“Hope”
By Anton Bowring, on board SA Agulhas. It’s ten pm and it’s hot. The air temperature is way up in the mid 20s. We have slowed to seven knots and we are about to alter course. Cape Point lighthouse is just seven miles ahead. Looking at the chart, I can tell you that it flashes blink, blink, pause, blink every thirty seconds. The light itself stands eighty-seven meters above sea level and in good…
“Turbulence”
By Anton Bowring, on-board the SA Agulhas. The lavatory in my cabin exploded this evening. At the time I was minding my own business and, having minded it, I pulled the lever – not hard, mind you. Well, I was terrified, the thing erupted with a belching noise, half gurgle and half woosh! Great clumps of water leapt into the air and crashed on the floor increasing in size until I was pressed to…
“One journey ends and another starts”
By Geoff Long, on board SA Agulhas. We’ve been steaming steadily north at 11 knots for over a day now, the pack was kind to us and we’ve left behind the gentle rolling carpet of sea ice, escaping its grasp easily, reaching open water after only 30 miles. Now sailing through calm grey seas, the magical world of colourful ice, crevasses and penguins whilst still relatively near, seems so far away.
“The Last Night” – by Anton Bowring
Yesterday saw the culmination of all the outstanding tasks which we, on the ship, had to perform. The last drums were unloaded; debris and unwanted equipment were taken back to the ship from the Ice Group’s stout encampment hal…f way up the hill; last minute items were transferred back and forth until there was really nothing else that we could do. Last on board was our trusty vehic…
Update from aboard the SA Agulhas – by Anton Bowring
We have consoled ourselves in the knowledge that we had an unusually good week since we arrived in Crown Bay. It is unfortunate but not entirely surprising that our luck would run out. For the second day we have not been able to get at our berth against the ice shelf. It is made all the more frustrating by the fact that today was a beautiful day – a beautiful day for unloading drums – if only w…
Off Ice – by Anton Bowring
It has been a frustrating day. In my report yesterday I made a foolish comment about being irritatingly smug on account of the fine weather. Well, today, all that changed. The wind swung round to the north east overnight and pressed all the sea ice into the bay. This meant that, on the ship, we could only look at the tiny black dots, our Ice Group, on the distant shore and wonder how they wer…
A Close Shave – by Anton Bowring
(Please note this update was written late last night, and relates to events which happened yesterday. Due to comms limitations over night, we could only upload it this morning) We remained nosed into the ice shelf by our unloading site all night. It was very calm and the ship remained in position without buffeting. Today started as usual. At 8 am the basket was swinging over the ship’s side and…
ON ICE
By Expedition Co-Leader, Anton Bowring: Private expeditions of this size and scale are rare. In order to achieve this level of operation, you need lots of planning, fundraising and good people handling every aspect of the project. It takes time. From the trustees in London who have the responsibility for proper and diligent management to the part-time volunteer, this is ultimate teamwork. Sinc…
A Good Day
Update from Anton Bowring… “Today has been very successful. By this morning virtually all the sea ice had drifted out of the bay. There was just one floe with an inquisitive group of penguins observing us in the morning sunshine. We manoeuvred the ship slowly to the head of the bay and pushed the bows into the low ice shelf. By driving the ship gently ahead with the autopilot set, the ship has…
LANDED!
More pics available on Flickr…
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