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This day in history: the yacht Freydis arrives at Marion Island for a four-day visit in 1994
January 5, 2016 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
On 5 January 1994 the German yacht Freydis arrived at the Prince Edward Islands as part of a circumnavigation of Antarctica over the years 1990 to 1998. The 14.3 m, 25-ton steel yacht started the southern Indian Ocean leg of its Southern Ocean voyage in Richard’s Bay, South Africa and ended it in Fremantle, Australia.
The Freydis‘ crew consisted of Erich Wilts (52), Dr. Heide Wilts (52) [skippers/owners], Peter Chmella (55), Karl Hiesserich (61), Manfred Mende (45), Steffen Menger (27), Erhard Schorge (49) and Burkhard Strauch (30) as grouped above on Marion. During their visit the crew was able to go ashore on Marion to explore the island’s east coast as far as Kildalkey Bay, with members of Marion’s 50th Overwintering Team (M50) offering hospitality and acting as guides. The yacht left for the Crozets on the 9th. During its visit the Freydis sailed past the north coast of Prince Edward Island.
The Freydis was lost in the Fukushima tsunami in Japan on 11 March 2011.
With thanks to Jay Gates, Hans Möller (Team Leader, M50), Erich and Heidi Wilts and Jaco Wium (Meteorologist, M50) for photographs and information.
References:
Wilts, H. 1996. Auf der Route der Albatrosse. Bielefeld: Delius Klasing.
Wilts, H. undated. A Cruise in the Indian Ocean. ms. 6 pp.
John Cooper, Principal Investigator, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University