S.A. Agulhas II Voyage Schedule
Interested in the South African Research and Supply Vessel, the S.A. Agulhas II 2019 Voyage Schedule?
Click here.
ETA of the S.A. Agulhas II – 15 March 2019
The S.A. Agulhas II is currently on her way home, after being in the Antarctica waters for 3 months. Onboard is the returning 57th SANAE (South African National Antarctic Expedition) overwintering team, 2018/2019 SANAE take-over personnel, Weddell Sea Expedition members and ship based scientists of different South African universities.
Expected time of arrival (ETA): 15 March 2019, around 08:30
MORE DETAIL:
The S.A. Agulhas II will arrive in Cape Town at 2am, tomorrow morning.
The vessel will then proceed to Landing Wall 1 for inward clearance and shifting in to east pier around 08:30.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 14 March 2019
Antarctica Day – 01 December 2018
– Commemorating the agreement of the Antarctic Treaty –
On the 1st of December 1959, 12 Nations (including South Africa, the only African signatory) signed the Antarctic Treaty agreeing to 14 commands, including that Antarctica will be used for peaceful purposes only. Today, Antarctica is seen as “a natural reserve, devoted to peace and SCIENCE”.
South Africa has been part of scientific exploration in the Antarctic since 1960, the year of the first South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE). Scientist travel annually with South Africa’s research vessel, the S.A. Agulhas II, to the Antarctic. Once the vessel has reached the ice shelf, cargo and passengers are swung over with the ship’s crane. The helicopters onboard also assist in this regard. Passengers then travel about 200km to SANAE IV, which is situated in Dronning Maud Land (71°S, 2°W) where an overwintering team consisting of 10 people are housed.
South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) – this is the name of the South African government’s programme for research in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.
You might be wondering how we will be celebrating Antarctica Day/Month – keep an eye on Antarctic Legacy of South Africa’s Facebook Page or Instagram as from Monday (3 December 2018).
The Antarctic Treaty document can be downloaded here.
Also check out this book: Celebrating Antarctica; A Treaty Protecting a Continent. Authors: Julie Hambrook Berkman & Allen Pope
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 01 December 2018.
58th SANAE team departing next week
The 58th South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) team is almost done with 3 weeks of training. As from tomorrow this team will be prepared for their 14 month expedition to South Africa’s Antarctic base, SANAE IV.
They will depart today in a week’s time, 06 December 2018, and return around middle February 2020.
Watch this video to learn more about Antarctica, South Africa’s involvement in the Antarctic Continent and South Africa’s research vessel (S.A. Agulhas II) built by STX Finland.
Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 29 November 2018.
Call Announcement – Belmont Forum
The Belmont Forum, in collaboration with Future Earth and JPI Oceans, is launching a call for proposals on “Transdisciplinary Research for Ocean Sustainability”. The call is aiming at bringing together researchers and other expertise across the globe to innovate solutions to accelerate sustainable use of oceans and minimize the effects from global change (www.bfgo.org).
Call Timeline:
- Call Opens: 29 October 2018
- Pre-Registration Open: 12 November 2018
- Pre-Registration Closes: 31 January 2019 23:59 UTC
- Full Proposals Open: April 2019
- Full Proposals Close: August 2019
Click here for more information.
Celebrating SA’s Polar Heritage
As South Africans we celebrate our Heritage during the month of September. Also, during the second last week of September all over the globe researchers celebrate ‘International Polar Week’. In 2017 Antarctic Legacy of South Africa came up with a slogan to combine the two celebrations: “Celebrating South Africa’s Polar Heritage’.
This slogan is to remind all South Africans of our involvement in the Antarctic region since 1947/1948, when South Africa Annexed the sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands. In 1955 the first South African (Hannes la Grange) set foot on the Antarctic Continent and the foundation was laid for all future South African Antarctic expeditions. On 3 December 1959 South Africa’s first Antarctic overwintering team (South African National Antarctic Expedition – SANAE1) departed from Cape Town Harbour on the Polarbjørn.
| Organiser | Event | Location | Date | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APECS-SA | Talk: CHEMTAX determination of southern ocean phytoplankton distribution and adaptation. | Stellenbosch University, Geology Building, de Kock Venue (room 1004), 13:00 - 13:50 | 17 September | Click here |
| APECS-SA | Series of talks that involves the sub-Antarctic Marion Island and Antarctica. | University of Pretoria, Geography building, (Hatfield campus), 12:30-13:20 | 17 - 21 September | Click here |
| APECS-SA | Talk: Life on Marion Island and Stellenbosch's legacy in Antarctic research. | Stellenbosch University, Department of Botany and Zoology, Room 206 (The Broom), 13:00 - 14:00 | 21 September | Click here |
| Iziko Museums of South Africa (ALSA supplied material) | Antarctic related activities in the Marion Island Exhibition area (ground floor). | Iziko Museum - Cape Town | 24 September | Click here |
Why is ‘Polar Week’ celebrated in September (and also in March)?
“The equinoxes in September and March are the only time when everywhere on earth the day length is 12 hours, a perfect opportunity to celebrate the poles on a global scale!” (APECS – Association of Polar Early Career Scientists).
Click here to see where Antarctic Legacy of South Africa was in involved in 2017.
Author: Anche Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 14 September 2018
