Agulhas Voyage 140

Ross Hofmeyr

SA Agulhas — Antarctic Relief Expedition, Voyage 140 4 December 2007 – 2 January 2008 (provisional) Cape Town, South Africa → Bouvet Island → RSA Bukta, Antarctica Role: Ship’s Doctor / Expedition Medical Officer Outbound voyage aboard the SA Agulhas for the SANAE 47 Antarctic overwintering expedition. Departed Cape Town on 4 December 2007, proceeding into the Southern Ocean via Bouvet Island, where a scientific party was landed while I remained aboard providing medical support. Continued south through extensive Antarctic pack ice, encountering exceptionally difficult conditions, prolonged delays and periods of little or no progress. Eventually reached the RSA Bukta ice-shelf unloading area around Christmas Day, where cargo unloading and helicopter transfers to SANAE IV commenced. Remained aboard throughout the passage, providing shipboard medical services, before transferring to SANAE IV for the overwintering expedition. Distance: Approximately 2,444 NM reconstructed minimum (not actual ship’s logged distance). Historical record: Route reconstructed from NASA AERONET observations and contemporaneous AntarcticDoctor expedition diary. Disembarkation provisionally dated 2 January 2008, based on planned helicopter transfer recorded on 1 January.