traverse reached the Pole on 25 December local time after an eight-and-a-half-day trek from latitude 89° south, making around 13 km a day. The last edition of ANAN mistakenly reported that they had arrived there in mid-December (ANAN-62/03, 19 December 2001). After arriving at the Pole the seven skiers had to camp there for several days as a prolonged period of bad weather at the Patriot Hills in Ellsworth Land prevented ANI dispatching a flight to retrieve them. The seven-person group was eventually flown north in ANI's chartered 'Basler 67' on 28 December.

Leader of the 'Last Degree' group Doug Stoup mentioned his proposed 'Solo Bike to the South Pole' briefly in a message on his web site last week and that suggests that the venture may still proceed this season. Stoup has estimated that it will take him around 20 days to ride his specially constructed bike from the Patriot Hills to the SGP (ANAN-60/03, 21 November 2001), but the attempt may be delayed until after ANI's high plateau marathon is completed, possibly around mid-January (see ANAN-63/07 following).

ANI has continued to fly tourists to the Pole over the last few weeks. One of its clients arrived on 15 December on the flight that deployed the 'Last Degree' group at latitude 89° south , while seven clients, six of whom are believed to be a Chinese film crew, visited two days later.

PROTESTERS LOSE TRACK OF WHALING FLEET
[ANAN-63/05]

'Arctic Sunrise', the Greenpeace ship that harassed a whaling fleet from Japan off the coast of Enderby Land for several days last month in a protest against whaling, lost track of the five-ship fleet on 23 December. The environmental group says on its web site that the faster fleet made a sudden run from them and that despite the best efforts of all on board they could not maintain contact.

Of the five ships in the whaling fleet the factory vessel 'Nishin Maru' is believed to be slowest, having a maximum speed of around 18 knots, much better than Arctic Sunrise's top of just under 12 knots.

Greenpeace indicates that the initial chase was made through rough seas and pack ice and that this helped their ship to keep up at first, but eventually the fleet moved out of radar range and they have not been sighted since. Greenpeace says that they are determined to relocate the fleet.

The Australian national program ship 'Aurora Australis' reported on New Years' Day that they had sighted both the 'Arctic Sunrise' and elements of the whaling fleet the previous day north-east of Prydz Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land Coast. This suggests that the whalers and their pursuers were at that time within a few tens of kilometres of each other.

'Arctic Sunrise' is estimated to be about half-way through the current voyage and is likely to have to return north to refuel by the end of this month (ANAN-62/02, 19 December 2001). Pre-voyage planning called for the ship to visit national program stations on the coast of Prydz Bay during the voyage. These visits could occur in the next few weeks as the ship is currently within a few days travel of them.

CLIMBERS REACH THE FORBIDDEN PLATEAU, TREK SOUTH
[ANAN-63/06]

Nine members of a UK expedition reached the Forbidden Plateau region of the Antarctic Peninsula last week after a 2,000-m ascent up the Reclus Peninsula from sea level at Portal Point. Since then they have trekked south-westwards along the plateau, climbing 2,139 m Mount Johnston on 28 December, and at last report were considering travelling as far south as the area above Paradise Bay provided conditions allow.

The group, who are all affiliated with UK military services, commenced their second attempt on the Reclus Peninsula on the Danco Coast on 22 December, ten days after they broke off their original reconnaissance efforts to look for routes to the plateau further south. However, none was found and the trekkers may eventually have to return from their present position to sea level at Portal Point along the route they have already traversed (ANAN-58/11, 7 November 2001).

After the initial reconnaissance efforts in the first half of December, the fifteen-strong expedition left Enterprise Island on its yacht 'John Laing' on 14 December to reconnoitre possible routes to plateau level in the areas above Andvord Bay and Paradise Harbour. Prior to that the expedition's climbers had establish a small stores depot close to an elevation of 1,000 m near Harris Peak and three climbers ventured further up towards plateau level (ANAN-62/05, 19 December 2001).

The yacht made its way down the Errera Channel into Andvord Bay and Paradise Harbour over the next three days, a visit being made to the Chilean national program station Gonzales Videla at Waterboat Point on 17 December. The terrain inland was monitored en route and was judged as "clearly unsuitable" for climbers, therefore the decision was taken to set course for Port Lockroy where the fifteen-person group were "to take the opportunity for some 'local mountaineering' ".

