On 4 April 2012, a significant milestone in South Africa’s maritime and scientific history took place in Rauma, Finland, when the South African flag was raised aboard the SA Agulhas II. This moment marked the official handover of the state-of-the-art research and supply vessel, symbolizing not only a transfer of ownership but the beginning of […]
What do people write about when they spend months on South Africa’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic bases, far from home and surrounded by wind, sea, and ice, with albatrosses or penguins as their nearest neighbours? Often, poetry becomes a lifeline. In celebration of World Poetry Day, observed annually on 21 March, we revisit poems preserved in […]
Continue reading "World Poetry Day 2026 – Voices from the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic"
On 18 March 2011, South Africa marked a defining moment in its polar and sub-Antarctic history with the official opening of the new research base on Marion Island. Fifteen years later, the base stands as a testament to perseverance, vision, and scientific ambition. Built over a decade in one of the most remote and weather-beaten […]
Continue reading "Marion Research Base 15th Year Anniversary"
