I-SYDNEY - Indawo eqashiwe eqhelile yase-Australia endaweni eqhelile yase-Antarctica isiphenduke indawo edumile yezivakashi ezifuna uhambo, njengoba abavakashi abaningi bekubeka ohambweni lwabo ngaphezu kwabacwaningi kuphela.
I-Mawson's Hut eneminyaka engu-97 ubudala, e-Cape Denison e-Commonwealth Bay, yayiyikhaya likaSir Douglas Mawson namadoda akhe phakathi no-1911-14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition.
Bekunezivakashi ezingaphezu kuka-300 ngoDisemba - inombolo erekhodiwe - kanti ezinye eziyi-100 zilindelwe emkhunjini wokugcina ozofika ngoJanuwari 23.
"Sesiba indawo ethandwa kakhulu izivakashi, ngicabanga ukuthi, ngoba kuyingxenye yokwanda kwezokuvakasha e-Antarctic," uBruce Hull, isikhulu esiphezulu sezemvelo e-Australia's Antarctic Division, etshela abeReuters.
“Ngesikhathi umkhumbi wesihlanu ufika eCape Denison phakathi komhla zingama-20 no-23 kuJanuwari, ngicabanga ukuthi izinombolo zizobe sezibalelwa ku-400 izivakashi ngo-2008/09,” wengeza.
Lokhu kuqhathaniswa nezivakashi ezingaba ngu-260 ngo-2006/07, kanye nezivakashi ezingaba ngu-200 ngo-2000/01.
Ulwandle olukhathazayo nezimo ezineqhwa zenza indlela yezinsuku eziyisithupha enqamula i-Southern Ocean ihehe ohlotsheni lwesihambi olunesibindi kakhulu. Izinkampani ezine, ezivela e-Australia, New Zealand naseJalimane, zehlela eCape Denison kanti uHull uthe imikhumbi ayinalo usongo emvelweni.
"Yonke imisebenzi e-Antarctica ingaphansi kokuhlolwa kwemvelo futhi uhambo ngalunye lwabavakashi lungaphansi kwalokho," esho. "Sekukonke izindawo eziningi zezivakashi zibhekwa njengezincane kunezincane noma ezidlulayo."
UMawson uqambe iCape Denison ngokuthi “Ikhaya Leziphepho Zeqhwa” ngenxa yesimo sezulu esibi futhi le ndawo ifinyeleleka kuphela isikhathi esingamasonto ayishumi, phakathi kukaDisemba maphakathi noFebhuwari, lapho isimo sezulu singesihle kangako.
UChris Perkins, oyimenenja yezokuthengisa nokumaketha ye-Orion Expedition Cruises ehamba nohambo oluya eCape Denison, uthe i-Mawson's Hut iyingxenye yomlando wase-Australia osekufinyeleleka kalula kuyo.
“Kuya ngokuduma kakhulu ngoba baningi abashayeli abahlinzeka ngezindlela zokwehla lapho. Eminyakeni emihlanu noma eyishumi edlule bekunzima kakhulu, yimikhumbi yocwaningo kuphela eya khona,” echaza.
“Ingenye yezindawo ezikhetheke kakhulu futhi ezinzima emhlabeni ukufinyelela kuzo. I-Mawson's Hut iyingxenye yomlando wase-Australia, igcinwe eqhweni, ifana nekhephusi lesikhathi," kusho uPerkins.
Isilinganiso seminyaka yezivakashi ezivakashela e-Mawson's Hut cishe sineminyaka engama-45-55 ubudala, futhi abahambi badinga ukuqinisekiswa ngodokotela ukuze bakwazi ukuya lapho.
Kukhona nemihlahlandlela eqinile yokuvalelwa ngaphandle - izivakashi kudingeka ziwashe futhi zibulale amagciwane amabhuzu azo ngaphambi kokuba ziye ogwini futhi izingubo nemithwalo kufanele kubhekwe ukuthi azinayo yini imbewu nezinye izinto zezolimo.
Kusukela ekuqaleni kwemboni yezokuvakasha yase-Antarctic yesimanje ngo-1969, inani lezivakashi e-Antarctica liye lakhula lisuka kumakhulu ambalwa laya kwabangaphezu kuka-30,000 unyaka ngamunye, ngokusho kwe-International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.
