The Ghosts of Antarctica

Antarctica conjures up images of vast ice fields, icebergs, snow-crusted explorers, and the occasional penguin.  Many of us are use to seeing the beauty of this desolate continent, but there is another side to Antarctica that very few people have ever seen.  Over the course of Antarctic exploration and scientific studies, there have been many projects that have simply been abandoned in the harsh environment.  If something breaks in Antarctica, it is a good bet that it will probably stay there.

Dark Roasted Blend is currently running a nice feature on their website about some of the things that have been abandoned in Antarctica.  These things run the gamut from rusted-out cargo ships (like the ones pictured), to the abandoned camp by Robert Scott.  The photos in this feature are quite intriguing and offer us up a glimpse of the Antarctica that most would rather not discuss.  Seven countries lay claim to partial ownership of Antarctica.  Seven countries also fight about whose responsibility it is to keep Antarctica clean.  These photos and the accompanying article should open your eyes to the effects that man has had on the local environment in Antarctica.

As a quick side-note, if you have not checked out Dark Roasted Blend, you are in for a treat.  I could spend hours on their site reading all the amazing, weird, and humorous articles, and still not even scratch the surface.  Go check them out and read The Ghosts of Antarctica:  Abandoned Stations and Huts.

Bear Grylls Injury Update

The injury to Bear Grylls, host of Discovery Channel’s Man vs. Wild, is currently being evaluated and assessed.  Bear Grylls was on an expedition to climb a peak in Antarctica  with a team of four climbers sponsored by Ethanol Ventures.  Soon after the accident, Bear Grylls posted this report to his Journey Antarctica 2008 website:

Sorry for the radio silence over the last 24 hours - but I have had a bit of an accident. We were all flying across the ice using the kite skis, which is when you use the big flexi-foil kites on long lines attached to your harness that propels you across the snow and ice. I was doing speeds of over 50 kilometres an hour when I hit a patch of blue ice, lost a ski and got catapulted into the air, crashing down very hard. There is no doubt my helmet saved my life, but I smashed my shoulder and hands and was badly winded. I knew at once I had done something bad to my shoulder and was in absolute agony, my shoulder was drooped down and a bone was sticking out at a weird angle. I am safe at our expedition basecamp now and the shoulder is all strapped up tight, but is very painful. The bottom line is I am lucky.

This report lays out the details of what exactly took place.  The extent of his injuries are still not known and various reports have him currently in Britain, South Africa, or even still in Antarctica awaiting a heli-evac.  It is thought that Bear Grylls has suffered a broken shoulder and possibly some internal injuries after suffering the fall while kite skiing.

It is also being reported that the team Bear Grylls was climbing with has made a successful summit of the peak that Bear was shooting for.  I have read some mixed reports that portions of this incident, including the after-accident medical attention, may be boadcast on a future episode of Man vs. Wild.  Bear Grylls was not filming for this program at the time the event took place, but we all know when something big happens to a star, the cameras can follow in very short time.

It will be interesting to see what effect this may have on Bear Grylls and his Man vs. Wild program.  If I remember correctly, the new season of Man vs. Wild usually begins in February.  Hopefully the injuries aren’t to severe and Bear can get back to doing what he does best.

The Moose Droppings blog has an interesting update to the Bear Grylls Antarctica saga.  If you want to read more, head over there and see what Moose has to say.

Jon Bowermaster: Another Antarctic Tourist Ship In Trouble!

Some of you may remember Jon Bowermaster’s epic reports last year about a tourist ship that ran into some ice and sank in the frigid Antarctic waters.  The Explorer was carrying 154 people when this accident occured.  Luckily, all 154 people were rescued.  Jon Bowermaster was on a nearby ship that had been exploring and documenting the effects of global warming in the region and was one of the first people to arrive on the scene.  With Jon’s help and the help of his National Geographic team members, everyone was safely rescued.

Jump Forward One Year

Jon Bowermaster is back in the Antarctic waters, still filming for an upcoming documentary for National Geographic.  Leave it to Jon to come across and become involved with ANOTHER Antarctic tourist ship in trouble.  This ship, the MV Ushuaia has hit some ice and become grounded near the entrance of Wilhelmina Bay.  The Ushuaia is reporting that all passengers are safe and accounted for, but they have been forced to evacuate the ship.

