Well that’s the end of that story…until investigations begin.
Press release: 12:30pm AEDT, Wednesday 8 January 2014
Antarctic rescue operations complete
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority can confirm that the Akademik Shokalskiy and the Xue Long have broken free from the ice in Antarctica and are no longer in need of assistance.
The United States Coast Guard ice breaker Polar Star has been released from search and rescue tasking by AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Australia) and will now continue on its original mission to McMurdo Sound.
At about 730pm AEDT on Tuesday RCC Australia received a message from the Captain of the Akademik Shokalskiy stating that about three hours earlier cracks had started to open in the ice around the trapped vessel.
A short time later the Akademik Shokalskiy began to make slow movements in an attempt to break free from surrounding ice. The Captain reported that at approximately 8pm AEDT they had managed to successfully clear the area containing the heaviest ice and had begun making slow progress north through lighter ice conditions. At approximately 830am AEDT the Akademik Shokalskiy informed RCC Australia that it had cleared the ice field and was no longer in need of assistance. The Captain of the Akademik Shokalskiy passed on his thanks to all those who assisted the vessel and informed the RCC that they will now proceed to Bluff in New Zealand.
Shortly after midnight RCC Australia was advised by the Captain of the Xue Long that, at about 9pm AEDT, it too had managed to break free of the heavy ice and is now making slow progress through lighter ice conditions. The Xue Long advised RCC Australia this morning that it is not in need of assistance and will continue its research mission in Antarctica.
AMSA again offers our thanks to all of the participants in the effort to assure a safe resolution to the situations that emerged following a distress incident experienced by MV Akademik Shokalskiy in Commonwealth Bay on Christmas Day.
In total five ships were involved in the multi-lateral cooperative effort – Akademik Shokalskiy (Russia), L’Astrolabe (France), Xue Long (China), Aurora Australis (Australia) and USCGC Polar Star (United States of America). The national Antarctic programs and other agencies of France, China, Australia, Germany and the United States of America have been engaged in actual operational responses, contingency planning or the provision of specialist data.
“This was a great example of the multi-lateral cooperative nature of Antarctic operations” said AMSA Acting CEO Mick Kinley.
Media Enquiries: 1300 624 633
Source: http://www.amsa.gov.au/media
==============================================================
James (Aus.)
“What is Martin, an astrologer?”
No.
“Professor Martin graduated from the University of Leeds in 1987 and following early clinical posts was appointed to the staff of the University’s Department of Surgery, where he remained until moving to New Zealand in 2000. He was appointed Professor of Surgery at the University of Auckland and served in a various roles in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, including Head of Surgery and Head of School, before being appointed Dean in 2005. He took up his position as DVC (Strategic Engagement) in September 2011.
Professor Martin’s clinical and research interests focused on gastrointestinal disease, in particular cancer. At the University of Leeds he was very involved with the introduction of laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery in the early 1990s. Professor Martin has also been heavily involved with medical education, the Australian Medical Council and Medical Deans Australia & New Zealand.”
Not exactly the qualifications that one would expect for a enable man to defend the indefensible with any conviction.
jorgekafkazar says:
January 7, 2014 at 8:41 pm
—————————————-
Masterful rebuttable.
Yeah, it will be interesting to see the “pack” of scientific articles that come out of this successful reasearch expedition. Measuring the angles of the pieces of pack ice doesn’t count. Afterthought dropping off of a few desperate biologists on some tiny islands to scrape some lichens and seabird poop off doesn’t really count either. I know Nature will welcome whatever papers these guys think up.
jorgekafkazar says: @ur momisugly January 7, 2014 at 8:41 pm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Anthony this rebuttal deserves a page of it’s own for future reference.
I’m sure we will see the “official scientific” report from this junket in about 2 years. By then most of the consensus media will have pushed this failed voyage down the memory hole, and the report will receive scant coverage. (Not that there will be anything of any value in the report, other than a plea for continued funding.)
Just curious – there is a woman taking a leading role in the raucous Shokalskiy New Year’s Party youtube video. Could she be climate scientist and IPCC Lead Author Penny Whetton, by chance?
DanJ:
In the attempted PR damage limitation in your post at January 8, 2014 at 2:40 am you write
So according to you the Akademik Shokalskiy stayed in the ice merely as a convenience because it was probably “Better to stay and repair in the relative calm of the pack ice than going out onto stormy seas with a leak in the hull.”
OoooKaaay. Perhaps you could explain why the Akademik Shokalskiy made a distress call which required other ships to abandon what they were doing – with resulting severe disruption of Antarctic research work – so they could respond to the declared emergency.
