Czech-Polish expedition sets off for Antarctica

A sailing boat with a Czech-Polish expedition left the port of Hobart, the Tasmanian capital, in the early hours of Thursday and set off for the Bay of Whales in Antarctica´s Ross Sea. It is the southernmost destination to be ever reached by a yacht, Jaroslav Žák told the Czech News Agency. Žák is a member of the Czech Antarctic Polar Fund in support of Antarctic research, whose co-founder Dušan Jamný is representing the Czech Republic in the expedition itself. The voyage to the Bay of Whales is expected to take about 100 days. In the past, the bay served as a launching spot for expeditions in Antarctica, including Roald Amundsen’s. Yachts are prevented from sailing far southwards by the frozen and stormy sea. It is an area where mainly icebreakers operate. The southernmost place ever reached by a yacht is the 77 degree and 51 minute latitude. Due to the ice cover, numerous icebergs and adverse weather, the Ross Sea is considered one of the least accessible in the world.

Author: Jan Velinger