Sea-ice intervened, however, forcing the yacht back into Paradise Bay by 20 December before it could cross Gerlache Strait. This led to the decision to return the 'John Laing' to Reclus Peninsula where a second, later successful, attempt to reach the Forbidden Plateau would be made. The yacht returned to Portal Point at the tip of Reclus Peninsula on 22 December and three climbing groups commenced their ascent soon after its arrival.

Reports available from the nine climbers indicate that most of their journey to date has been undertaken in poor weather with frequent periods of snow and whiteout, conditions that are standard fare on the higher areas of the Antarctic Peninsula (ANAN-33/08, 25 October 2000).

After a period spent at Enterprise Island, 11 km to the south-west, the yacht moved to the Mechior Islands in Dallman Bay on the other side of Gerlache Strait on 28 December to collect geological samples for a UK university. It returned to the eastern side of the Strait just before New Year, as they had not been able to contact the plateau group by radio for several days and were concerned about their situation. Communication was restored on New Year's Eve and 'John Laing' celebrated the New Year at Gonzales Videla station.

While at Enterprise Island on 14 December 'John Laing' was visited by some forty tourists from the ship 'Polar Pioneer'. A second visit to the yacht was made there by the ship with a fresh group of tourists ten days later. The tour vessel is reported to have taken most of the rubbish that had accumulated on the yacht over the time since it left Stanley in the Falkland Islands, and later returned it to Ushuaia, Argentina, for disposal.

RUNNERS PREPARE FOR FIRST PLATEAU MARATHON
[ANAN-63/07]

Runners taking part in the first marathon to be run on the high plateau of Antarctica are currently gathering in Punta Arenas, Chile, in the lead up to the event. The 42-km run, which is to finish at the South Geographic Pole (SGP), is scheduled for 8 January provided weather conditions over the next week allow the complex support operation involved to proceed on time (ANAN-44/01, 11 April 2001).

ANI planning for the event calls for the runners to fly from Punta Arenas to company's field camp in the Patriot Hills of Ellsworth Land on 4 January. According to the company's web site they are to be briefed on logistics, safety and weather issues surrounding the event the next day, and have the opportunity to undertake "training runs" in the vicinity of the Patriot Hills camp. A flight to a forward field camp the company is establishing at the starting point of the race near latitude 89° 30' south is listed for 6 January.

As the race will be run at an elevation close to 3,000 m, participants are to spend two nights at the forward camp before it gets under way in order to acclimatise to the altitude. ANI says that once the race starts each runner will be closely monitored and that refreshment stops will be provided en route.

Provided the weather is suitable those taking part in the race are to fly back to the Patriot Hills from the SGP soon after it finishes, and from there to Punta Arenas around 11 January. Reports indicate that a number of media representatives will travel south with ANI to record the event and that world-wide publicity for the company's new venture is likely.

ANI has not announced how many runners are to take place in the race, however, a report received by ANAN suggests that seven people may be participating. Runners have payed $US25,000 ex Punta Arenas to take part in the event, the cost of travel to and from there and accommodation in Chile being additional.

Another U.S. based company, Marathon Tours and Travel, has been conducting commercially-organised marathons and half marathons in the Antarctic Peninsula region since 1995. It plans to conduct what will be its fifth double-event on 2 March on King George Island in the South Shetlands (ANAN-53/04, 15 August 2001).

PENINSULA KAYAKING VENTURE ABOUT THE COMMENCE
[ANAN-63/08]

Three, not four, people are to take part in a kayaking venture planned for the Peninsula region between voyages of the tour ship 'Polar Star' over the next week. The two original kayakers, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, were to have been accompanied by their respective partners (ANAN-62/06, 19 December 2001). However, according to the pair's web site, Arnesen's husband Einar Glestad has "developed a medical condition" that, while not serious, requires "medication and the attention of doctors".

The two women, whose adventure activities are conducted on a 'for profit' basis, say that while they are disappointed it would be "irresponsible to go kayaking in waters thousands of miles from help [with someone that is] not 100 per cent fit". Bancroft's partner Pam Arnold will still take part in the planned week-long venture.

