From radio 666 ABC in Canberra, Australia, full audio follows.
Tony Fleming, director of the Australian Antarctic Division tells Louise Maher the AAD wasn’t linked to the Australasian Antarctic Expedition despite an implication by the expedition head that he had an “official stamp of approval”.
The expedition was brought to a halt when its ship became trapped in ice, stranding the 52 tourists and scientists on board.
A Chinese ice-breaker which went to its rescue of the Russian ship also became stuck in the ice. The ship’s passengers were airlifted to an Australian ice breaker Aurora Australis – which is due to reach Hobart in about a fortnight.
Tony Fleming says the AAD will make efforts to recover the cost of the rescue which set back their own missions.
Listen to the audio:
========================================================
UPDATE: Reader “flawed argument” writes:
A minor point Anthony,
Professor Turney “implied” approval in his Nature article but he absolutely said it in his Guardian article available at the University of New South Wales newsroom (http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science/chris-turney-responds-critics-antarctic-science-expedition)
“We worked on our research programme with the Australian Antarctic Division and other bodies and the expedition was considered significant enough to be given the official stamp of approval.”
Not much chance he simply misconstrued an environmental impact permit from AAD – he certainly is being deceptive in that article.
Moreover, the University of New South Wales kept tweeting the article as late as yesterday in Professor Turney’s defence, hours after Dr. Fleming’s radio interview. Presumably they hadn’t got the memo from Dr. Fleming yet. Amazing that Professor Turney was still self-promoting from Aurora australis last night with a puff piece from the BBC but hadn’t let his employer know that his (now) hosts the AAD were not amused.
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Mike Jowsey…….sent the list of people on the spirit of mawson…..
Dis you have a look for yourself or did you just guess that the full compliment of scientists and guests were listed?
Because, from my count we have listed ~33 persons on the various drop downs that would have been on leg two…..not peg oners and not shore based persons mind you, jist ones on the boat at the time of ice capture.
By the way, the very last tab on the drop down supposedly showing “supporters” of the ill fated cruise……….all of them are institution or advertising banners…….they werent on the boat.
All very odd.
According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) Member Vessel Directory 2013-2014 Akademik Shokalskiy is actually used (?owned) by a NZ tourist operator Heritage Tours.
Heritage Expeditions does not list the vessel on their website. They do advertise a tour ‘In the wake of Scott and Shackleton’ 11th January and 14th February though. You’d have to be game.
Then snuck away in another tab is Ah ha-
Mike @ur momisugly 2.19 the ships berth arrangements are pictured here after some digging.
Shokalskiy is quoted as carrying just 48 passengers.
I am presuming this is the Protocol on Environmental Protection to
the Antarctic Treaty (1991) referred to by in the ABC/Tony Fleming interview. Maybe not.
Can anyone check on Wayback whether MV Shokalskiy was listed previously on IAATO. I looked early this morning and did not see it listed. Maybe I hadn’t had enough caffeine.
Amend second paragraph to:
NZ tourist operator Heritage
ToursExpeditionsAhhh
Exploring recent trends in Southern Hemisphere Icecap Melting
Prof C Turney et al, 2014
Abstract
Here we present the full and complete results of our recent South Polar expedition research.
Introduction
It has been observed that climate modellers and scientists require regular fluid intake, as do journalists. Over the past two decades, much time and expense has been incurred in attempting to find the optimum temperature for providing the necessary fluids. However this research has been handicapped by the environment in which it is being conducted, namely hostelries local to the relevant research institutes. Here, we address this issue by performing detailed and substantial research in situ in an environment being investigated for climate research purposes.
While a handful of previous studies have attempted field research of this nature, in our study we procured an appropriate research vessel adequately equipped with bars. In order to promote the best possible level of research all participants (other than expedition leaders, and Guardian/BBC journalists) were required to be self-funding for the duration of the fluid research.
Conclusions
We are fortunate in having our research mission extended by unexpected sea-ice, and as a consequence are able to accurately forecast the optimum temperature for providing gin & tonic to Guardian journalists is 3.27o Celsius, while BBC reporters require a balmier 4.19 o Celsius.
Why can’t Mr. Turkey stop his funny ways?
The ship is an ice-strengthened ship. The Russian Maritime Register is clear what the Akademik is as it lists other ships as ice-breakers on the same page as the Akademik.
http://www.rs-class.org/en/regbook/file_shipa/listl_01.php
A transcript of BBC Radio 4’s “Inside Science” progamme, broadcast yesterday and mentioned aboce by MCourthey is available here –
https://sites.google.com/site/mytranscriptbox/home/20140109_is
The recent Antarctic expedition “has been used by climate change deniers in the press, as a brickbat to beat scientists and the science”
Jessie Says:
“Heritage Expeditions does not list the vessel on their website. They do advertise a tour ‘In the wake of Scott and Shackleton’ 11th January and 14th February though. You’d have to be game.”
Heritage Expeditions is one of the best and most respected arctic/antarctic tour operators, and I would rather do ten trips to Antarctica with them than one with Prof Turney. They have a sister ship of Shokalskiy, “Professor Khromov” (which they for some reason call “Sirit of Enderby”) on a long term lease.
