ARLA/CLUSTER: DXpedition à Ilha de Bouvet em 2018 será provavelmente a mais cara jamais tentada, sendo que a equipa operacional comprometeu-se a financiar até 50% dos custos.

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

A ilha Bouvet é uma possessão norueguesa na extremidade sul do Oceano
Atlântico. A Ilha Bouvet é a mais isolada ilha desabitada do Mundo,
estando localizada
a mais de 1.600 km da Terra da Rainha Maud, na Antárctida, que é o
pedaço de terra
mais próximo.
Além da Antárctida, as outras distâncias a partir de Bouvet são ainda maiores,
chegando a 1.835 km até a ilha Gough, no território britânico de Santa
Helena, Ascensão e Tristão da Cunha; a 1.852 km até a Ilha Montagu, no
também território britânico das Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul; a
2.498 km até ao Cabo da Boa Esperança, na �frica do Sul; e a 2.504 km até à 
ilha Marion, no arquipélago sul-africano das Ilhas do Príncipe Eduardo.

O custo de tamanha aventura, é sempre astronómico, sendo esta será
provavelmente a DXpedition mais cara jamais tentada sendo que a equipa
operacional comprometeu-se a financiar até 50% dos custos.


Bouvet Island DXpedition

The Bouvet Island DXpedition team (3Y0Z), is pleased to make an important
announcement about our transportation plans to Bouvet Island.

>From the beginning, we have worked with Nigel Jolly to secure safe,
reliable, and affordable transportation to Bouvet. We both have struggled
with the costs involved in getting Nigel's ship and a helicopter from New
Zealand to the tip of South America to begin the voyage to Bouvet.

Together, we have been working to find alternatives while Nigel's vessel,
the Claymore II stood ready for our use if we could not find a suitable
alternative. We are announcing today that we have found an alternate vessel
that eliminates the repositioning costs and at the same time adds
additional margins of safety for our team.

DAP, a Chilean maritime and aviation company that took some of us to Peter
I in 2006, recently acquired a vessel that is perfect for our DXpedition to
Bouvet. This company also has a fleet of 16 helicopters.

Bob, K4UEE, and George, N4GRN, have just returned from Punta Arenas, Chile,
where they inspected the vessel, the helicopters and discussed our
requirements with DAP. Nigel Jolly supplied us with a checklist to be used
while inspecting DAP's vessel and helicopter capabilities.

Based on our observations, and our discussions, and based on DAP's
reputation and our personal history with DAP; we feel we have found a sound
alternative and optimum means of transportation to Bouvet. DAP's ship is
somewhat larger than Nigel's vessel, and they have offered us two
helicopters instead of only one. They are both medium duty, twin engine
BO-105 helicopters. We will also have two pilots and mechanics with years
of Antarctic flying experience.
The ship is being re-fitted with a hanger to house those two helicopters
during transit and poor weather conditions..
The vessel's Captain and crew have sailed the vessel for many years and
have been retained by DAP. Interestingly, one of the crew members that will
accompany us to Bouvet is Alejo Contreras Staeding. He is a well known
Antarctic explorer, guide, glaciologist and adventurer. We met him in 2006
on the way to Peter I. We are extremely pleased to have him join us.

We have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with DAP and a formal contract is
being drafted. We will review that contract with Nigel, and expect to sign
it soon. This is an important step, as the new vessel and the capabilities
of DAP will fully complement our team.
This is a winning partnership that helps assure not only safety for our
team, but an excellent chance of a very successful DXpedition under the
extreme circumstances we are expecting.

Our departure will be approximately mid-January, 2018, possibly sailing to
Bouvet from King George Island. We expect 9-11 day voyage to Bouvet.
When the weather allows, we will land on the island by helicopter. Our
first priority will be to inspect the terrain, select a site clear of
crevasses and establish our shelters stocked with emergency supplies.
Once secured, we will bring the rest of our equipment ashore and commence
radio operations as soon as possible.
We expect to be at Bouvet for 21 days, and allowing for weather, hope to be
on the air for 14-16 days.

This is likely the most expensive DXpedition ever attempted and the
operating team has committed to fund up to 50% of the costs. We are hopeful
the DX community will fund the remainder. You may follow our planning
progress and see our fund-raisings results on our website www.bouvetdx.org.

73,


*Ralph-K0IRBob-K4UEEErling-LA6VM*
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