There are a lot of news items in major media starting to appear about the folly of Professor Chris Turney’s tourism disguised as science expedition. Turney is now backpedaling on the idea that “climate change” caused them to get stuck. Perhaps the laughter has finally reached him. A roundup and video follows.
First, from the NYT:
Stranded Antarctic Ship Story, Like the Ice, Will Not Let Go
By CHRISTINE HAUSER
A team of rescuers from a Chinese icebreaker may need to be rescued themselves, soon after they plucked dozens of people from the Antarctic ice aboard a ship that had been stranded for more than a week.
Chris Turney, a leader of the expedition whose members were evacuated by the Chinese vessel Xue Long’s helicopter on Thursday, shared more photographs of the mission and then an update on Twitter about the unexpected turn of events in the rescue ordeal.
Full story here: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/stranded-antarctic-ship-story-like-the-ice-will-not-let-go/
Here is a video of the rescue operation in progress:
============================================================
From the Guardian, authored by Turney himself, who links to WUWT in the article:
Antarctic expedition: ‘This wasn’t a tourist trip. It was all about science – and it was worth it’
Chris Turney, leader of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, says his critics are wrong: the team was prepared, the risks were known, and much was achieved
The last 24 hours have been sobering. I am sitting in the comfort of a cabin on board the Australian icebreaker the Aurora Australis, one day after evacuating the Australasian Antarctic Expedition from our Russian-crewed vessel, the MV Akademik Shokalskiy. After sleepless nights thinking about keeping everyone safe, it is a relief to know everyone is on board the Aurora and well.
There is relief, but there is also frustration over what appears to be a misrepresentation of the expedition in some news outlets and on the internet. We have been accused of being a tourist trip with little scientific value; of being ill-prepared for the conditions; putting our rescuers at risk; and making light of a dangerous situation. Others have remarked on what they describe as the “irony” of climate researchers stuck in unexpected ice.
…
Let’s be clear. Us becoming locked in ice was not caused by climate change. Instead it seems to have been an aftershock of the arrival of iceberg B09B which triggered a massive reconfiguration of sea ice in the area.
[See story below on the statement -Anthony]
Full story here: http://www.theguardian.com/science/antarctica-live/2014/jan/04/antarctic-expedition-was-worth-it-chris-turney
Note: This bit of justification in the article from Turney (bold) about the cost is laughable, he’s only off by a factor of 5-6. So much for scientific precision.
The aim of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) is to lead a multidisciplinary research programme in one of the most scientifically exciting regions of our planet, straddling the Southern Ocean and East Antarctic. Using the latest in satellite technology, we are beaming images, movies and text in an attempt to excite the public about science and exploration, inspired by one of the most scientifically successful efforts in the Antarctic: the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914, led by British-born Sir Douglas Mawson. Starting out at the unbelievably young age of 28, Mawson managed to raise £39,000 in a year – equivalent to some $20-25m today. With this he kitted out an entire ship to discover what lay south of Australia.
Umm, I don’t know where Turney gets those numbers, but using the calculator provided by the Reserve Bank of Australia here: http://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html
I get:
$4.2 million is sure a long ways from $20-25 million, but I suppose when you are always using other people’s money, being accurate doesn’t matter.
The article with Turney’s calc is saved here as a PDF Turney-spiritofmawson-and it was worth it _ Science _ The Observer -Anthony
==============================================================
Turney Backpedals! Now Says Getting Stuck In Sea Ice NOT Due To Climate Change”!
By P Gosselin on 4. Januar 2014
It appears that now even Professor Chris Turney admits blaming his expedition mishap on global warming was an astronomical stretch after all.
Yesterday I reported here, quoting flagship Swiss daily (NZZ), that his communication director Alvin Stone blamed global warming for the vessel getting trapped in ice. The whole world laughed.
I couldn’t believe it myself so I wrote an e-mail to Stone asking if they really believed this.
Stone answered circa 9 hours later:
Dear Pierre,
That is not quite the quote that I gave.
This is my understanding from talking to Chris and other glaciologists.
- The 120km long ice berg B09B that is grounded in Commonwealth Bay broke away from the continent three years ago, very likely as a result of climate change.
- B09B collided with the Mertz Glacier, smashing a large ice tongue that released the ice into that area.
- It was a mix of this ice that was blown across the path of the Shokalskiy, which led to it being trapped and explains why much of the ice surrounding the ship is old ice.
