The 78th Marion Island overwintering team has gone through some ups and downs. After two weeks of isolation and multiple Covid-19 tests, the team left Cape Town on 9 April at 19:34 onboard the SA Agulhas II with Captain Gavin Syndercombe. The team arrived at Marion Island on 13 April 2021. The Marion 78 team leader is Bubele Nongwejana (see below). He is also the Medical Orderly, taking over from Winnie Moodaley – current team leader and Medical Orderly of Marion 77.
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- Bubele Nongwejana (Leader and Medical Orderly)
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- Charles Thomas (Base Engineer)
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- Rodney Phoko Matjoman (Diesel Mechanic)
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- Sizwe Khoza (Communications Engineer)
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- Siyasanga Mpehle (Senior Meteorological Technician)
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- Fanisa Phakula (Meteorological Technician)
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- Tlhoholofatso (Steve) Tebele (Meteorological Technician)
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- DJ Van Wyk (SANSA Engineer)
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- Sanele Mkhonza (Environmental Control Officer)
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- Sydney Tshilingalinga (Assistant Environmental Control Officer)
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- Eleanor Weideman (Field Assistant – Seabird Conservation)
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- Nivek Ghazi (UKZN Engineer)
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- Danielle Conry (Field Assistant – Killer Whales)
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- Zenande Kabase (Field Assistant โ Geomorphology)
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- Isabel Micklem (Field Assistant- Seabirds)
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- Thando Cebekhulu (Field Assistant – Seabirds)
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- Yinhla Shihlomule (Field Assistant – Sealer)
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- Frikkie van der Vyver (Field Assistant – Sealer)
Three members of the 77th Marion overwintering team will be staying behind, forming part of Marion 78 (see last row above): Thando Cebekhulu, Yinhla Shihlomule and Frikkie van der Vyver. These members only joined Marion 77 in September 2020, due to Covid-19 restrictions (see post of Marion Island Marine Mammal Programme below).
Chief Scientist of this take-over is Prof Werner Nel (University of Fort Hare).
Anchรฉ Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 14 April 2021
