BaceB EEXXPPLLOORREERR’’SS GGAAZZEETTTTEE Published Quarterly in Pensacola, Florida USA for the Old Antarctic Explorers Association Uniting All OAEs in Perpetuating the Memory of United States Involvement in Antarctica Volume 20, Issue 3 Old Antarctic Explorers Association, Inc Jul-Sep 2020 Photo Kimberley Kiska South Polar Skuas display to each other over food and territory Migration Mysteries Of Antarctic Frequent Flyers By Mark Horstman To do this, seabird biologists Kimberley Kliska and AAD Medias Marcus Salton spent part of the 2019/20 summer near hile South Polar Skuas do like to eat penguin chicks, Mawson research station attaching 18 geolocator devices to Wthey’re often unfairly pigeon-holed as thuggish baby- small leg bands on the birds. eating bullies. The migration routes of the gull-like South Polar Skuas These tenacious birds are actually talented survivors that (Catharacta maccormicki) are amongst the longest for any venture where others dare not go, with some of the longest bird, with annual journeys of more than 10,000 kilometres migration routes on record. between their feeding and breeding grounds. New Australian Antarctic Division research aims to “They’ve been tracked migrating between Polar Regions, reveal more about the winter destinations of these long- from Antarctica all the way to Greenland and Northern distance travelers and their important ecological role. Alaska,” said Mr. Salton. Continued on Page 4 E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 20, I S S U E 3 J U L S E P 2 0 2 0 being VP, I will continue as Membership Database P R E S I D E N T ’ S C O R N E R Administrator, and need to get back to learning more Ed Hamblin—OAEA President about website administration to help Gabby. On the way TO ALL OAEs—I hope all of you were out the door, I also particularly want to thank John West, able to cobble a decent summer together, in Bill Rouzer, and Marty Diller…these are the members of spite of what we have been facing. I for one the Executive Committee who have helped me stay am very glad to see it in the rear view straight! mirror; summer wasn’t all it could have The best to all of you, and thank you for your continued support of the OAEA. been. We operate on money received from new Ed Hamblin memberships and donations both to fund the cost of operations and for scholarship awards. Donations are tax exempt and are always welcome; we provide acknowledgement letters for tax use. Thanks to Life Member Ms. Barb Orr for her recent generous $1000.00 donation. Other donors this past quarter: Michael Olin, OAEA-NE Chapter, Donna Oliver, Lesley Urasky, Gene Lostroh, Gail Brow, Charlotte Dieckhoff, John Allerding, and David Ellefson. Thank all of you! The big OAEA news has been the election for new GROWLERS & BERGY BYTES officers. It was a struggle for us to fill the open slots for Feature Stories, Odds & Ends, Collected, Compiled, nomination this year; we just made our “quota” (7 needed Edited, & Written by Billy-Ace Penguin Baker to fill the various positions, and 7 signed and mailed self- Page nominations received) and that took some salesmanship and work to find people willing to serve. Heartfelt thanks Cover StoryFrequent Flyers…………………………1, 4 to all you who stepped forward. Because doing a regular Chesapeake, VA—President’s Corner………………… ...2 election process this year would have been nothing more Near & Far—Luxury Camps……………………………. .3 than an expensive paperwork exercise, I felt it necessary Pensacola, FL—Gus Shinn’s Birthday……………………7 to explore other possibilities; which resulted in a change Here & There—Feedback & Letters to the Editor……..10 to the bylaws in that when there are just enough nominees Here & There—More Feedback From Dog Man……….13 to fill the slots, that the Board of Directors can approve Jacksonville, FL—100-Year-Old Remembers The Ice…17 the nominees as the new officers. Normally, new officers Navarre, FL—Antarctic Adventures …………………. …19 would be installed at the reunion, but because this year’s Here and There—In Memory: Obituaries……………… 23 reunion was cancelled, it will likely be a “virtual” Virginia Beach, VA—Chaplain’s Corner…………………28 installation/turnover via the wonders of cyberspace before Chesapeake, VA—OAEA 2020 Scholarships…………… 29 the end of the calendar year. Chesapeake, VA—The Phantom Swede………..……….. 