– See more at: http://notrickszone.com/2014/01/04/turney-backpedals-now-says-getting-stuck-in-sea-ice-not-due-to-climate-change/#sthash.rG7qwsHv.CeXyK3bZ.dpuf
================================================================
Australian taxpayers will pay $400,000 cost for climate scientist’s ship stuck in ice. Total cost “millions”.
The saga just keeps going. The Chinese Icebreaker is now also stuck, and has asked for help so the Aurora Australis with 52 extra passengers rescued from the Russian Charter boat have to stay nearby to help. Twenty two Russian sailors are still trapped on board the Russian boat — the Akademik Sholaskiy. Plus other scientists in Antarctica still don’t have their equipment. Costs for everyone involved are continuing to rise. Though there is a free-for-all on social media…
http://joannenova.com.au/2014/01/australian-taxpayers-will-pay-400000-cost-for-climate-scientists-ship-stuck-in-ice-total-cost-millions/
=================================================================
Antarctic Debacle Probably Biggest Setback For Campaigners Since Climategate
- Date: 03/01/14 Christopher Caldwell, Financial Times
The debacle in the Antarctic ice is probably the largest setback for global warming campaigners since Climategate scandal in 2009.
When a Chinese helicopter rescued 52 passengers from a Russian climate-science cruise ship trapped in ice off Antarctica, it was a skilfully managed end to an ordeal that had begun on Christmas Eve. It was also a debacle for climate change activists. The 233-foot Akademik Shokalskiy, a Russian meteorological ship leased by the Australian tour outfit Aurora Expeditions, had been on a mission called the “Spirit of Mawson”. It aimed to replicate part of a gruelling voyage the explorer Douglas Mawson had made in 1912. The ship carried 22 scientists looking to perform various experiments, led by Chris Turney, a professor of climate change at the University of New South Wales. They were joined by 26 tourists paying for the adventure, along with journalists for The Guardian, BBC and The Sydney Morning Herald.
http://www.thegwpf.org/ft-antarctic-debacle-biggest-setback-campaigners-climategate/
================================================================
This speaks for itself, now the USA is involved:
================================================================
Even NYT’s Andrew Revkin, who has been on such expeditions himself, is calling it a fiasco:
A helpful update on several facets of the #spiritofmawson Antarctic fiasco from @RTCCnewswire: http://t.co/bdsY1Fn92Y
— Andrew Revkin 🌎 ✍🏼 🪕 ☮️ (@Revkin) January 2, 2014
=================================================================
As are the French:
French Polar Chief slams SpiritofMawson fiasco
This really has been a PR debacle of amazing proportions. The ship stuck in ice has captured something larger than I would have expected. Methinks the timing must be apropos.
Good scientists are distancing themselves from the publicity hungry climate lightweights and commentators on both sides of the fence are agreeing in their criticism.
A third effect we are barely starting to see may ripple on for months — that’s when mass-media victims realize that the “Russian Tourist ship” was really a boat load of Australian and New Zealander scientists, paid for mostly by taxpayers and loaded and advised by supposedly “expert” climate scientists. This misinformation was despite the boat having BBC, and Guardian media on board, and Fairfax press in one of the rescue icebreakers. Today I see evidence of the first two effects.
From Skynews. The French chief of polar science calls the Spirit of Mawson trip “pseudo-scientific” and laments the effect it is having on real research.
The head of France’s polar science institute has voiced fury at the misadventures of a Russian ship trapped in Antarctic ice, deriding what he called a tourists’ trip that had diverted resources from real science.
More here: http://joannenova.com.au/2014/01/french-polar-chief-slams-spiritofmawson-fiasco/
==============================================================
This animation is hilarious:
ACM on Chris Turney and the Akademik Shokalskiy fiasco
By Simon on 4 January, 2014
ACM on Chris Turney and the Akademik Shokalskiy fiasco
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
worth noting that on Turney’s own webpage he describes himself as a “Professor of Climate Change”!
Also very interesting from the ABC site:
What are the Chinese looking for down there? They can’t be too happy that one of their ships is out of action disrupting their obviously very busy program in the Antarctic…
If this wasn’t so pathetic and egregious in terms of innocent lives put in peril to save Turney and his ” expedition” from his own folly it would be laughable. Seems a good technical legal team could illustrate that through ignoring select data and/or neglect, that advance knowledge of the risks of freezing sea ice conditions existed, prior to embarkation, and choices were made by scientists(?)to promulgate an expedition plan that was hap hazard and inordinately filled with risks for which the proper and full scope requirements (equipment and planning) were not implemented. Perhaps the over inflating of the cost of Mawson’s trip stating it at 25M in today’s currency (and reduced scoping) made the ask of 1.5M for Turney’s proposal seem not only paletible but a veritable bargain to his handlers, and vis-a-vis competing interests. A classic game that is pervasive in the least cost bid game, caveat emptor. All speculation and opinion of course, but so too is the subjective nature of the topic of AGW, when considering hedonistic data adjustments, correction factors, and the manufacture of exogenous events used to disqualify data sets that do not support your intended message. I pray that the brave sailors on the Xyue Long and Shokalskiy are made safe. As stated in previous posts, the Sholaskiy will likely be locked in ice for millennia.
