In this edition:
Gough65 celebrating team member, Bubele Nongwejana’s birthday. Photo: Thendo Sikhwari
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 24 October 2019
The S.A. Agulhas II departed from the Port of Cape Town at around 10pm, 02 September 2019 and will return on 07 October 2019. Click here to view the voyage schedule.
| Team Member | Position |
|---|---|
| Mr Errol Julies | Communication/Electronics Engineer and Team Leader |
| Mr Thendo Sikhwari | Senior Meteorological Technician and Deputy Team Leader |
| Ms Michelle Risi-Jones | Field Assistant and Deputy Team Leader- Scientific |
| Mr Dylan Seaton | Meteorological Technician |
| Ms Siyasanga Mphehle | Meteorological Technician |
| Mr Thabiso Maphumulo | Electrician |
| Mr Bubele Nongwejana | Medical Orderly |
| Mr Gilbert Kgang | Diesel Mechanic |
| Mr Christopher Jones | Field Assistant |
| Mr Alexis Osborne | Field Assistant |
L-R: Bubele Nongwejana, Thabiso Maphumulo, Gilbert Kgang, Errol Julies, Thendo Sikhwari, Siyasanga Mphehle and Dylan Seaton.
Field assistants: Michelle Risi-Jones, Alexis Osborne and Christopher Jones. Photo Credit: Michelle Risi-Jones.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 04 September 2019
Mid-Winter is celebrated right across Antarctica by all the nations & stations. It is the 0ldest tradition in Antarctica and refers to the Winter Solstice (or hibernal solstice). It occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.
At the pole, there is continuous darkness or twilight around the winter solstice. Its opposite is the summer solstice.
The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere’s winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (usually 20 or 21 June). Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term sometimes refers to the day on which it occurs. Other names are “midwinter”, the “extreme of winter” (Dongzhi), or the “shortest day”.
So, for Antarctic Expeditioners / Overwinterers the worst is over with regards to dark (lack of light and sunlight).
Happy Mid- Winter to all – share this email far and wide.
From all of us
Jasmine Arnold
Office Administrator to The Ship’s Operations Manager | Directorate: Southern Oceans & Antarctic Support | Office address: East Pier, Waterfront | Direct no: 021 405 9485 | Switchboard: 021 405 9400
Mid-winter Event Pretoria, South Africa – organised by Carol Jacobs :
Call for all electricians, that consist of the minimum requirements for this position, to apply as soon as possible.
Please click on the link below for more information regarding this position:
Electrician – Gough (OC03.2019)
DEADLINE: 24 June 2019
Please Contact Mr Willem Boshoff for more information – Telephone (021) 405 9418
Read more about Gough Island here.
Also view the inside of the base, where you will stay for 13 months.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 12 June 2019
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) announced the availability of positions for the Gough Island Restoration Programme (GIRP). This programme is planned to commence in 2020 and aims to get rid of the bird-eating mice on Gough Island.
https://www.facebook.com/GoughIsland/posts/709619229472872
If you are interested in more information or if you would like to join the team, download this document – Gough Island Restoration Programme baiting team member application briefing.
Applicants need to fill out the application at the end of the document and email to pmcclelland@xtra.co.nz.
Note that the selection of the team is likely to be in September 2019, hence submit your application as soon as possible.
Feel free to contact Pete McClelland or Richard Switzer for further queries.
– Pete McClelland (baiting team) – pmcclelland@xtra.co.nz
– Richard Switzer (aviculture team) – Richard.Switzer@rspb.org.uk
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 31 May 2019
The next Gough Island Overwintering Expedition will depart from Cape Town in September 2019. This will be the 65th Gough Island overwintering team who will return to Cape Town in October 2020.
Positions currently advertised:
If you are interested in applying to overwinter, please click here.
Please note that applications close between 04 and 14 March 2019.
Please download the PDF advert of the position you are interested in and follow the application instructions as set out in the advert.