30 More about the election…a giant THANKS to Robert San Diego/Camarillo, CA—OAEA 2022 Reunion……… 31 Gaboury (AKA Gabby) who was again the Election Pensacola, FL—The Impossible First…………………… 33 Committee Chairman. Gabby had a lot on his plate this Pensacola, FL—Days Gone By. RADM Black………… .37 year, and did a really great job of keeping us on target. Pensacola, FL—New Members & Reunions…………….39 Here and There—Locator Column……………………… 40 And finally a reunion reminder…May 2022 in San H§ Diego, headed up by Life Member George Lusk. DISCLAIMER STATEMENT Hopefully by then, we will all be ready to travel! San The Old Antarctic Explorers Association publishes the Diego is such a great place to visit. It will also have been Explorer’s Gazette quarterly. Opinions expressed by the 10 years since our last West Coast reunion. It is time! editorial staff or contained in articles submitted by members, This will probably be my last full President Remarks and non-members are not official expressions of the OAEA nor column for the Gazette. It has been a privilege to be “the does the mention of books, products, or events constitute voice” of this organization for the last 4 years. I figured endorsement by the OAEA. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. when I retired from the Navy as a Master Chief Petty Section 107, any copyrighted work in this newsletter is Officer, my days in being in charge of anything were at distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non- an end; and I was sure wrong about that. I am going to profit research and educational purposes only. continue to serve on as Vice President, and do everything I can to support the new OAEA President Elect. Besides 2 E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 20, I S S U E 3 J U L S E P 2 0 2 0 LUXURY CAMPS IN REMOTE PLACES Compiled by Billy-Ace Inside the world's most remote hotels including a camp in Antarctica Going off the grid doesn't mean having to camp in the wilderness and battling the elements. Nowadays, there are some incredible remote hotels around The Explorer’s Gazette is the world that are ideal for escaping into some incredible the official publication of the landscapes, while still offering plenty of luxury with Old Antarctic Explorers incredible rooms, private pools and spectacular surround- Association, Inc. ings. National Headquarters We're talking a luxury camp in Antarctic scenery, a 10819 Berryhill Road swanky lodge hidden in Antarctica’s white wilderness, and a Pensacola, FL 32506–6201 USA dreamy lavish hotel nestled amidst the highest, driest, and Phone 850 456 3556 windiest continent. And is published four times annually Of course with the coronavirus pandemic, currently travel restrictions mean holidays to some of these spots are off the Editor cards for us—but it doesn't hurt to dream a little for the days Billy-Ace Baker when we can travel properly again. Editorial Assistants Gus Shinn Take a look at one the world's most incredible remote Kerry Konrad hotels. Check out the one shown below... Kenneth Henry Pam Landy White Desert Oasis, Antarctica If you're looking to go off the grid, then Antarctica is just Gravity Physicist Emeritus about as remote as you can get! John Stewart (RIP) The Whichaway Oasis camp in Schirmacher Oasis, Queen Editor Emeritus Maud land, is surrounded by glacial lakes and overlooks the Jim O’Connell Antarctic Ice Sheet, 2001–2003 Guests staying here can go on expeditions to the South Pole, visit the home of emperor penguins, and go on plenty of Association Officers excursions to explore the vast and spectacular landscape. President – Ed Hamblin Prices depend on your choice of holiday—there are short Vice President – John Lamont West breaks as well as full 24-day itineraries on offer. Secretary – Marty Diller Treasurer – Bill Rouzer Life Director – Billy-Ace Baker Past President – Laura Snow Director – David Bresnahan Director – Rob Buettner Director – Allen Cox Director – Wayne Germann Director – Thomas Henderson Director – Robert Conner Director – William Smith Director – Dick Spaulding Chaplain – Johnnie Draughon Historian – Billy-Ace Baker Parliamentarian – Vacant 3 E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 20, I S S U E 3 J U L S E P 2 0 2 0 Skuas From Page 1 Globe-Trotting Frequent Fliers During the Antarctic winter, South Polar Skuas fly giant figures of-eight to the northern hemisphere and back, using prevailing oceanic winds to their advantage. (Photo: Kimberley Kliska) One of the 18 geolocators deployed with a leg band on a South Polar Skua “We think adult skuas from east Antarctica migrate to the northern hemisphere each winter, but we don’t know for sure,” Mr. Salton said. “For the first time, we’re going to find out.” The tiny geolocator loggers attached to bands on the legs of migrating skuas record times of sunrise and sunset, enabling the calculation of latitude and longitude.