Arnesen, Bancroft and Arnold left Ushuaia, Argentina, on the 'Polar Star' last Friday and the ship is currently operating in north-western coastal areas of the Antarctic Peninsula. If the operation goes to plan the three women are expected to leave the on 2 January, although it is still not clear just which area the trio will operate in as the two women are keeping their options open at this time.

The area around the Gerlache and Lemaire Channel has been mentioned, however, ice conditions in that region have been unusually heavy over the last month. Deployment somewhere in the South Shetland Islands is also a possibility.

MAGAZINE AND WEB SITE FEATURE 'ICE ISLAND' EXPEDITION ACTIVITIES
[ANAN-63/09]

Descriptions and images of last year's 'Ice Island' expedition to the Ross Sea, a non-government venture whose aim was to "study and document" the large icebergs that calved from the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) in March 2000 (ANAN-39/02, 17 January 2001), are featured in the December 2001 edition of the internationally-distributed US magazine 'National Geographic' (NG).

Photography, diving, scientific sampling, and a long-distance flight over pack ice to visit the large B15A iceberg, were undertaken during the two weeks the expedition spent in the north-western part of the Ross Sea on its ship 'Braveheart' (B15A was previously labelled B17B by ANAN [ANAN-41/05, 14 February 2001]).

The 16-page NG article provides a broad description of the expedition's activities, which were in part funded by the NG's parent Society, and features a range of photographs of the ship, its aircraft, diving operations, as well as a single image of B17B iceberg - a key target of the 'Ice Island' operation.

Pre-expedition planning called for a range of activities around, above, under, on, and even 'inside' the large icebergs to be undertaken. A range of scientific work was planned, including use of a remotely operated vehicle, although little of that activity is covered in the NG story.

As the group wanted to reach places underneath icebergs that were "too dangerous for open-circuit scuba gear", "state-of-the-art re-breathing" equipment that allows divers to remain safely at greater depths for longer periods by recycling exhaled breath was utilised on some dives.

According to the article, five of the eighteen people on board the ship made close to 90 dives between them during the voyage, although none of them was made near B15A. Apart from photographs of the underside of smaller bergs encountered, images of bottom life found near Cape Hallett are presented in the magazine. The text suggests that some difficulties were experienced during one of the longer under-berg dives.

The 'Ice Island' group targeted B15A for a visit as at the time it was located further north than any of the other fragments left over from the original RIS calving in March 2000 (ANAN-39/02, 17 January 2001). Ice conditions were difficult, however, and despite the fact that 'Braveheart' spent almost a week trying to push south towards the iceberg, what was described as "heavy pack ice" prevented the ship getting any closer to it than 70 km (much greater distance than the "30-40 km" estimated at the time by ANAN).

As a result of that difficulty the ship's lone single-engine Hughes 300 (H300) helicopter was used in what was described on the 'Ice Island' web site after the expedition returned to New Zealand, as a "last ditch" attempt to photograph the iceberg (http://www.iceisland.net/journal.html). The 4 February flight, which involved the pilot and a photographer, saw the helicopter away from the ship for four hours and resulted in some stunning images being captured.

On arrival at the giant berg the helicopter landed and the passenger door was removed for filming, but the engine was kept running at all times. A number of separate flights from the surface of the berg were made to allow a variety of still and moving digital and film images to be taken of the iceberg before the aircraft returned to the ship.

According to the web site, the inability of 'Braveheart' to effect a quick rescue had the helicopter run into difficulties during the B15A operation, and the expectation that no communication would be possible between the ship and aircraft for most of the time it was away, led to "very careful planning" being undertaken for the 140-km round-trip flight.

The H300 had "extra jerry cans [of fuel] strapped on board", that fuel being considered "critical" in giving sufficient reserve for the overall flight distance and the loiter time required for photography at B15A. The helicopter's emergency kit was supplemented with "gear from the ship" so that if it was "unable to find the vessel or if they [had] to ditch" for some reason, "the two men could have been self-sufficient [on the pack ice] with shelter, warmth and nutrients for a comfortable week or longer".

