For the latest, see this new story. and this opinion piece on why this is a fiasco
UPDATE: Turns out this “research” vessel was mostly a taxpayer funded junket for getting video stories to BBC in the UK and ABC in Australia, see update2 below.
It is summer in the southern hemisphere and yet there is still signifiicantly above normal amounts of sea ice present as the passengers and crew of one tour ship discovered. The icebreakers Xue Long and Aurora Australis, and a French research vessel Astrolabe are cruising towards the Akademik Shokalskiy at full throttle for rescue. Photos and maps follow.
PR from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Dec 25th, 2013:
Search and rescue of passenger vessel trapped in ice underway
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is coordinating a search and rescue for a Russian passenger ship beset by ice approximately 1500 nautical miles south of Hobart.
AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre Australia (RCC Australia) was contacted by the Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in the United Kingdom on Christmas morning.
The Falmouth MRCC received a distress message via satellite from a Russian flagged vessel, MV Akademik Shokalskiy, with 74 people about 7.20am (AEDT).
The ship is in the Australian Search and Rescue region, 100 nautical miles east of the French base Dumont D’Urville.
RCC Australia assumed coordination of the incident and issued a broadcast to icebreaking vessels in the area.
Three ships with icebreaking capability have responded, including the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) vessel Aurora Australis, and are now en route to the area.
The closest vessels are at least two days sailing time away.
Further updates will be provided when more information is available.
###
Source: http://www.amsa.gov.au/media/documents/25122013AkademikShokalskiyUpdate1_Media_Release.pdf
===============================================================
This is apparently an image tweeted by somebody on-board the Akademik Shokalskiy, showing the ice around it:
AMSA is now coordinating the response to a ship beset by ice about 1500nm south of Hobart. http://t.co/P4zO9RUMth http://t.co/S5ST1wgwbN
— AMSA News (@AMSA_News) December 25, 2013
UPDATE:
The expedition is being led by Chris Turney, “climate scientist”, who has “set up a carbon refining company called Carbonscape which has developed technology to fix carbon from the atmosphere and make a host of green bi-products, helping reduce greenhouse gas levels.” The purpose of the expedition is “to discover and communicate the environmental changes taking place in the south.”
http://www.christurney.com/ (h/t to Sagebrush Gardener)
It seems they found out what the “environmental changes taking place in the south.” are.
From the WUWT sea ice page, Antarctic Sea Ice is more than 2 standard deviations above normal:
![S_timeseries[1]](http://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/s_timeseries1.png?quality=75)
According to this sitrep report for one of the rescue vessels, the Aurora Australis the Akademik Shokalskiy is trapped in sea ice in the Commonwealth Bay region of Antarctica.
This is what the current sea ice coverage looks like at the south pole with the approximate ship location marked:
Image source: National Snow and Ice Data Center via the WUWT sea ice page.
Wikipedia says about the ship:
MV Akademik Shokalskiy (Russian: Академик Шокальский) is an Akademik Shuleykin-class ice-strengthened ship, built in Finland in 1982 and originally used for oceanographic research.[5] In 1998 it was fully refurbished to serve as a research ship for Arctic and Antarctic work.[3] It was named after the Russian oceanographer Yuly Shokalsky.[6] The ship has two [7] passenger decks, with dining rooms, a bar, a library, and a sauna, and accommodates 54 passengers.[3] It is currently operated by Aurora Expeditions, an Australian expedition cruise line.[3][8] In 2011, the Akademik Shokalskiy sailed cruises along the coast of Russia[9] and to East Antarctica.[10] Her sister ships are Akademik Shuleykin, Arnold Veymer, Akademik Gamburtsev, Professor Molchanov, Professor Multanovskiy, Geolog Dmitriy Nalivkin, Professor Polshkov, Professor Khromov.
UPDATE2:
WUWT reader “pat” writes at 2013/12/26 at 1:59 pm
seems this expedition was more a BBC/Guardian/ABC CAGW exercise!