The first ship to respond on the scene was the MV Antarctic Dream.  Closely followed by Jon Bowermaster and company.  Jon is currently giving live reports and updates through the Dot Earth Blog, a member of the New York Times community, about the ongoing process and the troubles of rescuing people on these Antarctic tourist ships.

Read more

For the Pole! Preserving Antarctica’s Past and More…

I ran across an interesting article featured in The Antarctic Sun, the official newspaper of the United States Antarctic Program, today.

Some of you may know that the United States has been in the process of erecting a new station in Antarctica over the past couple of years.  The station actually sits on stilts and is built to rise with the ice..possibly eleminating the need to shovel out every year as researchers and scientists make their way to the new station. 

Along with this new station, has also come a website redesign for The Antarctic Sun.  Now, rather than having to view the paper in .PDF format, you can just click a link.  The stories are now posted straight to the site, which makes it much easier..Good job guys (and gals).

One of this week’s features includes an article of a worker who is trying to work towards preserving some of the historical artifacts left behind in Antarctica.  Most of these items have been hoarded for years, and up until a few years ago, were housed in the old Station.  When plans came about for the new station, the items (Including one of Richard Byrd’s sweaters) were boxed away till the new station became available.

Upon retrieval, many of the items were either suffering from broken frames, or no frames at all.

That is where Mr. Jerry Marty and Andy Martinez come in.  Mr. Marty realized the value and historical significance of the items and decided to do something about it.

Andy Martinez was given the task of providing these items a “safe haven”.  He has come up with an idea to build frames out of the leftover materials from the old station–and then display them in the new station.  Bringing the old into the new.  Kind of a cool way to preserve the past, as well as recycle some of the materials that the old building left behind.

Now the newer frames help to line the walls of the new station and bring a sense of historical perspective to all the people who venture to the newest Antarctic station.  A great idea and a great way to protect our past..

It has also been noted that the new station has plenty of room to expand it’s collection of memorbilia from those involved in the United States Antarctic Project from the past, to the future.  This could quite possibly turn into the world’s coldest museum—

And More News From Antarctica:

A couple more little pieces concerning the world’s coldest continent.  Rather than run three sperate pieces, thought I would just include them all here..

ExplorersWeb has posted it’s list of all adventurer’s venturing to The South Pole and the Antarctic this year.  Looks to be a very busy, and possibly crowded year for the Pole.  I will be taking a look at some of these expeditions in the very near future.

Also, Kraig, over at The Adventure Blog has put up a nice piece regarding Antarctic Photographer Vladimir Malinski, who visited the continent back in 2003–stop by to checkout his great photos.

The Adventurist: A Call to All Outdoor Writers and Photographers!

I have just put the finishing touches on a new “Submit & Contact” Page here at The Adventurist.  I am hoping that this new feature will be accepted and used by all of my great readers.

This page goes into detail about a few things I am looking for here at The Adventurist–and ways you might be able to get involved.

Do you love Adventure Writing or perhaps Great Outdoors Photography?–Help me share your incredible talents with a much bigger audience!

Head on Over to the “Submit & Contact” Page, found on a tab right up above this article, and Share your Adventures with the World!

Also, if you are looking to put me to work, there is info there as well….

Cheers-

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

The Complete Coverage! Everest 2007!

The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click here!

As many of you might know, a couple of months back I mentioned that I would be setting up a Page on The Adventurist for the Everest 2007 Climbing season.

This page will be similar to the page covering the Mt. Hood Tragedy I covered in 2006 offering up all the links and stories as we publish them in one easily located space.

What this does is it allows all of my loyal readers an easier way to follow along with the Everest 2007 season as it happens, as well as lets you keep track of what HAS happened up to the latest story.  At the top of this site, you will now see a headline that reads “The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click Here!”, by clicking this, you will now have access to every story concerning the 2007 Everest Climbing season.

I hope you enjoy this convenient way of staying on track with the happenings on Everest this season.  It is really shaping up to be a great season with many stories breaking daily.  You will now find them all here!

The Adventurist Reaches #1, A Ghost in the Attic?

I just wanted to inform everyone that The Adventurist has become the #1 Adventure site according to Blogtoplist..under their “adventure” catagory.  That is a great honor that all of us should be proud of.

Some of you may be aware of this little button  found on this site in the right hand scrollbar.  This ranking pertains to the “Sports” in general catagory over at Blogtoplist, where we are now also in the top third of all sporting blogs being tracked.

