The Expeditioner Aurora Expeditions’ Newsletter • August 2012
FROM THE HELM
WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? Does your Bucket List include an adventure of a lifetime off the beaten track and far from madding crowds? If that sounds like you, read on. Picture sipping tea as you gaze upon the world’s most revered mountains, your trekking boots beside you at the ready. Or forging north through Arctic ice aboard one of the world’s mightiest icebreakers, to take a hot air balloon ride directly over the North Pole. Or is a tropical locale higher on your list: snorkelling coral reefs in the crystal waters of Papua New Guinea; or whirling like a Dervish across the savannah of Australia’s northernmost tip? At Aurora Expeditions we believe there are certain places on earth that ought not to be missed. After many passionate debates we are tickled pink to announce our Bucket List, On top of the world Explore the North Pole
John Weller
In April we returned Akademik Shokalskiy to her owners due to a number of unforeseen circumstances. Despite our best endeavours to minimise impact, the return of this vessel created disruption for some passengers for which we are deeply sorry. Normal operations continue on our flagship Polar Pioneer which is presently making headway through the Arctic waters of Spitsbergen and Greenland. Ahead, we have another bumper Antarctic season to prepare for. With a bright outlook ahead, I am delighted to launch our carefully planned Aurora Partnership Program. The affiliations featured in this issue will continue to deliver our high standard of expeditions while offering you more of the world’s untamed reaches to explore. Goals to reduce our carbon footprint are now in place, with the decision to move towards electronic communications. By predominantly connecting with you via email rather than print, we can reduce our C02 emissions by a staggering 11.2 tonnes over the next twelve months. Please do sign up to receive our newsletters if you haven’t already done so. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Garry Darby for his long service on our Kimberley voyages and to wish him the very best for his retirement. In our Sydney office we bid a fond farewell to Ania Hart and Becky Wood, both of whom are heading off on maternity leave. I personally wish to thank you, our passengers, for your continued support of Aurora Expeditions. Your feedback has been wonderful and we at AE consider ourselves privileged to work in such a rewarding environment. LISA BOLTON, CEO, Aurora Expeditions
Tashi Tenzing
THE PAST months have certainly thrown their share of challenges our way, but having weathered the storm, we are delighted to launch an exceptional program for 2013 and beyond.
Mt Everest: a view worth sharing
showcasing Aurora Expeditions’ Adventures of a Lifetime. For a number of years Aurora Expeditions has worked closely with a select group of expedition companies who are closely aligned with the philosophies we hold dear: small groups, big adventures, fantastic itineraries and responsible travel. Our new Aurora Partnership Program brings together an elite group of trusted travel partners in order to open up the world’s premium travel destinations and offer you rare and extraordinary experiences. Turn the page to learn about several of the unordinary trips we have on offer. Beware: some are not for the faint hearted. Do check our website for the full range of adventures, including travel dates, prices and itineraries: www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/partners
BUCKET LIST: ADVENTURES OF A LIFETIME* continued from page 1
NORTH POLE: THE ULTIMATE ARCTIC ADVENTURE
Mt Everest memorial Stupa
THE NORTHERNMOST TIP OF AUSTRALIA
HEARD ISLAND
The tranquil waters of the Top End
King penguins, Atlas Cove, Heard Island
issues from the crater of Big Ben, Australia’s highest mountain and only active volcano. At this rarely visited Subantarctic outpost resides a bounty of wildlife: southern elephant seals, king penguins, gentoo, macaroni and rockhopper penguins. A wild and eerie environment that still houses artefacts from its sealing and pioneering days.
Robyn Mundy
Deep in the South Indian Ocean, 4,000 kms from Western Australia and 1,000 kms from the Antarctic continent, lies untamed Heard Island and adjacent McDonald Island. Experience glaciers alongside lava flows aboard the comfortable and sturdy Spirit of Enderby (sister ship to Polar Pioneer). In clear conditions, a molten glow and billow of smoke
lifeblood to the cattle stations and residents of savannah lands and tropical coastal towns. The waters of the Arafura Sea brim with marine and birdlife.
