PLEASURE CRUISE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 8 December 1930, Page 10

PLEASURE CRUISE

AN ANTARCTIC PROJECT

SUMMER IN ROSS SEA

(From "The Post's" Representative.) - LONDON, 31st October. Lieutenant-Commander J. B. Stenhouse, who commanded Shaekleton's ship Aurora in the 1914 expedition, has taken commodious offices in the Haymarket, and is organising a pleasure cruise to the Antarctic Many of the schemes set on foot by the Antarctic explorers come to nothing. This, however, seems to be found on a good commercial basis. The Stella Polaris, according to the time-table which, has been drawn out, should reach Auckland on Sunday, 25th January, and sail again late on the Monday night. In the interval, the passengers will make a hurried trip to Botorua. There are probably New Zealanders who have sailed on the 6000-ton motor yacht Stella Polaris. It was specially built by the B. and N. Line for tourist work in the Norwegian Fiords, in the Mediterranean, and in the Far East. Among other things, it is constructed to resist ice pressure. There is accommodation for 198 passengers, and the ship is arranged primarily for comfort and luxury. The intention is to leave Southampton on 10th December, and journey to New York, Havana, Panama, Tahiti, and Auckland. The ship will then penetrate south to the Great Ice Barrier, within 700 miles of the South Pole. It will be the first passenger ship to cross the Antarctic circle. The destination of the cruise will be the Bay of Whales, in the great Boss Barrier, at which Amundsen and Byrd made their bases and from which they started on their journeys to the South Pole. During the seven days' cruise in the Boss Sea, the ship will proceed, ice conditions permitting, to M'Murdo Sound, from where Scott and Shaekleton started their epic journeys. Visits will also be made to the huts in which they wintered at Hut Point, Cape Evans; and Cape Boyds. The whaling fleets will also be seen in operation. The homeward journey is by way of Hobart, Sydney, Java, Colombo, Bombay, and the Suez Canal. COMMANDER WORSLEY ICE PILOT. Lieutenant - Commander Stenhouse has been working for this cruise since he brought back the Discovery from South Georgia. He was five years in the employ of the Government, preparing for the whale research expedition, and afterwards in charge of it. He has gathered round him now a small party of Antarctic navigators. The New Zealander, Commander F. A. Worsley, is to be his ice pilot, and will take the Stella Polaris in the path followed by tho pioneer explorers. Commander Stenhouse hoped to get a ship of his own for the expedition, but he has probably done better by making arrangements with the B. and N. Line for the Stella Polaris. He will be director of the expedition on board, but Captain Ellef sen I will command the ship, and the latter will have under him a Norwegian crew. The relationship of director and captain has been carefully set down in the articles of agreement, tile director having the right to dictate when and where the ship shall go. Commander Stenhouse tells me that, although the expedition is primarily for profit, he has his mind set on scientific matters. "There is so much to be done down there," he said. "There . arc 7000 miles of coastline yet to be explored and surveyed, for on-c thing. There are meteorological matters to be attended to. I have no doubt that a meteorological station will be established there sooner or later. "Another thing: it is one of the healthiest places in the world. We never got colds except on occasions when a new case of clothing was opened. The place is as nearly aseptic as it is possible to be, and it is the greatest zone of health in the world. The time will come when sanatoria will be established there."

It is expected that passengers for the cruise (which will cost from £500 to £1400) will come from the countries of Europe and from America. Commander Stenhouse hopes to mako it an annual trip.