Read more:
Recent article (Afrikaans) about the Gough63 team (Click here).
Click here and here for more information on Gough Island (English).
Photo Credit: Tom Mc Sherry
The Gough64 team members decided to take turns in writing blog posts, to update family and friends back home.
The first post was written by Cathy Mbazwana, Medic of Gough64.
This blog entry is about team member, Christopher Jones’s birthday party (Click here to read the blog). She also added the sea temperature and climate data for September and October 2018 to this blog post. It is great to hear that your team takes pride in planning and attending each other’s birthday parties. Your team dynamics definitely show positive signs for the year ahead.
Thanks for this great initiative Gough64.
We do still hope that the team decides to compile a newsletter in the coming months, but we are excited about this blog initiative and the stories your team will deliver.
Author: Anche Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, 20 November 2018
63rd Gough Island Overwintering team ready to leave the island. Photo received from: Michelle Risi
The S.A. Agulhas II has departed from Gough Island, yesterday afternoon.
The 64th Gough Island overwintering team will now do the honours of taking care of the South African weather station and the collection of various field and meteorological data.
We would like to wish the team a successful year on the island. May you prosper and achieve all the goals set for you during this take-over.
The S.A. Agulhas II is currently on her way to Tristan da Cunha, where a 48 hour stop-over will made to back-load cargo and passengers. The expected time of departure (ETD) at Tristan da Cunha is 06 October 2018 and the expected time of arrival (ETA) in Cape Town is 11 October 2018.
The 64th Gough Island Overwintering team excited to take over the responsibilities of managing and maintaining the Gough Base for the next 13 months. Photo credit: Michelle Risi
Author: Anche Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 02 October 2018
In memory of Ms Edna Molewa, who passed away on 22 September 2018, South Africa’s National flag at the SANAP research stations on Marion Island, Gough Island and Antarctica will be flown at halfmast.
Please click here for memorial and funeral service dates.
All passengers and crew on-board the S.A Agulhas II have gone through customs and the ship departed from Cape Town harbour mid-morning today, 07 September 2018.
Destination: Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island.
Please click here to view the original voyage schedule – dates might change due to late departure.
Author: Anche Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 07 September 2018
The S.A. Agulhas II will not be leaving the harbour today.
This sailing schedule will be amended as soon as we have more information.
| DESTINATION | ETD CPT | ETA BASE | ETD BASE | ETA CPT | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tristan da Cunha | 06/09/2018 | 14/09/2018 | Voyage to Tristan da Cunha. 60 Hour stop-over to discharge cargo and passengers |
||
| Gough Island | 15/09/2018 | Voyage to Gough Island Offload passengers/cargo/fuel |
|||
| Buoy run | 21/09/2018 | 6 Day buoy deployment | |||
| Gough Island | 27/09/2018 | 02/10/2018 | Back-load cargo/passengers | ||
| Tristan da Cunha | 03/10/2018 | 06/10/2018 | 11/10/2018 | 48 Hour stop-over at Tristan, back-load cargo/passengers. Voyage to Cape Town |
Author: Anche Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 06 September 2018
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Xolani Nyawo | Communications Engineer - Team Leader |
| Michelle Risi | Birder - Deputy Team Leader |
| Alexis Osborne | Birder |
| Catherine Mokotji Mbazwana | Medic |
| Christopher Jones | Birder |
| Kabelo Moabi | Meteorologist |
| Karabo Mokwena | Meteorologist |
| Michael Ngengangimbi | Meteorologist |
| Innocent Mthetwa | Diesel Mechanic |
| Patrick Hlongwane | Electrician |
| Click here to meet the team. |
Photo Credit: Michelle Risi (Gough64 Birder).
Author: Anche Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 05 September 2018
All the women that attended the 5th South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) Symposium, earlier this month in Hermanus.
