AGULHAS DEPARTS ON ANNUAL RELIEF VOYAGE TO ANTARCTICA

Issued by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

3 December 2000

The 40th South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) will depart for Antarctica on board Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism’s research and supply vessel, the "mv S A Agulhas", on 6 December 2000 at 14:00 from Cape Town Harbour, Berth 502 (next to the Container Terminal).

The estimated time of arrival in Antarctica is 18 December 2000, pending weather and pack ice conditions. Once there, the offloading of cargo, deployment of the overwintering expedition team and relief personnel will take place.

The SANAE 40 expedition team recently successfully completed a two-week training period (first aid, fire-fighting, cooking, etc.) in Pretoria, and will report to the Directorate: Antarctica and Islands’ store in Cape Town for their protective clothing issue and last minute packing within the next week or so prior to the departure of the ship.

The team comprises Dr Farouk Parker (Medical Doctor and Team Leader), Messrs Adrian Adonis and Aiden Flack (Diesel Mechanics), Mr Robert Inglis (Mechanical Engineer), Mr Stephan de Wet (Electrical Engineer), Mr Anton Grobler (Electronic Engineer), Messrs Ntebeko Njovane, Dirk Uys and Carl Bellingan (Physicists), and Ms Chané Reyneke (Senior Meteorologist).

The DEAT Officer-in-Charge of the relief expedition is Mr Adriaan Dreyer (Assistant Director of the Directorate: Antarctica and Islands). The "S A Agulhas" is due to arrive back in South Africa on 14 February 2001.

The following tasks are envisaged during this relief voyage:

• Removal of the Grunehogna field base, in accordance with the provisions of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty;
• Utilisation, for the first time, of the new water cannon installed on the "S A Agulhas" in Antarctica to construct a ramp on the ice shelf;
• Painting of test panels on the SANAE IV base (presently in the colours of the old South African flag) by the National Department of Public Works, with the intention of repainting the base during the next season;
• In terms of waste management, removal of the general waste and building material presently stored at the bukta;
• Installation of an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) at the SANAE Emergency base,
• Servicing of the AWS on Southern Thule (South Sandwich Islands); and
• Undertaking a weather buoy deployment programme.

For more information: Richard Skinner (Acting Director: Antarctica and Islands) (012) 310-3569

For More Information Please Contact the Media Liaison Director:
Onkgopotse J.J Tabane:
082 465 6166/ 021 465 7240