by Ria Olivier | Jul 25, 2022 | Announcement, Antarctica, News, Newsletters>SANAE Newsletters, Overwintering Team, SANAE, SANAP, Stations, Team member, Team Photo
In this edition:
- The team writes about the last sunset before winter
- Meet the most experienced member of the expedition team, diesel mechanic, John Manyatsa Skelete
- Weather: May and June 2022 – maximum and minimum pressure, temperature, humidity, wind gust.
Click here to read/download the MAY/JUNE 2022 newsletter!
Message from the SANAE 61 team leader on Antarctica, JC Laubscher:
“It is going well here at SANAE IV, it is just insanely cold outside (-40 degrees average). Luckily, the sun has peeked over the horizon today, after 33 days of absence. This is another expedition milestone reached! We’ve also passed the halfway mark of this expedition and we’re looking forward to the second half and of course summer!”
VIDEO: Click here to see what happens when you throw out a bucket of boiling water when it’s ~ -30°C outside.
Click here to view all the newsletters SANAE 61 has published to this date.
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 25 July 2022
by Ria Olivier | Jun 21, 2022 | Antarctica, Current Event, International Days, Marion Island, News, Overwintering Team, Prince Edward Islands, SANAE, SANAP, Southern Ocean, Stations
Midwinter’s Day (21 June) is celebrated by the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) overwintering teams on Antarctica (SANAE 61), Marion Island (Marion 79), and Gough Island (Gough 67).
Midwinter is the shortest day, and for those on Antarctica, the darkest day, of the year.
Overwintering teams from all over the world send greeting cards to each other, to family and friends, and to their national Antarctic program communities. We received greeting cards from the three SANAP overwintering teams, wishing all of you a happy midwinter!
Midwinter greetings from the 79th overwintering team on South Africa’s sub-Antarctic Marion Island.
On Antarctica, Midwinter is the midpoint of a time of darkness and extreme isolation and the SANAE team will also celebrate this today!
Midwinter greetings from the 61st SANAE Overwintering Team, on Antarctica.
Midwinter greeting from the 67th Gough Island Overwintering team!
We asked the teams what their plans are for today:
Marion Island: “We are having a nice braai and midwinter games”.
Gough Island: “We have actually already started our own midwinter tournament knockouts (with our semifinals and finals today)! We have a number of events including pool, table tennis, darts, fuzzball, checkers, chess and Mario Cart (TV game).
Quite an exciting lineup”.
SANAE IV: “We will celebrate with some midwinter games”.
Do you want to know more about the teams?
Click here to meet Marion 79!
Click here to meet Gough 67!
Click here to meet SANAE 61!
Thank you for the greeting cards SANAP teams, have a great day!
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 21 June 2022.
by Ria Olivier | Jun 2, 2022 | Marion Island, News, Overwintering Team, SA Agulhas II, Southern Ocean, Stations, sub-Antarctic, Team Photo
The 79th Marion Island Overwintering Team has arrived on the island 6 weeks ago. After a very busy take-over, where each team member was introduced to their new roles on the island, they are now settled in and ready for their sub-Antarctic overwintering expedition. Marion79 consist of 21 team members – check them out below.
Message from the Team Leader, Jufter Munyai:
“The Marion79 team is ready to look after the South African station on Marion Island, some will be conducting scientific fieldwork, whereas others have obligations in and around the station”.
Want to know more about the Marion Island 2022 take-over? Click here
We wish the team a successful expedition. See you back in Cape Town, in May 2023.
79th Marion Island Overwintering Team
Featured Image: Marion79 onboard the S.A. Agulhas II, about to depart to Marion Island on Sunday, 17 April 2022. Image supplied by Jufter Munyai (Team Leader).
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 02 June 2022
by Ria Olivier | Jun 1, 2022 | Announcement, Antarctica, Engineering, News, Newsletters>SANAE Newsletters, Overwintering Team, SANAE, SANAP, Stations, Team member
In this edition:
- Sunsets on Antarctica
- Birthday celebrations
- Get to know the team’s SANSA (South African National Space Agency) HF Radar/ VLF Engineer – Mfezeko Rataza, who celebrated his birthday on 16 April.
What do you find most challenging about being in Antarctica?
Mfezeko: “The job involve learning about climbing techniques and rope work, because we have to go up these 30 meters antenna to service them whenever there is a breakage sometimes in very cold conditions ( -15 degrees). Imagine trying to tighten a nut with your bear hands when frostbite start to occur after 2-3 minutes exposure”.
Want to read more? Click here to download the April 2022 issue.
Images from S61 April Newsletter. “Fez (Mfezeko) with his SANSA team by the Antennas”.
Birthday Card to Mfezeko Rataza (S61 SANSA Engineer) from Antarctic Legacy of South Africa – 16 April 2022.
Click here to view all the newsletters SANAE 61 has published to this date.
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 01 June 2022
by Ria Olivier | May 18, 2022 | Announcement, Discover, Gateway cities, International Days, Prince Edward Island, Prince Edward Islands, Research, SA Agulhas II, SANAE, SANAP, Science, Southern Ocean, Stations, sub-Antarctic
Free entrance to Iziko Museums of South Africa today, 18 May 2022.
Visit the Sentinels of the South Exhibition at Iziko Museum of South Africa, Cape Town.
This exhibition will give you insight into the history, discoveries, and current role of South Africa’s Antarctic and Southern Ocean exploration. Read more here.
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 18 May 2022
by Ria Olivier | May 10, 2022 | Announcement, Gough Island, Newsletters>Gough Island Newsletters, Overwintering Team, SANAP, Stations
The current overwintering team on Gough Island, Gough 67, compiled their second newsletter.
What will you find in this issue:
Click here to view or download this latest issue of The Bunting (Gough Island Newsletter).
Do you want to have a look at some other newsletters from previous teams? Find it all here.
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 10 May 2022