Fortunately the flight went well, although as anticipated contact was lost with the helicopter when it was about half way to B17B resulting in "three anxious hours" for those left behind until contact was made during the return flight.

Some details and images of the 'Ice Island' expedition are also currently available on line on the National Geographic web site at: http://nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0112.

DISABLED KAYAKER COMPLETES PROGRAM SAFELY
[ANAN-63/10]

Disabled UK adventurer Glenn Shaw returned safely to Ushuaia, Argentina, on 28 December after a ten-day journey to north-western regions of the Antarctica Peninsula on board the tour ship 'Polar Pioneer' (ANAN-62/08, 19 December 2001).

According to his web site Shaw, who suffers from the condition known as 'brittle bones', took part in kayaking activities at a number of locations including Half Moon Island, Port Lockroy, Pleneau Island, Paradise Bay and Enterprise Island. The latter two locations saw Glenn and his rowing partner paddle their sea kayak distances of 6 and 12 km respectively. There is no indication that he camped ashore as previously planned, however.

While the passage south across the Drake Passage was described as reasonable, the journey north was less so and Shaw indicates that he was confined to his bunk for nearly three days, as due to the nature of his condition even a minor fall or knock during that time could have presented him with serious, even life-threatening, injuries.

Details of Shaw's activities are provided on his web site at http://www.glennshaw.com/South/. The venture operated under the name 'Southern Endeavour 2000' but was undertaken as part of a standard tourist operation.

'POLAR QUEST' DEFERS PLANNED SGP TRAVERSE TO 2003-04
[ANAN-63/11]

The UK-based 'Polar Quest' expedition which was proposing to conduct an unsupported, 2,200 km return traverse to the South Geographic Pole (SGP) in 2002-03 (ANAN-55/05, 12 September 2001), has delayed the venture until the following season.

Sean Chapple, Kevin Foster and Matthew Vivian, who are all serving members of the British Royal Marines, planned the trek as part of a two-pole venture which it was hoped would have seen them reach both the North Magnetic Pole (NMP) and the SGP during the 2002 calendar year. The NMP journey had been scheduled to start next April and the southern journey in November.

The three men indicated in a statement to their supporters that the current world situation had led to an increased work-load for the Royal Marines and that as a result "a number of critical [Polar Quest] milestones" have not been met and that a start to the NMP traverse next April was unrealistic.

Current plans call for the attempt on the NMP to take place in April-May 2003, with the Antarctic trek being scheduled to start some six months later.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION FEATURES 'DISCOVERY' EXPEDITION ITEMS
[ANAN-63/12]

Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, has prepared a special exhibition to mark the Centenary of UK explorer Robert Falcon Scott's 1901-04 'Discovery' exhibition. The display, which will be on view at the Museum until March, is one of a series of activities that have been arranged in the Christchurch region to mark the Centenary. 'Antarctic Link Canterbury', a not-for-profit organisation, has developed a web site to publicise information about Antarctic related places and events in the Canterbury region of NZ. The site can be accessed at: http://www.antarctic-link.org.nz.

COMING EVENTS RELEVANT TO NON-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES
[ANAN-63/13]

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

4-11 January (South Geographic Pole)
High Plateau Marathon (ANAN-63/07 preceding).
Contact: general@adventure-network.com

2 March (King George Island, Antarctica)
Fifth Antarctic Marathon and Half Marathon (ANAN-53/04, 15 August 2001).
Contact: marathon@shore.net (Thom Gilligan).

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

15-19 July (Shanghai, China)
COMNAP XIV (including the sub-committee on Tourism and Non-Government Operations).
Contact: jsayers@comnap.aq (Jack Sayers).

15-26 July (Shanghai, China).
XXVII SCAR (Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research).

3-14 September (Warsaw, Poland)
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXV

YEAR 2003

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

24 November (Queen Mary and Dronning Maud Land regions).
Total solar eclipse (See ANAN-61/09, 5 December 2001).

TO THE TOP

Next edition issued on Wednesday, 16 January 2002 @ 0600 UTC.
Deadline for items: Sunday, 13 January 2002 @ 2359 UTC.

TO THE TOP

ANTARCTIC NON-GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY NEWS (ANAN)

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

TO THE TOP