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The original Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) was better (1 Viewer)

locustella

locustella

Well-known member
That expedition has probably something to do with climate science.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/25/antarctic-expedition-scientists-trapped-ice
Antarctic expedition scientists trapped in ice
EcoEarth.Info Environment RSS Newsfeed|Guardian: Alok Jha

http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/3470...uated0Ehelicopter0Eimprove0Evideo/story01.htm
Akademik Shokalskiy could be evacuated by helicopter in 48 hours if situation does not improve – video
Environment news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk

There is a lot of informations about that ship, retracing Mawson's expedition from years 1911 - 1914, stucked in the Antarctic ice. Unfortunately Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise can't help, because it has been robbed by pirates from Russian government.

They would be dead if this situation happened in 1911.
 
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How that happened, why they got surrounded by ice ? Do they change course to approach something or stayed too long among ice sheets to photograph penguins for example?
Maybe they could continue the trip if any icebreaker came ...
 
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locustella said:
How that happened, why they got surrounded by ice ? Do they change course to approach something or stayed too long among ice sheets to photograph penguins for example?
Maybe they could continue the trip if any icebreaker came ...
Click to expand...

Ice movements are affected by ocean currents and wind. Even the most careful will occasionally have to wait a while to get in or out of somewhere.

It is not usual to call for serious assistance, they must have been caught out quite badly and feel that they are in real danger. In such circumstances whoever is nearest goes at once. Law of the Sea - but also plain common sense. Today its them - tomorrow it might be you. A man once said do unto others as you would have them do unto you...

John
 
The co-leader of this expedition is very experienced. As probably many other it's members. He took part in more than 100 visits to the continent under his belt.
Icebreaker rescue was suspended today due to bad weather.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/30/world/antarctic-ship-stuck/index.html?eref=edition
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25546462#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/3470...eaker0Eforced0Eback0Eby0Eblizzard/story01.htm

Edited later:
Farnboro John said:
Unless they were British. Not so good at racing to the South Pole, but trapped in ice... not a problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Shackleton
Click to expand...
These troubles are reminiscent of Ernest Shackleton's expedition to Antarctica (1914-1917) on Endurance, trapped in ice too ...
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/3470...ntarctica0Epack0Eice0Ephotography/story01.htm

Edited even later:
The pioneer of nature photography in Poland - Włodzimierz Puchalski dreamed about trip to Antarctica. He wasn't trapped, but when he finally realized his plans, died in Antarctica in 1979 from heart attack on the King George Island during photographing. His grave is located on that island and registered on the list of Historic Sites and Monuments in Antarctica under No 51 (HSM-51).
 
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The six-week expedition was split into two steps.
They collected a lot of samples and data in the Mawson Hut area, including bird counts, . i.e. investigated also bird burrows, returned to New Zealand. They also deployed first for the region Argo floats and drifter buoys to research the sea ocean circulation, pioneered a new route into the Mawson's huts.
And later moved to the Mertz Glacier, completed their work programme on the continent and were continuing the oceanographic work heading home when this happened.
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/3470...on0Ewas0Eworth0Eit0Echris0Eturney/story01.htm
Antarctic expedition: 'This wasn't a tourist trip. It was all about science – and it was worth it'
Environment news, comment and analysis | guardian.co.uk

What bird burrows did they investigate ?
 
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Shokalskiy and Chineese icebreaker the Xue Long (Snow Dragon) attempting to help are released from ice. Maybe passengers of Shokalskiy evacuated to an Australian ship, the Aurora Australis, could wait few days and would continue the journey again ... But no one was able to predict this.
http://news.yahoo.com/trapped-ships-break-free-antarctic-ice-175516328.html

A little earlier U.S. Coast Guard Polar Star tried also to rescue them:
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46865

but it seems that weather took the decision and cleared the way from ice.
 
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