Mariusz Koper, Katharsis II, Tasman Sea
Wyprawa Katharsis II dookoła Antarktydy na południe od 60 stopnia
Katharsis II‘s voyage to circumnavigate Antarctica south of the 60th parallel was completed several weeks ago. We closed the stage of many months of preparations, followed by a journey of 102 days of non-stop sailing from Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, to Hobart, Australia, around Antarctica, as close to Earth’s coldest continent as possible. Nobody has ever taken the route – nobody has ever sailed that far south.
This was also a stretch of 102 days of nine crewmembers – each vastly different – co-existing at sea, in the confined space of a yacht. This was a battle with cold, storm conditions, ice, and with personal weaknesses, often as not fear.
Katharsis II‘s Antarctic expedition was successful not only because we reached our final destination – but also because we have returned as a team of people who have learned to count on one another, regardless of conditions. We have reached the finishing line as a united crew, respectful of one another and willing to spend more time together. During the difficult journey, every one of us changed, discovering and overcoming something within ourselves.Join us in witnessing the first emotions and thoughts of all participants of Katharsis II‘s Antarctic journey, recorded immediately after reaching the finishing line in the Tasmanian port of Hobart. LINK: https://youtu.be/dH-_flRWPqA
(And if anyone out there has a soft spot for “before and after” stories, they can take a look at interviews with the same people, recorded in December 2017 in the Republic of South Africa, before we set sail. LINK:https://youtu.be/SuHIvqqI_dw?list=PLxVqeOnMPgIKg-lWKcTbO5FRwEpkEjgeb)
– Mariusz Koper, skipper of Katharsis II
Katharsis II Sailing Expedition: Circumnavigating Antarctica in a Non-stop Journey Along and South of the 60th Parallel
The purpose of the expedition skippered by Mariusz Koper, and of his crew of eight (Tomasz Grala, Hanna Leniec, Michał Barasiński, Magdalena Żuchelkowska, Wojtek Małecki, Ireneusz Kamiński, Piotr Kukliński, Robert Kibart), was to attempt a world sailing record (from Cape Town, Republic of South Africa, to Hobart, Australia) in a non-stop journey around the Antarctic and as close to the continent as possible, along and south of the 60th parallel.
The goal was achieved: the Antarctic Loop was closed on 20 March 2018, the circle circumnavigated south of the 62nd parallel. Katharsis II departed from Cape Town, Republic of South Africa (23 December 2017), and reached her finishing line in Hobart, Australia (5 April 2018). The route covered was 15,853 nautical miles, time (according to WSSR): 102 days, 22 hours, 53 minutes and 5 seconds; including the Antarctic circumnavigation leg of 10,180 nautical miles.
The expedition was dedicated to support for the prevention of breast cancer in women. Second officer Hanna Leniec’s social awareness programme – Get Yourself Checked – Don’t Check Out! – addresses female sailors and young women (and their families). The campaign began in December 2016 in co-operation with i.a. the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology in Warsaw.
Antarctic waters were researched in the course of the journey, in co-operation with both the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Sopot, and the ARGO international scientific research programme. All scientific experiments aboard Katharsis II were co-ordinated by Piotr Kukliński, PhD, a crewmember, yachtsman and the Polish Academy of Sciences professor.