Clarification of this matter would be welcomed by those of us who remain to be convinced of your excuses for the fiasco.
Richard
richardscourtney says:
January 8, 2014 at 7:12 am
DanJ:
Richard, we might also add that being stuck in pack ice for any ship has a high risk of being lost. No one would choose such a convenience for repairs.
Janice Moore says about jorgekafkazar’s crushing critique @8:41pm yesterday:
“Great point-by-point smack down of Poor Auld Iain (at 8:41pm today). ☺”
Yes, a perfect rebuttal. Only someone completely ignorant of the completely failed expedition could accept the MSM’s spin on it.
The itinerary of the cruise operator is interesting:
• To repeat the original scientific experiments conducted by Mawson’s AAE 100 years ago
• To spread the word of the value of scientific endeavor to as wide an audience as possible
• To complete the program in a safe and environmentally responsible manner
FAIL…
Mike Kelly says:
January 8, 2014 at 2:33 am
“Looks like Aurora Australis is having problems getting into Casey Station:”
There may well be further problems on this. I think that the weather is now preventing the re-supply operation from starting. They appear to be cruising back and forth just offshore, probably until the weather subsides enough to allow the off shipment to start.
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:109.7337/centery:-66.21252/zoom:8/mmsi:503043000
DanJ says:
January 8, 2014 at 2:40 am
“… as the ship is said to have had hull damage 1,8 m above the waterline. If correct this is probably the reason the captain allowed the ship to get stuck.”
Are you asserting that the starboard hull damage 1.8 meters above waterline happened before the hull was firmly gripped by the ice causing the ship listing to starboard?
How do you think it happened? What forces caused the shell plating to rapture? Did the ship hit an iceberg prior to getting stuck? Please advise.
For what it is worth the Voice-of-Russia said
Which may help with determining where the ships were.
Gary Pearse and Colorado Wellington:
Thankyou for your excellent additions to the point I made in response to one of the silly excuses provided by DanJ.
That anybody could make such a daft suggestion as DanJ made demonstrates the desperation which the fiasco has given warmunists.
Richard
Latest update from the ship. Looks like their approach to weather futures is a bit more professional than some of their (now) passengers!
https://secure3.aad.gov.au/proms/public/schedules/display_sitrep.cfm?bvs_ID=19323
“We arrived in Newcombe Bay at Casey last night at 11.30pm and by a couple of minutes after midnight we had our first barge run of the shift. The transfer of 6 passengers ashore to stay for the duration of the resupply in the hope of completing the shore based components of their projects. The Navy vessel ‘Wyatt Earp’ was discharged and the hydrographers were able to conduct five and a half hours of work before the weather stopped their progress. The barge transferred five loads of cargo ashore and backloaded four loads of RTA ‘return to Australia’ cargo to the ship before operations were called to an end due to the approaching windy conditions. Thanks to the Bureau of Meteorology forecasters who do a fantastic job of monitoring the weather conditions for us, particularly the winds. Their ability to do this so accurately enables us to maximise our cargo movement opportunities with the knowledge that we will be advised when to shut down operations with sufficient time to retrieve the ‘Wyatt Earp’ and barge safely. Once snow flurries begin on the bank at Casey it is time to pack up and in the case of the ship move out of the harbour. These flurries indicate that wind is coming and it will not be long before you are at it’s mercy. We are now bobbing around in the swell outside of the harbour waiting for the winds to abate.”
Professor Iain Martin, Acting Vice-Chancellor, University of NSW is talking very amusing drivel, but it’s to be expected; he should have been honest and said “…shame on the Australian because their story could be detrimental to UNSW’s case once Dr Tony Fleming et al make a legal effort to recoup costs.”
No matter how rich the gravy train is, I doubt that one Christopher Turney can afford to pay the Australian Antarctic Division back on his own, so the buck should stop with his current employers at UNSW.
Which would mean it’s only New South Welsh tax-payers who have to foot the bill.
Mr. Turkey is telling fairy tales again Anthony.
According to the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping the Akademik Shokalskiy is under:
They even have 2 other which they have described as:
Furthermore there were 26 paying tourists & 22 scientists on board.
RichardLH says:
January 8, 2014 at 8:31 am
Latest update from the ship…. We are now bobbing around in the swell outside of the harbour waiting for the winds to abate.”
