Retrospective. My reasons why I should go to Heard Island.
Heard Island Expedition Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 5 Sept. 10, 2015
My reasons why I should go with VKØEK to Heard Island:
“Remember, Days Are Numbers”
(From The Alan Parsons Project song “ The traveller”)
In my early childhood, when I was living close to a big seaport I was impressed by the stories of seamen about mysterious faraway Antarctic islands, where there were whales, albatrosses and the deep, cold sea. I had received as a gift some coins from Kerguelen Island and I would daydream while looking at them. As a young child I was excited by the idea to explore a closet behind the kitchen at my family home, so later, when the years passed, I started to recognize that the whole planet is my home, and I must expand the range of my explorations to its limit in searching for most distant places.
The time came, after almost 40 years, when I started again to think about the chance to visit the Southern Ocean. On the advice of a French fellow Ham I contacted the French Antarctic Administration TAAF with the aim to register on the waiting list as a tourist on board a Scientific Vessel and they promised to put me on waiting list for the Marion Dufresne II. But, fortunately, I found out about plans for VKØEK and I decided to take a chance to make my dream come true by sailing to even more remote place, Heard Island.
I’m sure, it’s going to be not only a great life experience, but it’s very important for my scientific knowledge. I want to learn more from the members of the great team of men, who are energetic, motivated, experienced, full of vim and vigor being zealous Ham Radio operators, researchers and travellers.
I feel a thrill anticipating the prospect of future achievements by application of scientific investigation on the island, having in mind real practical applications of my work.
Another reason is simple curiosity. I like to stay open for the new discoveries, to make a contribution to the progress of Radio Amateur sport and science by gathering information important from scientific perspective and personal perspectives, and of course I look forward to learn more about myself.
