Endurance Found

 Some of you will know that I spent 1985 in the Antarctic on a scientific expedition. This was the 26th annual South African Expeedition - SANAE 26.  I had a wonderful time exploring one of the most fascinating parts of planet earth. A few weeks ago I wrote about the search for the wreckage of Endurance captained byone of Antarctica's greatest explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and I mentioned that they were using the latest ship from the SANAE fleet, SA Aghulas II. On the 10th March 2022 the wreck was found on the sea floor and it was remarkably well preserved. 

The Endurance after over 100 years under the sea

Some of you will know that I spent 1985 in the Antarctic on the SANAE III base which is now buried under the snow. I experienced the full effects of the Antarctic seasons from 24hr daylight  to 24hr dark in the winter.

During the time in a world largely cut-off from the world, except for radio contact, Antarctica begins to seep into your bones and you begin to understand the amazing courage and determination of the earlier explorers. They endured hardships that were unimaginable to a South African boy. They were strong minded and skilful, when it seemed impossible to continue they found a way. Even after their ship sank before their eyes, they found a way to continue; dragging a lifeboat with supplies across the frozen sea t the nearest point of safety and by using the lifeboat to set off to where there was a possibility of finding a rescue. Shackleton was able to lead his men and keep them motivated to stay alive and succeed.

 

Some of the scenery from our 1985 expedition 

Icebergs trapped in the frozen sea

In the blue shadow of an iceberg

The spring sunshine through clouds on the horizon provide a moody light 

Exploring the iceshelf  at-30deg 

Looking back inland with our caravan on sleds ove the bukta

Cry for the age of truth

 I wept today. I wept at the pictures of destruction of Ukraine. I wept at the lies of the Russian government and the suppression of truth. Dictators around the world smile and grow strong when they see how easy it is to suppress truth and subjugate a population. Dictators in  Eritrea  Uganda, North Korea  Zimbabwe and hostile governments like China, Venezuela  and Eritrea are happy to see Russian deception and violence succeed. 

I wept to see a world stand by while the playground bully uses his strength to force his will on others and to cause unnecessary suffering. When will we learn that if we tolerate this, that we will be next?

Putin is Insane

 When the world faces existential issues which threaten our future - selfish, aggressive men in Russia and cowardly, short term, leaders in the west fail the world and destroy our future. The war in Ukraine and the subsequent impact on every aspect of life, will touch the lives of everyone. This pointless destruction and the deliberate killing and detonation of a country will impact food and fuel supply and cause carbon levels in the atmosphere to spin out of control.

We ignored Putin's ranting, the words were all there, his plan has never changed. The world has reacted by standing by and watching, while a country and people are bombed to nothing. We are afraid to antagonise him and have not directly intervened to save lives. So we prove him right we value our own prosperity more than the lives of the Ukrainian people.

We have not learned that you can't stand back when a madman threatens you have to step forward and stop him.