Chill out and embrace our Antarctic festival
IT may be a poor pun, but the next Australian Antarctic Festival in Hobart is certainly hotting up as August approaches.
The biennial festival, produced by the Mawson’s Huts Foundation, will be held on Hobart’s waterfront from August 2-5.
Organisers are calling for volunteers to be involved in a variety of events.
People are also invited to participate in a competition to gather memories of Australia’s stalwart expedition ship Aurora Australis, which is due to be retired soon.
Photographers have until June 29 to participate in the popular Australian Antarctic Photography Competition.
The director of the Australian Antarctic Festival, Paul Cullen, said entries had been received from as far afield as China and Germany.
Despite the early interest from near and far, Mr Cullen encouraged any interested photographers to enter.
“Professional and amateur photographers are invited to submit photographs that convey the natural beauty and excitement of the Southern Ocean, the sub-Antarctic Islands and continental Antarctica, taken during the past three years,” he said.
“Prizemoney of $5000 is on offer for the first prize, $2000 for the second prize and $500 for the People’s Choice Award.
“Importantly, all photographers retain copyright to their images.”
Mr Cullen said competition finalists would have their photographs professionally printed and mounted for a stunning display at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart from August 2-19.
Photographers wishing to submit work can find a link to the terms and conditions of the Australian Antarctic Photography Competition, as well as technical requirements, on the festival website at www.antarcticfestival.com.au THE Australian Antarctic Festival will be the final chance for the public to farewell the Antarctic icebreaker Aurora Australis.
Festival chairman David Jensen said there would be public tours of the ship and the CSIRO research vessel Investigator during the festival.
Bookings for the tours will open in July.
The Aurora Australis is to be replaced by Australia’s new Antarctic icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, which is under construction by the Dutch shipbuilder Damen and due to arrive in Hobart in 2020.
“The Aurora Australis has been the primary supply lifeline to Australia’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations carrying expeditioners, equipment and provisions to and from Antarctica since 1989,” Mr Jensen said.
“As well as being the central platform of Australia’s Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific research, the ship has been a familiar sight in Hobart, regularly berthed alongside Princes Wharf.
“There are hundreds of expeditioners who have journeyed south on the Aurora, and we are offering them the opportunity to share with the world their memories of the ‘AA’ in the lead-up to the Australian Antarctic Festival.
“We’re also interested in stories told by those who waved from the dockside as a partner, parent, son or daughter sailed off for the ice, or came home again after a long Antarctic season.
“Prizes for the best stories are exclusive pre-release double passes to tour the ship during the Australian Antarctic Festival. These will be the hottest tickets in town when bookings open in July.
“As the Antarctic Festival comes around every two years, there may not be another chance for the public to tour the ship.”
Details are now available on the festival website at www.antarcticfestival.com.au, where expeditioners can also upload their most memorable Aurora Australis moments. THE Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania’s most prestigious perpetual trophy for the season is the Governor’s Cup, with SB20 sailor Michael Cooper the winner for the 2017-18 sailing season.
The club sailing committee provides recommendations, but the ultimate choice is that of the Past Commodores.
The Cup, for outstanding yachting achievement, was awarded at last Sunday’s prize-giving lunch, with Commodore Tracy Matthews saying: “This year the list of nominees was long, which illustrates what a great year of sailing and success the nominees enjoyed.”
She announced the three finalist as Michael Cooper, Brett Cooper and Matthew Bugg, with Michael the final choice for his successes in the SB20 class overseas and on the Derwent.
Other major perpetual trophies presented were —
Past Commodores’ Trophy for services to yachting: The SB20 volunteers team of more than 40 members in recognition of the massive effort in conducting the SB20 nationals, pre-worlds and world championship.
Lesley Cooper Memorial for outstanding service to the club: Michael Rouhliadeff.
Commodore’s Trophy for the most outstanding youthful participant: Sam King.
John Hyslop Memorial for the outstanding female sailor of the year: The Athena Sailing Program.
FINAL-RACE wins clinched overall victories in four of the six divisions of the Derwent Sailing Squadron Autumn Short-Handed Series on Sunday.
With the five races sailed in mostly light and at times very light breezes, the lightdisplacement boats did well in overall results.
Winning the last race hinged on finding a private breeze in the fluky conditions, but the pointscore leaders continued their successes in fleet and handicap results.
Tom McDonald’s Elliott 7 Whoopidido started the series with a win and ended with another first place to take out Division 2 (spinnaker) by two points from Trouble (Mark Millhouse).
Only two boats raced in Division 1, with the Farr 40 War Games (Wayne BanksSmith) proving too slippery for ocean racer Oskana (Michael Pritchard), winning every encounter.
The J24 Zest (Matt Westland) was another lastrace winner, taking out Division 4 (spinnaker) from Serenity (Graham Hall), which placed second on a countback from Epoxy Warrior (Mattieu Mongin).
The husband and wife crew of the I550 Dynamo, Steve and Trina Davidson, notched up their third outright win in Division 5 (non-spinnaker) to score a narrow overall win from Rotary (Norm Brundle).
Olivia Sutherland steered Silver Mist to first place in the final race for Division 3 (nonspinnaker), but the second and third placegetters finished at the top of the leaderboard.
The Young 88 Jigaw (Scott Morrison) won the series by three points from Wildfire (David Berechree).
There were no starters in the final race for Division 6 (SB20s), with Greg Rowlings in Piste winning the series from Wicked (Nick Rogers) and Mind Games (Phil Reid).