The tour “In the wake of Scott and Shackleton” is their traditional late summer tour to the Ross sea / McMurdo area. Normally this is no problem for a Shokalskiy-class vessel, since the Ross Sea is ice free this time of year, but this year it might be a bit difficult since there is still a belt of pack ice to cross to get into the Ross Sea.
That they only sell 48 berths is presumably because they need room for their own people (tour leader, physician, guides/zodiac operators and cooks).
No new blog entries on the Spirit of Mawson website since the 3rd of January. Perhaps they have stated a new blog – Dispirited of Mawson.
“The Buck Stops Here” …or there …or… Well, just them coming!
I’m just amazed that Canberra has a “Radio 666.” That sounds like the perfect name for a government mouthpiece radio station. Why don’t we have all of Obama’s speeches originating from our own “Radio 666?” Truth in advertizing and all.
Whenever I think of Prof.Turney’s ill-fated brief Antarctic voyage,the following lines from S.T.Coldridge’s Ancient Mariner are brought to mind:
The ice was here,the ice was there,
The ice was all around.
It cracked and growled and roared and howled
Like noises in a swound.
and
He went like one that had been stunned,
And is of sense forlorn,
A sadder and a wiser man
He rose the morrow morn.
There appears to be serious discrepancies regarding the number of people involved in the “expedition”? On ABC’s Lateline segment on the 25th Nov, Turney mentioned 85 expedition members, including some 60 scientists.
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3898858.htm
On 26th Nov, again on AB’s C Lateline there was mention of 30 berths available for tourists to accompany the “expedition”?
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3899674.htm
However only 52 expedition members were eventually helicoptered off the “Akademik Shokalskiy” (leaving behind 22 Russian crew)? Me thinks Turney stretches the truth in all he says? (and does??)
tty @8.48am
Thank you for your post.
I was unable to find ‘Professor Khromov’ (aka Spirit of Enderby) listed on the Russian Shipping link kindly provided by Jimbo. Are you able to enlighten readers where the specifications for this leased vessel may be found?
Your statement seems sound:
but would suggest that the Captain employed + Leaders of this adventure were ill-prepared, in some obscure race and/or did not heed expert advice. Maritime Law attributes responsibility with the Captain, probably much to the relief of Turney?
Unlike this from Heritage Expeditions now added
Given the sequence of events with Turney’s venture and the fact that ‘Akademik Shokalskiy’ is being used for the Heritage Expedition 17th January tourism venture in addition to the ‘Professor Khromov’ 11th Jan tour (as stated on the website) did they require immediate assistance to release the iced-in AS vessel in time for this tour date?
as of 11/1/2014 bold added
Their website is updated.
Political Junkie says:
January 9, 2014 at 4:47 pm
In the unlikely event of career difficulties Professor Turney can rely on an impressive resume – in reverse chronological order:
1. Leader of “Ship of Fools” expedition
2. One of the “et als” on the disgraced and withdrawn Gergis et al paper
3. First degree: Environmental Science, University of East Anglia (Home of Climategate)
tty,
As noted above by Steve F
It is also noted there were included in Turney’s Science Team and not the vessel or Heritage crew
Leg Two – Science team Andrew Peacock Expedition Medical Doctor and
Leg not identified – PhD Student Colin Tan Paramedic and a Clinical Project Manager for St John New Zealand (Mike Jowsey link above).
There was no mention of chef/cooking or kitchenhand skills among Turney’s crew.
Steve F – Turney’s website lists shore based and Leg 1 and 2 crew.
Bill Illis says:
January 9, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Sad – but true – Bill. Sad but true…
Prof Turney is also caught out claiming support from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation…who have rapidly distanced themselves from his “expedition”.
They say there was no support in any way shape or form for his expedition from the Department of Conservation. That now makes two organisations…one is a mistake, two is a pattern…
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/01/chris-turney-lied-support-institutions/
“whaleoil says:
January 10, 2014 at 8:44 pm”
I would take what the Department of Conservation (DoC) says with a pinch of salt. Having contracted to DoC in years gone by, I am not filled with the slightest bit of confidence by what they say and do. One example would be DoC spent NZ$800,000 moving 1000 native worms from land that was going to be used for a road expansion project.
I was once responsible for asset management, SOE builds and software distribution for DoC amoung other responsilities. I was asked to distribute a new DoC logo for their workstations and thin-client terminals. I informed DoC that the .jpg file they gave me would be converted to a .bmp, drastically expanding the size of the file and would impact performance over slow links (DoC even had satellite up-links to The Chatham Island in the network) and thin-client terminals (As the logo would be “served” to the terminals). I was ordered to distribute the file anyway. Didn’t work too well!
But the trend of pretty much every organisation stepping away from his early announcements is quite pronounced. Unfortunately, the MSM here in Aus has dones it’s job in misreporting facts.
Old Ranga:January 10, 2014 at 1:31 am
Mentioned Fairfax Community Newspapers –
In October 2012 I noted an amazing Australia-wide blitz by Fairfax –
“Stale Antarctic melting ice story from last summer suddenly goes viral on Fairfax media all over Australia”
http://www.warwickhughes.com/blog/?p=1806
Tiny glimpse into workings of our pinko media helping to cover up the Oct 2012 ship stopped in ice news for AAD. No hamlet across Oz was missed out. You have to pinch yourself. Worth remembering that this is the magnitude of media manipulation we can expect from AAD if they feel the need.