On a lighter note, The Adventurist currently has some friends linking in from the Ghostbusters Props Forum….yep.  A forum about anything to do with the “Ghostbusters” movie series.  It seems that they have taken an interest in a story I published a few months back about a book I was reading by Peter Freuchen entitled “Adventures in the Arctic”.

They are discussing whether or not Eskimos use Urine to wash their hair–what this has to do with “Ghostbusters”, I have no idea, but I do know that it involves Bill Murray in some aspect, and something that he said during the movie.

To clarify any misconceptions out there, the information I took from this book is well over 50 years old.  This book is an Adventure classic and well worth the read, but as far as this stuff taking place here and now, in today’s time is hard to tell.

I will put up the link to this story here for those of you that dare, but I find it intriguing that this story has generated so much interest.  The Ghostbusters Forum is the third or fourth forum to pick up this topic in the last couple of months–and hold a discussion on such topic.  I find that quite humorous….and well, a little bit disturbing at the same time.  Haha.  Thanks for stopping by guys.  I will include your forum thread here as well:

The Ghostbusters Prop Forum

And the story being linked too:

Of Wife Swapping and Urine Shampoo…

Mount Kilimanjaro Through Peter Hillary’s Eyes

EverestNews.com has put up a great photographic journey to Mt. Kilimanjaro–as seen through the eyes of Peter Hillary.

Anyone who knows anything at all about mountains and/or mountain climbing will recognize that famous “Hillary” last name.  Peter Hillary is the son of Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to ever summit Mt. Everest.

Just to make sure that Peter wouldn’t be forever living in the limelight of his father, he has decided to do a few things himself along the way.  Peter has summited Everest on four seperate occasions..including once for a National Geographic Documentary.  Peter has also helped forge a new route to the South Pole and was also the first person to ever traverse the WHOLE Himalayan mountain range…

Enjoy the pics…

Park Young-Seok Seeking New Route up Everest’s Dangerous SW Face

ExplorersWeb is reporting some breaking news that Korean climber Park Young-Seok will be attempting to break a new route up Mt. Everest’s SW Face. 

Just two weeks ago, Young-Seok was evacuated in an attempt to cross the Bering Straight–but now he already has his eyes set on Everest.

The Dangerous SW Face has only been summitted a total of 15 times, with four others tragically dying in their attempt. 

Park will be leading a six-member team up the SW Face in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Korea’s first Everest summit.

Park is a world famous climber–having completed the first true Adventure Grandslam–he has summited all 14 -8,000 meter peaks…has traversed to both the North and South Poles, as well as completing the 7 Summits challenge.

This will be Park’s second ascent of Everest.

14 Year Old To Kick Off Seven Summits Quest

Pictured above (in the red shirt) is 14 year old Canadian Brandon Schupp.  Brandon is embarking on a journey that will hopefully land him on the 7 highest summits on 7 different continents, all in hopes of raising awareness and money for Canadian Children Fighting Cancer.

Brandon’s Quest had it’s beginnings last year as the 13 year old Schupp climbed the Mountain of Good Hope, a 10,000 foot peak in Canada, and dedicated each foot of the mountain to one kid with cancer.  The climb helped raise $140,000 last year for the Childhood Cancer Foundation.

2007 has sparked a new campaign, The Seven Summits.  Brandon is hoping to raise more than $1,000,000 on his quest to become the World’s Youngest Seven Summiter–and do so before he turns 18.  The previous record for the youngest person to summit all 7 of the highest peaks on the 7 continents currently belongs to a 20 year old.  If Schupp is successful he will also become the youngest Canadian to ever summit Mt. Everest as well.

In order to kick things off right, Brandon Schupp will be embarking upon three expeditions in 2007 alone.  Mt. Elbrus and Mt. Kilimajaro will start things off on a 21 day expedition beginning August 4–where he plans to try a back-to-back summit attempt of both of these peaks.  This expedition will be followed up on December 16, 2007 with another 21 day Expedition to Mt. Aconcagua.

The first three summit expeditions are currently going by the name of “Brandon’s Dream: Mountain of Hope”.  This Expedition plans to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $65,000 total and Brandon is currently embarking on a massive fundraising drive to help support his campaign for 2007.  Any extra money made will go directly to the Childhood Cancer Foundation.

If you might be interested in sponsoring Brandon for his upcoming 7 summits quest, you may find out more by going to www.brandonsdream.com .

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