>>>>>>>>>>
I wonder if the peanut banana milkshake man is getting seasick
Gail Combs says:
January 8, 2014 at 9:06 am
“I wonder if the peanut banana milkshake man is getting seasick”
He is most definitely going to have to make do with his new “Tourist Scientist” status. They may well now get back to Australia later than the ship they WERE on 🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25647689
“And the 52 scientists and tourists from the expedition will not even be going ashore.
They will remain on board the Aurora until the vessel is ready to depart for the Tasmanian capital.
The Australian Antarctica Division said that unscheduled extra visits to the base would only interfere with the tightly time-tabled plan of operations at Casey.”
Why send an ice breaker when what you need is for the winds to change. Sort of sums up this reaction to the global slightly warm spell. Except that the warm is a good thing that isn’t likely to last.
UNSW has today published an FAQ on the ‘unfortunate’ incident:
http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science/antarctic-expedition-frequently-asked-questions
It is an academic masterpiece in not answering the (interesting) questions.
I’m sure someone will have mentioned this before; Professor Turney did his first degree in Environmental Science at the University of East Anglia (UEA):
http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Chris-Turney/631180183
Am I surprised?
There is one positive on this. The Akademik Shokalskiy got rid of its ‘sci-fi tourists’. And was better off for it.
They knew it beforehand:
http://expeditionsonline.com/tour-44/spirit-of-mawson-akademik-shokalskiy
PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY:
In mid February 2010 a massive iceberg collided with the floating tongue of the Mertz Glacier, just west of Mawson’s Huts. The collision precipitated the calving of another massive iceberg called C28, measuring 78km long and 35 km wide. C28 is now grounded at the entrance to Commonwealth Bay. It provides both an obstacle to accessing Commonwealth Bay and a great opportunity for scientific study. Since 2010 it has not been possible to access Mawsons Huts by sea so there is some chance that we will also be stopped from accessing the huts. However we do have remote controlled drones and over-ice vehicles onboard our vessel to improve our chances of access.
It is important that you aware that this is not a regular tourist voyage to Mawsons Huts. The heavy ice around these massive stranded icebergs does create a significant obstacle to our access to the huts. There is a real chance that we will not be able to get to the huts. We will not know the outcome until we are in position in Commonwealth Bay. If you need to be sure you will get to the huts then this is probably not the voyage for you. In other words the outcome is highly uncertain, although we are quietly confident of success. It is a true scientific adventure in the best sense of the word and in the spirit of Mawson.
– See more at: http://expeditionsonline.com/tour-44/spirit-of-mawson-akademik-shokalskiy#sthash.4bWaHbPx.dpuf
An tis was the plan:
Day 9-10 – 15 to 16 December 2013
Working In Sea Ice Towards The Antarctic Coastline
Each winter the sea around Antarctica freezes for several hundred kms out from the coast and in early summer the ice is persistent along the East Antarctic coastline. We anticipate it will take 1 to 2 days to work our way across this beautiful icescape, which is a critical habitat for diatoms, krill, minke whales, and crab-eater and leopard seals.
Days 10-18 – 17 to 24 December 2013
Commonwealth Bay And East Antarctic Coastline
We hope to arrive at the fast ice edge in Commonwealth Bay on 17 December and commence our science work and over-ice approach to Mawsons Huts in earnest. Of course our progress will be dominated by weather considerations, but ideally we would moor the vessel against the fast ice edge so that ice and ocean studies can begin and we can send our airborne drone out to view the route towards Cape Dennison and Mawsons Huts. Once a route is determined we believe we will need to use our over-ice vehicles ( Argos) to mark a route then commence transporting scientists and passengers to the coastline as weather and ice conditions allow and the route is safe.
We also expect to move the vessel along the coast to other sites in the region such as Cape Jules, Port Martin and perhaps the French station of Dumont D’Urville.
Days 19-20 – 25 to 26 December 2013
Terre Adelie And South Magnetic Pole?
A truly white Christmas and Boxing Day, making our way towards the South Magnetic Pole, if ice conditions allow. The magnetic pole wanders approximately 7 nautical miles per year and is now in the open ocean north of Dumont D’Urville.
Day 21 – 27 December 2013
Out Through The Sea Ice
Out through the sea ice to complete the ice components of our science programme This takes us back into the realm of the giant albatross. – See more at: http://expeditionsonline.com/tour-44/spirit-of-mawson-akademik-shokalskiy#sthash.4bWaHbPx.dpuf
Hey, Dodgy Geezer (re: 1:51am today) — You got it! I just thanked God (the one and only) for allowing all this to happen. Got anymore requests? #(:))
Oh, and I just thanked God for creating you and that you posted what you did. Otherwise, I would not have had the opportunity to post this!