Courtesy of Coral Princess
Few people have encountered the coastline of Australia’s ‘Top End’ as it is locally known. This voyage combines the remote and arguably most pristine area of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, along with Cape York Peninsula, Arnhem Land and Cobourg Peninsula. Journey aboard our luxury vessel Coral Princess and follow Captain Cook’s voyage of discovery into the communities and cultures of the Aboriginal, Torres Strait and Tiwi Islands’ peoples. We will encounter ancient indigenous art showing the arrival of the first settlers, and marvel at the vibrant coral reefs. At the Top End, nature’s forces are all-encompassing: monsoons engorge rivers and floodplains to provide
EVEREST: DIAMOND JUBILEE TREKS Rhododendron and pine-scented forests open to reveal a wilderness of rock and ice. Prayer flags flutter above rooftops in Sherpa villages, and gold-tipped stupas decorate ancient monasteries, dwarfed by the highest and most sacred mountains on earth. Developed by Tashi Tenzing, one of Aurora Expeditions’ popular climbing guides and grandson to legendary Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the treks will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt Everest by Tenzing and Sir Edmund Hillary. Our partnership adventure takes us to the heart of the Everest region where, according to Himalayan myth, the Yeti once roamed. Hiking by day, or simply enjoying local culture and luxuriating in comfortable lodges by night, the program is customised for those wanting to combine high altitude adventure with creature comforts. The 60th Anniversary Treks take a minimum of 8 people and a maximum of 15 and departs in April, May, September and October 2013. *Aurora Expeditions’ Partnership Program is offered in combination with Coral Princess Cruises, Heritage Expeditions, Quark Expeditions and Tenzing Asian Holidays. Call Aurora Expeditions on +61 2 9252 1033 (freecall 1800 637 688 within Australia) or visit our website for detailed information on itineraries, travel dates and prices: www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/partners
Tashi Tenzing
Ania Hart
Champ Island in the Russian Arctic
Few can boast standing at the one spot on earth where all directions point south. Our voyage begins in Helsinki, Finland aboard Fifty Years of Victory, the world’s most sophisticated nuclear-powered icebreaker capable of crushing three-metre-thick ice. Enroute, an onboard helicopter extends our ability to visit ice-locked Franz Josef Land. The added excitement of an optional hot air balloon flight above the North Pole makes this adventure a true Bucket List experience.
ISLANDS ON THE EDGE
Undisputed King of the Arctic
LOVE IN A BROCH
Robyn Mundy
Inside the 5-metre thick walls of Mousa Broch
Eight hundred and fifty years ago a runaway couple fled the wrath of the lady’s kinsmen and found a refuge in an ancient tower built a thousand years earlier. He was an up-andcoming Viking named Erlund the Young. She, however, was a respectable lady, the mother of the Earl of Orkney. Erlund had asked her son Earl Harald for her hand in marriage, but this had been contemptuously denied. Undaunted, young Erlund waited until Earl Harald was away fighting on the mainland, and with a force of men abducted the unguarded Margaret from her home in Orkney. Where to take her? To the north on the tiny Shetland island of Mousa stood the shell of a broch, a magnificent and impregnable drystone tower built by an Iron Age chieftain, where, we are told, ‘everything had been made ready for her’. The runaway couple settled down there, along with Erlund’s warband. Soon enough, Earl Harald returned to Orkney. Beside himself with rage at the news of his mother’s elopement, he set off at full speed with his men, intent on killing Erlund. He laid siege to the broch and cut off all supplies, only to find it not so easy to extract the occupants. Erlund and Margaret were inside with Erlund’s men and plenty of provisions; Harald was outside with his men, unable to take the broch
by storm. Stalemate. However, most unusually for a Viking story, common sense finally prevailed. Erlund agreed to become Harald’s supporter and fight for him in all his endeavours, while Harald agreed to welcome Erlund into the family. And so came to pass that rarest of things in the Viking world: a happy ending. Margaret and Erlund are long gone but remarkably, the broch of Mousa remains today as it did back then, the island now occupied by wild birds and seals. Those of us lucky enough to visit the broch can stand inside its five metre-thick walls and marvel at the architecture, fondly remembering our Viking predecessors who lived, fought, and loved within its shadow. Surely such a story gives hope to older woman everywhere! For an even bigger Viking adventure, combine our two exciting Scotland expeditions – Wild Scotland and Across the Arctic Circle – and receive 15% off the total price of both voyages. To view our full 2013 Scotland and European Arctic programme, contact us or visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/arctic A 10% early bird offer applies to the first 10 bookings for each departure. Terms and conditions apply.
