[Dx-qsl] Heard Island Update

[MG]

"VK0EK HEARD ISLAND DXPEDITION NEWS. Rich, KY6R, posted the following on 
February 15th [edited]: EXPEDITION LEADER GOES DOWN UNDER TO COORDINATE 
THE PROJECT -- Expedition Organizer/Leader Dr. Robert Schmieder is on a 
2-week multi-stop trip to New Zealand, Tasmania, and Australia to 
coordinate plans, permits, and logistics for the expedition. His first 
stop was to see Peter Hillary (son of Sir Edmund Hillary) in Auckland 
(see picture at: 
<http://www.heardisland.org/HD_images/HD_people/IMG_3552_crop_640.jpg>). 
Bob was hosted for several days by team member Jacky Calvo ZL3CW. They 
were able to meet with other radio amateurs who will provide support for 
the expedition, including Gary/ZL2IFB, Chris/ZL2DX, and Lee/ZL2AL, who 
will serve as a radio pilot for the DXpedition. In Christchurch, Bob met 
with Rodney Russ of Heritage Expeditions (who is providing the vessel), 
and in Kingston, Tasmania, he met with staff at the Australian Antarctic 
Division (who will issue the permits). Bob reports that these meetings 
went very well, and there is every expectation that the expedition can 
go forward as planned. In particular, the contract for the vessel is in 
hand, and Heritage indicated they can help with certain facilities and 
logistics that will save the expedition some expenses. The AAD indicated 
that the expedition can expect to receive permission to visit areas of 
the island normally off-limits to visitors, and to make collections of 
organisms and return with them for laboratory analysis. These activities 
are critical to the expedition’s goal of “Discovering Life in the 
Extremes,” so this step gives assurance that the major objec- tives of 
the expedition can be met. In Christchurch, Bob met with team member 
Martin Budd, son of legendary Heard Island explorer Grahame Budd, (also 
a member of the expedition team). Team member Rohan Clarke came from 
Melbourne for the meeting with the AAD in Kingston, Tasmania, and they 
also met with Eric Woehler, expert on Heard Island and an important 
advisor to the expedition. Bob will also be meeting with staff at the 
University of Tasmania, including Jodi Fox, who will be doing her PhD 
thesis on the geology of the Laurens Peninsula. In a few days, Bob 
travels to Sydney to meet with Grahame Budd and with other Australian 
team members, including John Weigle and Glen Pacey. He will also make an 
important side trip to Perth to coordinate the local (Fremantle) support 
team. It is clear that this trip was an essential step to solidify the 
formal structure of the expedition and the coordination of the team. 
“Now,” Bob says, in a flight metaphor, “We have an approved flight plan. 
The next steps are to assemble the cargo, suit up the crew, and prepare 
for take- off in November!”
(Extract from:

The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 1203
February 23, 2015)