Greenpeace delayed by ice at Ross Island

Press, 16 January 1986, Page 6

Greenpeace delayed by ice at Ross Island

NZPA-AAP Sydney The Greenpeace mission to Antarctica has been thrown nearly two weeks behind schedule by the impenetrable ice pack that crushed the British ship Southern Quest on Saturday night. The Greenpeace co-ordi-nator, Peter Wilkinson, speaking from aboard their converted tug Greenpeace, said yesterday that the vessel was steaming north away from packed ice that surrounds Ross Island. Mr Wilkinson said they had planned to reach the island by January 8 to set

up a winter base. However, they could be delayed for several more weeks, as the crew wait for the ice pack to clear before again turning south toward Ross Island. Mr Wilkinson said weather conditions in the Ross Sea were clear, and morale on board had not suffered greatly as a result of the setback, or the long waiting period. “There is a lot of work to be done around the tug, or we can catch up on reading, listening to music, and the views out here are spectacular,” he said

Supplies on board were sufficient to last at least another month, and they were still determined to reach Ross Island. “In another three weeks or so, if we are still here, we’ll have to look seriously at whether Ross Island is still viable, but we are optimistic,” he said. The Greenpeace set off on her three-month round trip in December to encourage the Antarctic Treaty nations to declare -the region a world park. Ice conditions in the area are reportedly the worst in 20 years.