Del Blakeway
Robyn Mundy
Historian Carol Knott
Robyn Mundy
Norway’s coast is dotted with charming villages
ARCTIC 2013 From puffins to polar bears, our newly launched 2013 Arctic program spans the northern latitudes with a sensational new voyage, Across the Arctic Circle – Scotland, Norway and Spitsbergen. Relive Scotland and Arctic Norway’s powerful Nordic past as our vivacious historian Carol Knott regales us with Viking misadventures and territorial battles, mythology and sagas. Below, Carol shares one of the many legends she carries in her quiver, that of Mousa Broch, a remote and coveted site we plan to visit on our Wild Scotland voyage.
The Kimberley region is Australia’s wildest frontier, twice the size of the state of Victoria, with 2,500 offshore islands to explore. Step aboard our refurbished Coral Princess in 2013 for one of three freshly designed voyages: Broome to Darwin 27 May to 6 June and 17 to 27 June; Darwin to Broome 7 to 17 June.
As well as exploring the abundant bird and marine life that inhabits this dynamic coastline, our Kimberley voyages offer two new activities. We will be greeted by the traditional owners of the Wandjina area and invited on a cultural tour, with time to chat with aboriginal artists at their work, over a cup of tea and damper. We are also able to offer a half day barramundi fishing option to six keen fishermen, under the guidance of Peter Tucker, one of the Kimberley’s best known anglers. Download a Kimberley 2013 brochure at www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/kimberley
Wandjina Tours
DISCOVER THE KIMBERLEY COAST IN 2013
SMART SPRING DEALS – ANTARCTICA 2012
Booking a trip to Antarctica doesn’t have to be hard work. Our expedition experts have put together three all-inclusive packages for our first three Antarctica departures of the 2012 season. Simply tell us which expedition date works for you and we’ll do the rest.
As well as an unforgettable Antarctic voyage aboard our ice strengthened Polar Pioneer, you’ll enjoy leisure time in South America before and after your voyage. From the moment you leave home we’ll look after your international and domestic flights, your
Andrew Lan
I PICKED IT BECAUSE...
Kelp gull at Hydrurga Rocks in the South Shetlands
This year’s Antarctic Photography Competition medal goes to Andrew Lan, from his voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula aboard Polar Pioneer. Faced with a gallery of 285 worthy entries, the competition was judged by acclaimed New Zealand nature photographer Mark Jones. In Mark’s words, Andrew’s image stood out because ‘Sometimes more is communicated by illustrating less. This photograph is simply a beautiful image which feels like more than just an ignoble kelp gull set against clouds around
a mountain. The light is subtle…the position of the flying bird perfect, the focus is tack-sharp and highlighted with a rime of brightness that draws the eye to the vivid orange bill. The bird is clearly going somewhere which conjures a sense of place, yet it could be almost anywhere in Antarctica and imparts an aura of peace with which many Antarctic travellers can identify. We at Aurora Expeditions heartily congratulate Andrew on his prize-winning image and trust he enjoys his $1,000 prize.
