The comedy just keeps on coming. Plus, now it seems that Turney failed to get some approvals, and his welcome home may not be all the happy. Maybe he’ll stay in Antarctica.
After having to prematurely abandon their mission due to being stuck in ice, and having a weather forecast provided that said all they had to do was wait a few more days, which came true, freeing the ship, the intrepid Dr. Turney and his gaggle of global warming geese tourists were evacuated by helicopter to the Aurora Australis, which then sailed to the Australian Casey Station to finish the resupply operations that got interrupted by Turney’s distress call.
The #spirtofmawson people are still at Casey Station, waiting for their ride home, while the Akademic Shokalskiy has made it to port in New Zealand. See the current positions of both ships:
Source: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:168.3123/centery:-46.88068/zoom:8/oldmmsi:273458210/olddate:lastknown (h/t to reader “itdoesntaddup”)
Here is the current position of the Aurora Australis:
Above: View of Casey base from the Aurora Australis webcam. Source: http://www.antarctica.gov.au/webcams/aurora
From the Aurora Australis sitreps reports:
Sunday 12-Jan-2014 We arrived at Casey this morning ready to commence cargo operations at 8am. We continued moving cargo between the ship and shore until 1330 when the refuelling hose was loaded on to the barge. The hose and anchoring system were deployed then the hose tested for any leaks. Once the leak test was complete pumping of SAB (Special Antarctic Blend) began. We are expecting that the completion of the refuelling of Casey will occur at around 6am tomorrow morning and we will have delivered over 850,000 litres of fuel during resupply part 1 and part 2. There is one remaining hold of cargo on the ship to discharge. When it is possible we try and transport cargo on the shore to ship as well as the ship to shore. This is not always possible depending at what stage of unloading we are at and what needs to occur to make room for the RTA cargo. It is a bit like a jigsaw but the pieces don’t always fit so neatly together. Cheers Leanne and Mark
Source: https://secure3.aad.gov.au/proms/public/schedules/display_sitrep.cfm?bvs_id=19327
What irony that the “trapped” ship has made it back, while the #spiritofmawson fools are still at Casey base, waiting for their ride home.
Meanwhile, all is not well back home. I suspect Turney won’t get a heroes welcome:
Head of Australian Antarctic science div., chides @ProfChrisTurney for saying #spiritofmawson had official approval. https://t.co/7bP8dDA8WD
— Andrew Revkin 🌎 ✍🏼 🪕 ☮️ (@Revkin) January 9, 2014
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Jimbo says: “…maybe he didn’t notice what is going on. Yet he is supposed to be a Calamatologist!”
Logically perfect: compulsory material for teaching inductive reasoning in courses of study leading to any degree in (cough) “Environmental Science”.
I call for another immediate evacuation. Are there any submarines or small dinghys nearby?
Jimbo says:
January 13, 2014 at 3:24 pm
The AP also says the AS is an ice breaker. Does Tur[k]ey also write for the wire?
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/chinese-ship-breaks-free-ice-antarctica-21446301
Right now 1110AEDT the Aurora Australis is at Casey – the foredeck crane is stowed – a crane hook is visible above the stern – it is snowing, visibility is poor, wind is 20kmh and a small boat departs to port.
Prophessor of Climate Change.
@Jimmy Haigh:
Having been involved in land reclamation projects that resulted in several million trees being planted during the 70s, I like your comment 🙂
Turney & Co are going to have difficulty offsetting this mess. This type doesn’t actually “plant” much, just 6 trees then the photo opportunity.
I suspect that if they do anything at all, it will be to pass the task on to some volunteer agency.
Pity. Would do them good. I recall the old “Green Corps” standard was 200 trees per person per day? No booze, no milkshakes …
What Mawson went through was his skin fluffing off and other un-mentionables.
What Mr. Turkey et al went through was worrying about yogurt, milk-shakes, cafe latte, delays and cuddling penguins. THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO.
Warning: Never, ever believe a word these people tell you because they have invested their money hard. Look at Mr. Turkey. LOOK!