Women sitting here have been dreaming about a career in science and science related positions within the South African National Antarctic Programme. These are all ordinary women, but due to ambition and extremely hard work they are, or are becoming the best in their fields of research.
There is an increasing trend with regards to female Principal Investigators (PI’s) within South Africa’s Antarctic Programme (See Figure below). Of the 29 DST-NRF funded research projects within SANAP (for the period of 2018 to 2020), the Principal Investigator for 13 of these are women.
Women are represented in all four research themes within SANAP (Themes: Earth Systems, Living Systems, Human Enterprise and Innovation: Southern Ocean and Antarctic technology and engineering). Read more about these themes in South Africa’s Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research Plan for 2014 to 2024 (Click here).
Who is the Principal Investigator (PI)
“A Principal Investigator is the primary individual responsible for the preparation, conduct, and administration of a research grant in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and institutional policy governing the conduct of sponsored research.” (www.umass.edu)
Women are represented in all four research themes within SANAP (Themes: Earth Systems, Living Systems, Human Enterprise and Innovation: Southern Ocean and Antarctic technology and engineering). Read more about these themes in South Africa’s Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research Plan for 2014 to 2024 (Click here).
Only a few of the ladies who are or were involved in SANAP.
Prof Isabelle Ansorge, as a young researchers, on the Marion cruise onboard the S.A. Agulhas I in 2003.
Author: Anché Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 28 August 2018
FIFTH SANAP SYMPOSIUM : OPENING REMARKS (13 August 2018)
Gansen Pillay PhD
DCEO: Research and Innovation Support and Advancement (RISA)
Distinguished Participants
It is a pleasure and privilege to provide some Opening Remarks on behalf of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of SA on the occasion of the 5th SANAP Symposium jointly hosted by CPUT and SANSA. This afternoon, I would like to focus on four dimensions.
Firstly, I would like to focus on this Symposium and its importance. Secondly, I would like to explore the strategic positioning of SANAP and its related research areas in the context of a global research agenda. Thirdly, we will share with you the latest information relating to the funding of SANAP by the NRF. And finally, I would like to focus on training the next generation of researchers, viz., our postgraduate students.
Our sincere congratulations to the Conference Organisers for conceptualizing the content and themes for this Symposium. Hermanus as a venue could not have been more ideal venue given the themes of this meeting. This Symposium signifies a meeting of the oceans and space, each looking at the other through different lenses, yet focusing on the common good of responsiveness, relevance and sustainability.
We take the opportunity of congratulating Prof Isabelle Ansorge and her joint authors for the timely article in the South African Journal of Science (SAJS) titled “SEAmester – SA’s first class afloat”. It intersects the Global Change Grand Challenge and draws on Operation Phakisa. As you may be aware, one of NRF’s National Research Facilities (NFs), viz., the SA institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) is a partner in this initiative. This goes a long way towards accelerating NRF’s objective of not just providing NFs but National Research Infrastructure Platforms (NRIPs).
We would also like to commend SANAP on its new SANAP portal and website (www.sanap.ac.za), the Antarctic Legacy Platform (http://blogs.sun.ac.za/antarcticlegacy/). It is current and informative and its presence on Facebook and other social media platforms is very encouraging.
The public lecture on ‘South Africa’s legacy within the Antarctic region’ being presented this evening is timely and critical to the public understanding of science.
This symposium provides delegates the opportunity to present their research within the Southern Ocean, Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.
Interwoven into the fabric of the Symposium is a rich tapestry of complementary themes on (i) A window into geospace; (ii) Southern Oceans in the coupled ocean; (iii) Carbon-climate links and geotraces; (iv) Ecosystem functioning and the response to global change; (v) Biodiscovery and biotechnology; (vi) Earth and living systems; (vii) Paleosciences and human history; and (viii) Innovation, technology and engineering. A research canvas of this nature offers enormous possibilities.
