The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) is a research platform funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and managed by the National Research Foundation (NRF).
SAEON is mandated to establish and manage long-term environmental observatories; maintain reliable long-term environmental data sets; promote access to data for research and/or informed decision making; and contribute to capacity building.
This position is supported by the Department of Science and Innovation’s South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) programme and will be based in Cape Town.
A Senior Electronics Technician to provide technical and logistic support for the SAPRI programme’s various research and long-term monitoring activities in the offshore marine and Southern Ocean, sub-Antarctic Islands and Antarctica, conducted onboard South African and international research vessels.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is seeking a medical doctor to join the 62nd South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) team.
Message from the SANAE 61 team leader on Antarctica, JC Laubscher:
“It is going well here at SANAE IV, it is just insanely cold outside (-40 degrees average). Luckily, the sun has peeked over the horizon today, after 33 days of absence. This is another expedition milestone reached! We’ve also passed the halfway mark of this expedition and we’re looking forward to the second half and of course summer!”
Midwinter’s Day (21 June) is celebrated by the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) overwintering teams on Antarctica (SANAE 61), Marion Island (Marion 79), and Gough Island (Gough 67).
Midwinter is the shortest day, and for those on Antarctica, the darkest day, of the year.
Overwintering teams from all over the world send greeting cards to each other, to family and friends, and to their national Antarctic program communities. We received greeting cards from the three SANAP overwintering teams, wishing all of you a happy midwinter!
Midwinter greetings from the 79th overwintering team on South Africa’s sub-Antarctic Marion Island.
On Antarctica, Midwinter is the midpoint of a time of darkness and extreme isolation and the SANAE team will also celebrate this today!
Midwinter greetings from the 61st SANAE Overwintering Team, on Antarctica.
Midwinter greeting from the 67th Gough Island Overwintering team!
We asked the teams what their plans are for today:
Marion Island: “We are having a nice braai and midwinter games”.
Gough Island: “We have actually already started our own midwinter tournament knockouts (with our semifinals and finals today)! We have a number of events including pool, table tennis, darts, fuzzball, checkers, chess and Mario Cart (TV game).
Quite an exciting lineup”.
SANAE IV: “We will celebrate with some midwinter games”.
Get to know the team’s SANSA (South African National Space Agency) HF Radar/ VLF Engineer – Mfezeko Rataza, who celebrated his birthday on 16 April.
What do you find most challenging about being in Antarctica?
Mfezeko: “The job involve learning about climbing techniques and rope work, because we have to go up these 30 meters antenna to service them whenever there is a breakage sometimes in very cold conditions ( -15 degrees). Imagine trying to tighten a nut with your bear hands when frostbite start to occur after 2-3 minutes exposure”.
Read more about the current team at SANAE IV and meet the medical doctor of the team.