One good thing, I have learned something about the Australian Antarctic science program following the ship web cam and reading the sit reps. Reading the reports it does mention the new passengers a few times. Leanne and Mark thanks for the updates on the ship. Cheers back at you.
Just a technical question: how can a ship located in Antarctica be traveling “east-south-east”?
Aren’t all directions either “south” or “north”? What is the base reference point?
Does anyone know how the Australis crew are taking this? I can’t imagine that relations between them and their new cargo are too hospitable…
There’s always something new and interesting in Climate Science;
–
The Circumpolar Vortex in the north is counter-balanced by the Circum-Shokalskiy Vortex in the south!
I’m happy the crew made it back to the home port, Turkeys are still in Antarctica.
Al Gore should be held liable for all rescue costs related to saving his starry-eyed followers. He should also be required to wear a sign that says: “It’s the Sun, stupid!” With the so-called “Arctic Vortex” freezing the Northern regions and the Arctic summer freezing icebreakers in place in the Southern regions, just where is this global warming when you need it??
I still say Al Gore is among ’em and they just don’t dare admit it!
and having a weather forecast provided that said all they had to do was wait….
..they are climate scientists…they know better than to believe a weather forecast
/snark
I expect the Akademik crew will have been enjoying a couple of scoops ashore by now. They’ll be in high spirits.
With loosened tongues, the locals will be treated to some amusing details and anecdotes I’m sure.
hilarious:
13 Jan: UK Telegraph Blog: Sean Thomas: What if man-made climate change is all in the mind?
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seanthomas/100254179/what-if-man-made-climate-change-is-all-in-the-mind/
I would imagine that various disgruntled passengers will have their own version of this sorry tale to tell when their ship finally comes in.
I hope at least one journalist has the nous to hit the docks on arrival and ask some pertinent questions of them.
Let us be respectful regarding the plight of the crew of the Aurora Australis and remember that they are carrying some very valuable and critical cargo … as well as that sorry lot led by Professor Turkey. I wonder what kind of rations are available on board for unplanned passengers.
National Lampoon’s Antarctic Vacation
Perhaps the original distress call was misconstrued, and the pack the captain reported to be threatened by was not of ice but of Greenies. How clever of him to transport them to another vessel where they will be “no Tribble at all!”
It’s so good, I can’t help myself!
Please, enjoy: http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/350925/Ship-Of-Fools-Movie-Clip-You-May-Even-Find-Yourself.html
I am starting to feel a bit sorry for the passengers. They must be starting to feel unwanted, and that their presence is an imposition. This is rough on the ego of a do-gooder.
They have been demoted. One day they were saving-the-world in peace and comfort, and now all of a sudden they are nothing but a cotton-picking burden, in what (to them) is discomfort.
However, when I compare their discomfort to the discomfort of elderly pensioners living in fuel poverty, or third world people barely able to afford a single meal a day, I think the ship should download them ashore, and the base should ship them inland to a remote bunkhouse formerly used by birders studying an abandoned penguin rookery that hasn’t seen a bird since the MWP.
An unworthy and ungenerous thought, I’m sure.
Thank heavens they got them out… All their “hot air” was beginning to melt the ice.
Has anyone ever wondered why sea ice seems to be breaking up more and more (Arctic), and then thought about all the ice-breakers charging about? Its just a correlation, but sure seems relevant somehow… LOL.
couldn’t resist…a dramatic view of the mess of the AA
I wonder if the “cheer-up” woman is wearing a little thin by now. As in very thin. You know, the inevitable 50+ one who was making up songs and leading the would-be scientists in rousing and rib-tickling choruses. No doubt she has a whole bunch more. Check that AA crane to see if she’s been isolated on its hook.
Let’s hope there are some reports about their playschool passengers from the crews of the Academik Shokalskiy and Aurora Australia very soon.
(I know the time of goodwill to all men has just passed, but surely the gerfriend (sic) of that BBC or Guardian (hard to tell the difference) wimp/parrot has moved on in his absence.)