Given the aforementioned, I would like to move to the second dimension of my Opening Remarks, viz., the strategic positioning of SANAP research in the global research agenda. One of the hallmarks of any successful organization or company like Apple is the ability to respond to change. Those who adapt to change, survive. Those who do not, perish. A systems thinking approach is essential.
When one looks at the various themes of this Symposium its main focus is on interactions and the ability to respond to change. So what exactly happens in the Southern Oceans and Space? Is there a constant quest for dynamic equilibrium and sustainability? Is there a symphony at play that is being orchestrated and conducted by global climate change? What are SA’s geographic and competitive advantages? In responding to how we position SANAP, we have to accept that we cannot be everything to everyone. So what is it that we do that is unique or what is it that we do exceptionally well? More importantly, what should we stop doing?
In positioning our research there are some aspects that we must factor. These include, inter alia, how do we plan for impact? How do we manage impact? What is the potential for translational research? What are the alignments to national priorities, the draft White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), the NDP, Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World in 2050, the Belmont Forum, Future Earth, etc. Would Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics come into play? What about quantum computing? Machine learning? How would you be dealing with Big Data? Do you have the capacity to deal with Big Data? I leave you with these questions as you contemplate the future of your research during this Symposium.
Thirdly, over the next three years, the NRF has made the following investments in SANAP:
Finally, I would like to focus on the numerous postgraduate students who are here today. One of the most important aspects at the beginning of your research is its conceptualisation. Read widely, and know the entire backdrop/canvas of your research. Identify the gaps in knowledge and develop smart research questions/hypotheses. Use the latest methodologies in your field to explore these research questions. The information/data that you produce must be engaged with against the backdrop of existing knowledge. What is the new knowledge that you have produced? Production of new knowledge is the hallmark of a PhD degree and is immortalised through your scholarly publications or translational research. Remember, it is often easier to choose a wife, husband or life partner than to choose a supervisor. So choose smartly and wisely. Good luck with your studies!
Despite the constrained fiscal environment, the NRF would continue to fund excellent, transformative research that enables SA to meaningfully contribute to the SDGs.
In conclusion, I would like to wish you every success in your research and thank you in advance for your contributions to society.
May you have a whale of a time in Hermanus!!
END
Posted by: Ria Olivier (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 21 August 2018
Team training for the 64th Gough Island Overwintering Team commenced on the 13th of August and today the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa (ALSA) joined the training.
During this session the team received historical background (in the form of a timeline) on South Africa’s involvement in the Antarctic (SANAE base), sub-Antarctic (Marion base), but most importantly Gough Island – where this team will depart to in 3 weeks’ time.
This team will now become part of South Africa’s Antarctic Legacy and we wish them all the best for their journey on the island.
Click here to download the Gough64 team training schedule.
Meet the 64th Gough Island Overwintering team:
Author: Anché Louw (Antarctic Legacy of South Africa), 20 August 2018
This is your gateway to the South African National Antarctic Programme.
On the Home page, the latest news will be published and older news articles will be located in the News page, where you can also view the calendar for the announcements of upcoming events.
Want to know more about South Africa’s research stations in the Antarctic region? Navigate to Stations. Here you can view photos, videos and a map of the chosen research station.
Want to see photo’s of previous overwintering teams? Navigate to Team structure and make sure you press the ‘team photos‘ icon.
Are you getting ready for an expedition and want to make sure you know what to pack and what not to pack? Navigate to Own Supplies, Prohibited Supplies or Issued Supplies (if you want to see what will be supplied by DEA). Another page highly recommended before an expedition is ‘Advice for Overwinterers‘.
Are you aware of the current or previous SANAP projects, funded by the National Research Foundation? See Current Research Projects or Previous Research Projects.
Are you interested in working on Antarctica, Marion or Gough Island. See Jobs, for all available overwintering positions.
Please do not hesitate to fill in the contact form or email directly for any queries.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 18 May 2018.
R. S. A. in Table Bay next to pier
SANAE I team on Polarbjorn 1959