Chimu Adventures
Colourful La Boca, Buenos Aires
transfers and hotel accommodation, plus sightseeing and tours. Those travelling to the ship through Argentina will enjoy the best of Buenos Aires with a city tour, a cruise through the leafy waterways of the Tigre Delta, a theatre dinner of heel-clicking tango, and further south, time-out to explore the natural wonders of Tierra Del Fuego. Those travelling through Chile to Punta Arenas will head south of Santiago to Valle del Maipo, Chile’s oldest and most famous wine producing area. We’ll take a trip to Valparaiso, Chile’s oldest port, and from there head to the popular beach resort of Vina del Mar where elegant hotels, restaurants and parks offer the flavour of the French Riviera. Our all-inclusive prices start from AUD$10,000 per person and apply to 2012 Antarctic Peninsula voyages departing 26 November, 6 and 14 December. For more information phone us on +61 2 9252 1033 or click on www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/ antarcticapackage
SOUTHERN LIGHT In the summer of 2009 Australian photographer David Neilson ventured to the Ross Sea with Aurora Expeditions. David’s new book Southern Light is a stunning collection of his Antarctic and Subantarctic images—the culmination of six journeys to the south. Other regions highlighted in the collection are the Antarctic Peninsula, East Antarctica, South Georgia and Macquarie Island. Southern Light: Images from Antarctica, RRP $98, is available from Australian bookshops or online from www.snowgumpress.com.au
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE
Paul Mallam
Port Lockroy, the former British base now a museum and post office
In 2011 Peter McMahon and Paul Mallam joined Aurora Expeditions for a memorable voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Their recent photographic exhibition documents that voyage to convey the raw and alien sense of the Antarctic. Many of their photographs foreground the contradiction of Antarctica which, while standing as a vast forbidding continent, is falling victim to global warming. The exhibition, held in May, was part of the Head On Sydney Photography Festival. More of Paul and Peter’s images can be seen at www.terrainphotography.com
ADVENTURERS OF THE YEAR Stalwart Greens politician Bob Brown received the Lifetime of Conservation Award. Tasmanian adventurer, Don McIntyre, won the AG Society’s Lifetime of Adventure Award. Winning the Spirit of Adventure award, James Castrission and Justin Jones skied a gruelling 2,275km across Antarctica. They joined Norwegian Aleksander Gamme as the first to travel unsupported from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole and back on foot.
Lisa Bolton presents the award medal to Pat Farmer
ANTARCTICA 2013–2014 LAUNCHED!
Robyn Mundy
Climb to the perfect viewpoint
Chad Massey
The Australian Geographic Society Adventurer of the Year Award, established in 1985, is Australia’s longest running award for adventure. This year the award was sponsored by Aurora Expeditions, and CEO Lisa Bolton was proud to present the winning medal to marathon runner Pat Farmer. Pat arrived home in February following his epic journey from the North Pole to the South Pole, an undertaking that rates as one of the country’s great endurance feats.
NEW PROGRAM, MORE OPTIONS • Early Bird Offer of 10% discount on bookings made by 30th September 2012 • Voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Weddell Sea • More fly and sail options (eliminating one ocean crossing) • Comfortable 54-passenger ice-strengthened ship, Polar Pioneer • Small, low-impact groups • Expert guides, naturalists and historians • Sea kayaking, scuba diving, camping • South Georgia alpine crossing • Photography workshops Check our website for itineraries and rates and reserve your place for the Antarctic adventure of a lifetime. www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/antarctica
VALE LINCOLN HALL Lincoln’s climbing career spanned three decades and included a first ascent of Antarctica’s Mt Minto. In 1987 he received the Order of Australia for service to mountaineering. In 2010 he won the Australian Geographic Society’s Lifetime of Adventure award. Devoted husband and father, Lincoln lived and wrote in his beloved Blue Mountains’ home. The author of eight books, his most recent, Dead Lucky, is an account of life after death on Mount Everest. Lincoln passed away from mesothelioma in March at the age of 56. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Barbara, Dylan and Dorje.
Courtesy Random House Publishers
Mountaineer, adventurer, writer, Buddhist, philanthropist, friend and hero, Lincoln Hall lived life to the uttermost. Once a familiar figure on our Antarctic climbing voyages, Lincoln established an international reputation in 1984 when, along with Aurora Expeditions’ founder Greg Mortimer, he formed part of the first Australian expedition to climb Mount Everest. It wasn’t until Lincoln’s second attempt in 2006 that he stood atop the world’s tallest peak, a feat that made headlines when on his descent he suffered altitude sickness. Unable to be revived and assumed dead, Lincoln miraculously survived a night on his own on the mountain at 8,700 metres, before returning to safety.
