On the 20th of December, the same day that the Akademik Treshnikov departed on the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (see more about this departure in the next article), we entertained children at the small amphitheatre of the V&A Waterfront. In order to create Antarctica month awareness, we continued the colouring competition, where children had to colour in various animals that occur within the Antarctic and sub- Antarctic.
The participants stand a chance to win a penguin plush toy. We also showed videos about the South African Antarctic Programme and distributed drinks bottles and sun vizors which had been sponsored by the National Research Foundation.
We now have a box full of very creative and colourful entries and the winner will be announced in March 2017. Children still have a chance to participate in this competition by getting hold of the Special Edition Antarctica Month Activity Booklet and the competition within, at the Two Oceans Aquarium’s play area.
With hundreds of visitors consisting not only of children, but also parents wanting to know more about South Africa’s Antarctic programme and our involvement in the Antarctic region, we consider this as a very successful day and a great way for ALSA’s promoting team to end the year 2016.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 21 December 2016.