18 Dec: Guardian: The Guardian lays claim to Antarctica – in pictures Journalists Alok Jha and Laurence Topham have landed in Antarctica with the 2013 Australasian Antarctic Expedition Documentary filmmaker Laurence Topham lines up a shot from the bows. Photograph: Alok Jha/Guardian…
http://www.theguardian.com/science/antarctica-live/gallery/2013/dec/18/guardian-antarctica-pictures
Guardian: Laurence Topham, documentary filmmaker
In 2007 he worked for Current TV, where he edited over 50 short-form documentaries for terrestrial broadcast…
http://www.theguardian.com/open-weekend/laurence-topham
Guardian: Science: Antarctica live (MASSIVE COVERAGE, NO HINT ABOUT THE SHIP’S CURRENT PREDICAMENT!)
http://www.theguardian.com/science/antarctica-live
26 Dec: BBC: Andrew Luck-Baker: Science continues for trapped Australasian Antarctic expedition Science reporter Andrew Luck-Baker is on board the Russian research vessel Shokalskiy, covering the Australasian Antarctic Expedition 2013 for the BBC World Service programme Discovery…
Tantalisingly, a low band of grey sky to the Northeast suggests clear water lies not so many kilometres away. The grey colour is light reflected from open water. The early Antarctic explorers named this colour phenomenon “water sky” and used it to navigate their route through the treacherous pack ice…
In addition to the Russian crew of 22, the expedition team consists of 18 professional scientists from Australia and New Zealand, and 22 volunteer science assistants. They are members of the public, ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s. They paid to join the scientific adventure…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25519059
25 Nov: ABC Lateline: $1.5 million Australian expedition to Antarctica Professor Chris Turney from the University of NSW is mounting the largest Australian science expeditions to the Antarctic with an 85-person team to try to answer questions about how climate change in the frozen continent might be already shifting weather patterns in Australia.
ABC’s MARGOT O’NEILL: The research stakes are high. Antarctica is one of the great engines driving the world’s oceans, winds and weather, especially in Australia. But there’s ominous signs of climate change.
CHRIS TURNEY: The Southern Hemisphere westerly winds encircle Antarctica, and over the last 20 or 30 years or so, they’ve been pushing further south. Now – so actually in a way it’s almost like Antarctica’s withdrawing itself from the rest of the world…
EMMA ALBERICI: And tomorrow night, in the second part of this special report, could the British Antarctic explorer Robert Scott have lived? We look at how Professor Turney discovered that choosing the right team can be a matter of life and death.
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Taphonomic says at December 26, 2013 at 11:12 am
…”And the truly unprecedented thing is that the Guardian does not link it to global warming. Is Dana asleep on the job?”
Tetratech won’t pay Dana to work the holidays. That would be double-time.
SasjaL says:
December 26, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Alan Robertson says: December 26, 2013 at 2:04 pm
It’s ok. You’re not the first and probably not the last one … It’s not easy with unisex names. (Maria, Bo, Kim, Pat and others …)
_____________________
Another stunt gone wrong.. I find it hard to wish them well when its going to take a disaster to shake these people back to reality.. Put the politics before the science.. Put the politics before your safety.. Put the politics on your grave stone, if they find your body..
no, u.k. irony is the opposite of wrinkly
I am a mere coxswain and I would not sail a vessel that is not built for the conditions into a dangerous situation like this, I think the captain has some questions to answer when he gets back .
it is the captain responsibility to know the condition and not to put peoples lives at purposely at risk.
Jimbo says:
December 26, 2013 at 2:33 pm
============
In furtherance to your comment.
How much data did the “Teenager sets record for fastest trek from Antarctic coast to south pole”
miss, or even look for during the stunt ?
Quote:
“The first was to undertake scientific research and collect data samples. And the second was to reignite the dialogue on climate change by creating a story that people can engage with and be a part of.”…………..
—
Was it a race, or a research expedition, or a PR stunt ?
I’m thinking that research took a back-seat.
His attempt to “create a story”, had nothing to do with science, it was a weak political statement that 98% of the world’s population couldn’t afford the transportation fees to attempt.
…………….Rant/
The Chinese ship Xue Long, the closest and largest of nearby ships, hopefully will free the Akademik Shokalskiy. The second largest, Aurora Australis, having already spent a large chunk of time stuck in ice this season, may be reluctant to repeat that experience. Doubt the Astrolabe could help much, as it is smaller than the Shokalskiy.
What happens if they all get stuck?
Alan Robertson..
Fascinating connection you make with the building of extra capacity in the Panama Canal.
Thank you.
Andy
“Carbonscape which has developed technology to fix carbon from the atmosphere and make a host of green bi-products”
They invented trees??
But we were warned that Climate Change would cause more ice, weren’t we?
I’m pretty sure they said something about ice somewhere.
jones says:
December 26, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Alan Robertson..
Fascinating connection you make with the building of extra capacity in the Panama Canal.