2012–2014 VOYAGE CALENDAR 2012
Code
Destination
Activities
Ship
Nov 10–26
ASG45
South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking / Photography
PP
Nov 26–Dec 6
EAP25
Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking / Camping / Climbing / Photography
PP
Dec 6–14
ANP85
Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking / Camping/ Photography
PP
Dec 14–22
ANP86
Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking / Camping
PP
Dec 22–31
ANP87
Antarctic Peninsula – Christmas
Kayaking / Camping
PP
Dec 31–Jan 10
ANP88
Antarctic Peninsula – New Year
Kayaking / Camping
PP
2013
Code
Destination
Activities
Ship
Jan 10–26
ASG46
Antarctic Peninsula & South Georgia
Kayaking
PP
Jan 26–Feb 11
ASG47
South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking
PP
Feb 11–22
EAP26
Across the Circle
Kayaking / Diving
PP
Feb 22–Mar 5
ANP89
Weddell Sea & Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking
PP
Mar 5–24
ASG48
South Georgia & Weddell Sea
Kayaking / Shackleton Crossing
PP
May 24–June 5
HER1322
The Ring of Fire – Kamchatka, Commander and Kuril Islands
May 27–June 6
KIM48
Kimberley Coast – Broome to Darwin
June 5–21
HER1324
The Sea of Okhotsk
June 7–17
KIM49
Kimberley Coast – Darwin to Broome
Fishing / Helicopter Flight
CP
June 17–27
KIM50
Kimberley Coast – Broome to Darwin
Fishing / Helicopter Flight
CP
June 19–July 2
QEX01
The Ultimate Arctic Adventure
Hot Air Ballooning / Helicopter Flight
YV
June 21–July 4
HER1326
In the Wake of Bering – In Search of the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper
June 23–July 3
SCOT09
Wild Scotland – Islands on the Edge
June 30–July 13
QEX02
The Ultimate Arctic Adventure
July 3–16
SNS02
Across the Arctic Circle – Scotland, Norway & Spitsbergen
July 16–26
SVAL33
July 26–Aug 5
NEW
SE
NEW
Fishing / Helicopter Flight
CP SE
NEW
NEW
SE
NEW
Kayaking
PP
Hot Air Ballooning / Helicopter Flight
YV
Kayaking
PP
Spitsbergen Odyssey
Kayaking
PP
SVAL34
Spitsbergen Odyssey
Kayaking
PP
Aug 5–18
GRN22
Jewels of the Arctic – Spitsbergen, Greenland & Iceland
Kayaking
PP
Aug 18–31
GRN23
Jewels of the Arctic – Iceland, Greenland & Spitsbergen
Kayaking
PP
Aug 21–Sept 4
HER1334
Across the Top of the World
Aug 31–Sept 10
SVAL35
Spitsbergen Odyssey
Sept 4–15
HER1336
Jewel of the Russian Far East
Sept 26–Oct 21
PNG12
Papua New Guinea Circle
Oct 11–22
DC11CP
Cape York and Arnhem Land Voyage
Nov 9–23
ANF01
Scientific Antarctica
Nov 23–Dec 11
ASG53
Dec 11–20
NEW NEW
SE
NEW
Kayaking
PP SE
NEW
OD
NEW
CP
NEW
Photography
PP
South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking
PP
ANP97
A Taste of Antarctica
Kayaking / Camping
PP
Dec 20–29
ANP98
Christmas in Antarctica
Kayaking / Camping
PP
Dec 29–Jan 9
ANP99
New Year's Eve in Antarctica
Kayaking / Camping
PP
2014
Code
Destination
Activities
Ship
Jan 9–25
ASG54
Antarctic Peninsula & South Georgia
Kayaking
PP
Jan 25–Feb 10
ASG55
South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula
Kayaking
PP
Feb 10–19
ANP100
Across the Antarctic Circle
Kayaking
PP
Feb 19–28
ANP101
Across the Antarctic Circle
Kayaking
PP
Feb 28–Mar 11
ANP102
Weddell Sea Explorer
Kayaking
PP
Mar 11–30
ASG56
In Shackleton's Footsteps
Kayaking / Shackleton Crossing
PP
NEW
PP: Polar Pioneer – SE: Spirit of Enderby – CP: Coral Princess – YV: 50 Years of Victory – OD: Oceanic Discoverer Aurora Expeditions – Level 3, 13-15 Bridge Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia Aurora Expeditions’ Newsletter printed August 2012 • Editor: Robyn Mundy • Design: Grin Creative www.grincreative.com.au