Akademik Shokalskiy crew includes females
Voice of Russia article yesterday mentions:
The Russian and Chinese media have a lot more detailed coverage of their respective vessels, than we see in the Western press.
“davidmhoffer says:
January 4, 2014 at 3:15 pm”
Turney’s primary audience is the Australian “scientific” community (Flannery, UNSW etc etc), politicians, the propaganda machine (ABC/SBS/ALP/Green/BoM/CSIRO etc) and most of the public. They have all been brainwashed into believing CO2 is “carbon pollution”. Most people don’t know the difference between an element and a compound. Most people know carbon (Coal) is black and dirty so the constant use of the word carbon by alarmists fits well with the AGW narrative, “All that carbon in the air”. As is said here in Aus by anti-democracy supporters, you can’t have a coalition (Govn’t) without coal. What they forget is the last Govn’t was also a coalition (ALP/Green/Independent).
He really doesn’t explain why it was “pseudoscientific”.
They had a dendrochronologist aboard. I would presume to study ice rings.
“Useful Idiot says:
January 4, 2014 at 7:48 pm”
Resources, that’s what they are looking for. And not only in Antarctica. The Chinese are conducting serious exploration in Africa, and to my knowledge extends well beyond east and the horn of Africa. Last time I was there (Ethiopia) the hotel I stayed in was full of geologists, oil/gas engineers and the like. The geologist I got talking to hinted that most hotels at that time were full of such like fellows, working for the Chinese.
Dr. Turney explains it all in the first sentence:
“The last 24 hours have been very sobering”.
Explaining clearly the prior state of mind.
Stevo, what is the likelihood both ice bound ships will being damaged by the pressures of the ice that is trapping them. Just as well they are made from iron than wood? Now the Americans are on their way, there is nothing more that can be done for the rescued passengers. Turney is responsible and thanks for the ABC pre trip coverage this scientific voyage was always walking on thin ice? LOL.
…if we are seeing the start of the next overdue glacial period, then Canada, the USA, Scandinavia, Northern Europe, Russia & Siberia will succumb to glaciation once again. Where will billions of people live & what will they live on? Soylent Green?
I propose covering as much of the ice and snow as possible with carbon black. Oh. The irony.
“Duvidl says:
January 4, 2014 at 7:36 pm”
He’s the head of the Climate Change Research Centre (CCRC) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) here in Sydney. But, also noted here and in other threads, he is the director of a company called “Carbonscape”, registered in New Zealand. Tim Flannery (Former head of the now disbanded Climate Commission) is a shareholder. Given the number of media types on board it clearly was a media stunt under the veil of the lable “science expedition”.
Political Junkie says:
January 4, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Why these dedicated “scientists” deserted the ship is a real puzzler.
One would have thought that they would have jumped at the opportunity to hang around to extend their scientific expedition to gather more vital data about global warming.
Unless, of course, running out of booze made further research unbearable.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No, what made further research unbearable was that all the data they were collecting was going counter to their “precioussssss” theory. 🙂
24 INTERVIEWS LISTED, GOING BACK TO 2006, BUT ONLY ONE IS NOT LINKED.
Interviews, Chris Turney
Carbon Tax and You video, Sydney Morning Herald iPad edition (10 July 2011)
http://www.christurney.com/interviews.html
I’d say the truth of Mawson is hidden within what is written: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mawson.
A well-heeled English-Bob to be emmigrated with wealthy father industrialists to Australia before 1900.
In 1912, with the run-up to world war I in full sing Mawson turns to academia and well-heeled financial interests for help to avoid military service as did many others in the “Heroic Age Of Antarctic Exploration” [cough cough].
Finding himself in the midst of Antarctica “with-out-a-paddle” he kills and eats the “Scientific Expedition” dogs and his companions to survive.
Finally, “rescued” well into 1914 and beyond the beginning of World War I Mawson can return to Australia and his family riches and rest assured he will not serve in the British campaigns against the German Hund.
http://users.humboldt.edu/ogayle/hist111/WWICaricatureMaps.html
“The ‘Spirit’ Of Mawson” now that IS a smelly one for sure!