Thank you.
Andy
_____________________
Apparently pleased you and aggravated Sasja with poor attempt at humor; all the product of a grasshopper mind, jumping around all over the place.
This is a disclaimer. I know nothing.
I revved my engine an extra five seconds this morning to produce the extra few milligrams of global warming CO2 that will help free this ship. I’m doing my bit – are you?
“[A] carbon refining company called Carbonscape which has developed technology to fix carbon from the atmosphere and make a host of green bi-products,”
Possible translation: Carbonscape grows vegetables?
Unanswered questions: Is a bi-product different from a by-product? Does a bi-product involve members of the LGBT community?
“Turns out this “research” vessel was mostly a taxpayer funded junket for getting video stories to BBC in the UK and ABC in Australia, see update2 below.”
Yep, that’s the desctiption of a CAGW research vessel all right.
🙂
What a laughing stock they are. It is sometimes difficult to comprehend how some people can be so stupid and naïve. “Measuring” this, that and the other – what a load of horse dung. And the Guardian, BBC and ABC all following this with furrowed brows – its hilarious!
No surprise, in several years of Arctic cruise ship operations the former icebreaker
Kapitan Khlebnikov rescued several other cruise ships trying to transit the NW Passage.
I presume the stranded ship will be charged for the icebreaker efforts. Canada is reviewing its schedule of charges: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/national/Coast+Guard+reviewing+navigation+icebreaking+fees+services/9319137/story.html.
I’ll be interested in the investigation – much data on ice should be available today, especially if the sky is clear (satellite sensors).
Keith Sketchley says:
December 26, 2013 at 4:29 pm
This is in Antarctica not the arctic Keith all though if we can get money for the rescue here in Canada let’s go plant a flag . ;>)
Leon0112 says:
December 26, 2013 at 9:32 am
The captain believed the models, not the conditions in front of him. The models say the ice has melted.
—————————
That’s classic ! Great zinger…
It might look like there’s more ice but today’s ice is not as cold as ice used to be and therefor contains more heat. It is a well known fact that the missing the heat (from the apparent slowdown in global warming) is hiding in the ice. This effect will be demonstrated (with hindcasting) in a future model which will provide unequivocal proof in time for AR6.
Jaffa@ur momisugly 5:30pm You forgot your SARC tag I hope !
Extensive sea ice might hurt penguin population.
The ice is being dumped there from the Arctic to make their Global Warming case, they have been moving by refrigerated ice breakers, unfortunately they have got stuck in it.
Don V. says: @ur momisugly December 26, 2013 at 3:27 pm
The Chinese ship Xue Long, the closest and largest of nearby ships, hopefully will free the Akademik Shokalskiy. The second largest, Aurora Australis, having already spent a large chunk of time stuck in ice this season, may be reluctant to repeat that experience. Doubt the Astrolabe could help much, as it is smaller than the Shokalskiy.
What happens if they all get stuck?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We wait for the Antarctic to thaw out during the next interglacial.
elmer says:
December 26, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Extensive sea ice might hurt penguin population.
___________________
Yes and it’s catastrophic and all your fault, so don’t deny it.
elmer says:
December 26, 2013 at 6:02 pm
================
An amazing video.
They have the open water in the background being patrolled by orcas, and pensive penquins that might normally flee into the ocean upon approach.
Talk about a captive background shot, for the film makers antics.
Since the Arctic and Antarctic are warming according to “established science” the only explanation can be that the ship is stuck in “Ice-nine” so the rest of us better beware! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice-nine)
And tomorrow night, in the second part of this special report, could the British Antarctic explorer Robert Scott have lived?
==================
of course, if he had used dog teams instead of ponies. Amundsen used dogs, and on the way back the dogs were food for the men and remaining dogs. This reduced the food that needed to be carried on the way out, and reduced the food consumed on the return trip.
In contrast Scott’s ponies required tons of hay, which exhausted both the men and ponies dragging the hay to the south pole on sleds, leaving them no reserves on the way back. quite literally the energy to weight supplied by hay was too small for the distance and temperatures.
meat, being a more concentrated energy source than hay was the reason for Amundsen’s success, along with the strategy to consume the dogs to reduce the weight of supplies required for the trip.
In many ways a similar strategy was used on the Apollo lunar missions. Rather than build a space ship to make the trip their and back, with the enormous fuel requirements, each part of the ship was sacrificed along the way to minimize the fuel load required for the return trip.