A function is held each year as part of the annual take-over on Marion Island, when the old team is formally relieved of its duties. The members of the new team are then responsible from that moment onwards for their individual duties (whether field assistant or base personnel), as well as for the maintenance of the research base.
This year Dr Darren Green was the Master of Ceremonies. Each year inspiring speeches are given to motivate the new team and also to thank the old team on completion of its duties. Pointing out some of the highlights, Chuma Phamoli, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) Coordinating Officer (DCO) of this year’s relief voyage, thanked members of the old team for their hard work throughout their year on the island. She also welcomed the new team members, and wished them well for their 13-month journey ahead. Professor Marthan Bester of the Mammal Research Institute (MRI), University of Pretoria, who has been part of the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) for over 40 years, also addressed the audience with some uplifting words concerning the ongoing research on the island and the way forward. Marthan is now retired and the marine mammal research programme he managed is now in the hands of Associate Professor Nico de Bruyn of the MRI.
Guitarists Dr Niek Gremmen (Marion Team Member in the 1970s (M30 & M31) and a botanist from The Netherlands), Alfred-Hugo Grünschloss (M72 Diesel Mechanic), Marius Rossouw (M72 Botanist) and Dr Pierre Pistorius (Marine Top Predators Research, Zoology Department, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) gave astonishing performances. Darren Green, who was also the medical doctor on this year’s relief voyage, ended the function with a magical performance of operatic singing.
ALSA looks forward to reporting on next year’s takeover function at Marion Island.
Feature photograph: Marion Island’s 72nd Overwintering Team (2015/16) pose for their end-of-year portrait on Boulder Beach in front of La Grange Villa and Johnston’s Stairway, both erected in the early 1950s
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 15 June 2016
In the First Collage
Top L-R: Dr Darren Green, Team members of the 72nd Marion Overwintering Team, Chuma Phamoli (DCO)
Middle L-R: Dr Newi Makhado (Ornithologist, Oceans & Coasts, DEA and Chief Shore Scientist of the relief voyage), Team members of the 73rd Overwintering Team, Angelo Sauer (Team Leader, Starlite Aviation)
Bottom L-R: Marthan Bester, Giel Louw (Team Leader, National Department of Public Works)
In the Second Collage
Top L-R: Niek Gremmen, Pierre Pistorius, Darren Green
Bottom L-R: Marius Rossouw, Alfred-Hugo Grünschloss and Niek Gremmen
In the Third Collage
Top L-R: John Dickens (M72 Killer Whaler), Tegan Carpenter-Kling (M72 Birder) and Alfred-Hugo Grünschloss; Professor Valdon Smith (Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University) and Giel Louw; Take-over function finger snacks dinner
Middle L-R: Dawid du Toit (NDPW), Chuma Phamoli and Nazaar Mentoor (NDPW); Christaan Willem Brink (M73 Birder), Kim Stevens (M73 Birder) and Anché Louw (Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University)
Bottom L-R: Michael Mole (M72 Sealer); Professor Werner Nel (Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Fort Hare) and Nico de Bruyn, Bruce Dyer (Ornithologist, Oceans & Coasts, DEA).