Eliza says:
January 4, 2014 at 4:46 pm
From what I see at BBC, CNN etc this is not even a story. We are given the impression here that this is big… its not even on the MSM radar as usual.. Unfortunately AGW as usual again wins.
Our local paper ran an AP version of the story in which there was no mention of “scientists” or global warming.
SIG INT ex – if Mawson was a draft-dodger, he sure chose a strange way to do it.
Go away. Your comments (no doubt the product of some Marxist historian like the one on the trip under discussion) are worth less than yellow snow.
Useful Idiot –
this was part two –
26 Nov: ABC Lateline: Team selection a life and death decision
MARGOT O’NEILL: Perhaps most scarily, there will also be members of the public onboard. Thirty public berths were sold over two legs to help fund the expedition.
CHRIS TURNEY: There are berths for sale, so if people are interested and would like to come south with us there’s flyers outside. You would be most welcome.
MARGOT O’NEILL: But it’s not exactly a luxury cruise and one of Australia’s Mount Everest heroes and an Antarctic veteran, Greg Mortimer, was brought on to find the right kind of people…
CHRIS TURNEY: It’s that sort of extreme environment. The smallest mistakes can cascade into a disaster.
MARGOT O’NEILL: He claims there was a remarkable cover-up of one such mistake and that it cost Robert Scott his life…
MARGOT O’NEILL: The problem, says Professor Turney, is that weeks earlier another member from Scott’s team had raided supplies and eaten more than his share, leaving Scott short one day’s provisions.
CHRIS TURNEY: What’s been repressed is that actually some of the other members of the party took more than their fair share…
MARGOT O’NEILL: Professor Turney’s expedition is unlikely to face such desperate hardship.
CHRIS TURNEY: This is arguably the most important piece of equipment on the whole expedition. Forget the science, I’ll have a revolt, especially amongst the Kiwis. This is a portable espresso making machine.
MARGOT O’NEILL: Chris Turney’s wife Annette and two children Kara and Robert are also going with him to help blog, Tweet and broadcast about the experience for schools around the world…
And if you want to follow Chris Turney’s adventures he will be blogging about the expedition on the ABC’s science website.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3899674.htm
Speaking of the Chinese. The warn about eating the bao jin hsueh.
. If the ice depth grows any deeper I suspect both will be locked up in ice and unrecoverable.its a shame, all on the backs of an AGW fools errand.
worth less than yellow snow.
Well I did it in Chinese. http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/01/04/the-clitanic-hot-sheet-news-from-the-spiritofmawson-fiasco/#comment-1525002 So there! Heh.
Thanks for the vid link pat. Turney seems like a likeable fellow but entirely un-serious. Missed his calling – he would have made a good game show host.
The Chinese are planning to get out on their own. Here’s the English editions.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/202936/8503559.html
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2014-01/04/content_17215855.htm
Johanna
Learn some history before you try to silence someone’s contribution. Mawson married GD Delprat’s daughter just on the outbreak of WWI in 1914. It was a fortutious marraige in terms of our heroe’s military career. Very well connected Mawson got an appointment as a Major in the Ministry of Munitions, No doubt he fought a tough war in the ledgers of the Ministry.Delprat was busy not only paying for our hero’s marraige but had commenced the construction of the BHP Newcastle steelworks in hasty preparation for the slaughter in Europe. Mawson is very much a model for Turney not as an explorer but as an entrepeneur/scientist – Turney has considerable shareholding in Carbonscape, with his family members and that other global warming booster Tim Flannery. O and his partner in Carbonscape, Tim Langley is a Kiwi tour boat skipper that takes a 73 year old vessel called Faith down to the Marlborough Sounds. The corruption of science starts where it meets an equity price. Must check the share price of Carbonscape on Monday morning.
RACookPE1978,
Just to let you know you’ve described a snowball Earth at 4:22 pm
“from the south pole up to latitude 60 north”
SIG INT Ex says January 4, 2014 at 8:30 pm;
Actually, Mawson received his Bachelor of Engineering in 1902. He began his career in Exploration, and published formally, in 1903. Within a short time he was well-established and a clear up-and-comer in the field.
He joined Ernest Shackleton in 1907. He turned down an invitation from Robert Falcon Scott in 1910. He had become a ranking figure in Heroic Exploration, and an esteemed scientist, many years before WWI loomed on the horizon.
… As they say, SIG INT Ex’ story “doesn’t even come up to wrong”.