Murder is Everywhere: One Heck of an Icebreaker

Wendall -- every other Thursday

The Nuyina seen from across the Hobart Harbor.

This week I wanted to write a bit about our tour of the newest Australian icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, which docks in Hobart, Tasmania when it’s not making its way to the Australian stations in Antarctica. We were lucky enough to have a fabulous guide in the ship’s bosun, Joe McMenemy. My husband James has written about Joe before in the Belfast Telegraph, and I’m grateful he’s allowed me to quote a few bits of the article below.

With our generous host, Joe, who even gave us caps to take home!

Antarctic exploration has sparked the imagination of seafarers, scientists, and adventurers for almost 250 years. James Cook first crossed the Antarctic Circle in the HMS Resolution in 1775, and there were sightings and attempts by various whalers and explorers in the 19th century.

Imagined image from James Cook's southern voyage.

The Southern Cross Expedition, which lasted from 1898 to 1900, wintered at the top of the landmass, and the 20th century brought famous expeditions by first Robert Falcon Scott and then Ernest Shackleton, who reached what they call "Farthest South” in 1909. Shackleton’s 1922 voyage marked the end of the “Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.”


Early explorations.

Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance.

Hundreds of trips followed, with various countries vying for sovereignty in the region. Currently (according to Wikipedia. . .) “Antarctica is governed by a group of nations in a one-of-a-kind international partnership called The Antarctic Treaty, which was first signed by representatives from seven countries on December 1, 1959.”

In terms of where the US fits in, according to the U.S. Department of State: “Seven countries (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom) maintain territorial claims in Antarctica, but the United States and most other countries do not recognize those claims. While the United States maintains a basis to claim territory in Antarctica, it has not made a claim.”

Map of the four Australian stations and their distance from the mainland.

Many countries beyond the original seven maintain stations in the region, including Australia, which officially has four: Mawson, Davis, Casey, and Macquarie Island. You can find out about the different stations and see photos of each of them here: https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/stations/#group

James in front of the previous icebreaker, the Aurora Australis.

These stations have always been serviced by a series of Australian icebreakers. The Nuyina, which replaced the Aurora Australis (1989 to 2021), is the largest, and most sophisticated vessel to date.

Looking down from midship.

As James writes in the Telegraph, it was “constructed at a cost of $528 million (£271m), and is fitted out with laboratories for biological, meteorological, and oceanographic research, and was named by Australian schoolchildren from the Tasmanian Aboriginal word for Southern Lights.”

And from the dock.

To be honest, the size, scope, and capabilities of this 526 foot long ship completely stunned us during our tour of the ten(!) decks.

The ship is covered in satellite and navigational equipment.

As noted above, the ship has a myriad of duties beyond breaking through the ice to take fuel, food, scientists, and other supplies to its stations. Some researchers and scientists just go along for the ride, using onboard labs for their experiments.

The "Moon Pool" -- for letting water into the ship for testing.

The ship is designed to test and sound the waters as they go south, keeps track of the ice pack, is a launchpad for helicopters (it can hold three), and has a full clinic and surgery area, a mess hall, and a cinema for the crew. It also is fully equipped to perform its own repairs.

It is also sometimes called upon for rescue operations.

In 2023, Joe was part of a medi-rescue from the Casey station which involved heading “South” in winter, a brutally cold and dangerous time when they’re usually safe in dock. If you’d like to read about the rescue, you can find it here: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/news/tasmanian-angels-belfast-man-helps-rescue-researcher-from-icy-antarctica/a380485721.html