Re-born Fishing Boat To Haul Mawson's Anchors From The Deep

The Age

Saturday November 15, 2003

Peter Barrett

See the four-time Antarctic veteran, the RV Dick Smith Explorer, before it makes another journey to southern climes.

Dick Smith and his wife, Pip, will recommission the vessel in the traditional way by breaking a bottle of champagne across her bow tomorrow at Melbourne Maritime Museum.

Originally built as a fishing vessel, the ship, which also has a V12 diesel engine, will sail to the Antarctic in December with a crew of 12, including scientists.

The crew will try to locate and salvage anchors lost from Mawson's ship the Aurora in Commonwealth Bay while buffeted by fierce blizzards during its 1911-14 expedition.

The mission is sponsored by non-profit organisation Oceanic Research Foundation, and according to spokesman John Buxton, locating the anchors won't be easy, given that the ship's magnetometers will be affected by the south pole's magnetic pull. ``We've done a lot of research on the diaries of the captain of the ship and we've reduced the search to a fairly confined area, but even so, Commonwealth Bay is littered with metal and it won't be an easy task."

The Oceanic Research Foundation will also be marking its 26th anniversary tomorrow.

The official renaming, which includes a gun salute by the Military Re-enactment Society, will take place at 1.30pm but the day starts from noon with entertainment for kids, a seafood buffet and barbecue, a jazz band and a complimentary glass of wine on arrival. -- Peter Barrett

THE DETAILS

Located at the Melbourne Maritime Museum, home of the Polly Woodside, Lorimer Street, Southbank (Melway map 2E, reference K9). Adults cost $49 and children under 18 are $15. Bookings essential on 0409 932 740. For more information about the Oceanic Research Foundation visit www.orf.i.net.au.

For more on the Melbourne Maritime Museum phone 9699 9760.

The website www.coolantarctica.com recounts Mawson's 1911-14 mission to Antarctica.