I-SYDNEY-Indawo ekwanti yase-Australia kwindawo ekude ye-Antarctica iye yaba yindawo ethandwayo yabakhenkethi abafuna i-adventure, njengoko abakhenkethi abaninzi beyibeka kuhambo lwabo ngaphezu kwabaphandi nje.
IMawson’s Hut eneminyaka engama-97 ubudala, eCape Denison eCommonwealth Bay, yayilikhaya likaMhlekazi uDouglas Mawson namadoda akhe ebudeni bohambo luka-1911-14 lwaseAustralasian Antarctic.
Kwaba neendwendwe ezingaphezu kwe-300 ngoDisemba - inombolo yerekhodi - kunye ne-100 elindelekileyo kwinqanawa yokugqibela efika malunga ne-23 kaJanuwari.
“Iya iba yindawo ethandwa kakhulu ngabakhenkethi, ndiyacinga, kuba iyinxalenye yendlela eyandayo yokhenketho lwase-Antarctic,” uBruce Hull, igosa eliphezulu lezendalo kwiAntarctic Division yaseOstreliya, uxelele iReuters.
“Ngexesha inqanawa yesihlanu ifika eCape Denison phakathi komhla wama-20 nowama-23 kaJanuwari, ndicinga ukuba amanani azakuba malunga nama-400 abatyeleli ngo-2008/09,” wongeze watsho.
Oku kuthelekisa malunga neendwendwe ze-260 kwi-2006/07, kwaye malunga neendwendwe ze-200 kwi-2000/01.
Ulwandle olunzima kunye neemeko zomkhenkce zenza ukuba indlela yeentsuku ezintandathu ukunqumla uLwandlekazi oluMazantsi ibe nomtsalane koyena mhambi unesibindi kuphela. Iinkampani ezine, ezisuka eOstreliya, eNew Zealand naseJamani, zehla ziye eCape Denison kwaye uHull uthe iinqanawa aziyongozi kokusingqongileyo.
“Yonke imisebenzi e-Antarctica iphantsi kovavanyo lokusingqongileyo kwaye uhambo ngalunye lwabakhenkethi luxhomekeke kuloo nto,” utshilo. "Kuwo onke amashishini abakhenkethi avavanywa njengaphantsi kwamancinci okanye adlulayo."
UMawson wayibiza iCape Denison “njengeKhaya leZiqhwayitsha” ngenxa yemozulu embi kwaye le ndawo ifikeleleka kuphela kangangesithuba seeveki ezilishumi, phakathi kumbindi kaDisemba kunye embindini kaFebruwari, xa iimeko zemozulu zingentle kangako.
UChris Perkins, umphathi weentengiso kunye nentengiso we-Orion Expedition Cruises eqhuba iihambo eziya eCape Denison, uthe i-Mawson's Hut yayiyinxalenye yembali yase-Australia esele ifikeleleka kancinci.
“Iya ithandwa kakhulu kuba abasebenzi abaninzi babonelela ngeendlela zokuhla. Kwiminyaka emihlanu okanye elishumi eyadlulayo kwakunzima kakhulu, ziinqanawa zophando kuphela ezazisiya khona,” ucacise watsho.
“Yenye yezona ndawo zikhethekileyo kwaye kunzima ukufikelela kuzo emhlabeni. I-Mawson's Hut yinxalenye yembali yase-Australia, igcinwe emkhenkceni ngokusisiseko, ifana ne-capsule yexesha, "utshilo uPerkins.
Umndilili weminyaka yeendwendwe kwi-Mawson's Hut imalunga ne-45-55 yeminyaka ubudala, kwaye abahambi kufuneka baqinisekiswe ukuba bafanelekile ngugqirha ukuze bakwazi ukuya khona.
Kukwakho nezikhokelo ezingqongqo zokuvalelwa - abakhenkethi kufuneka bahlambe kwaye babulale iibhutsi zabo ngaphambi kokuba baye elunxwemeni kwaye iimpahla kunye nemithwalo kufuneka zijongwe iimbewu kunye nezinye izinto zezolimo.
Ukusukela ekuqaleni kweshishini lokhenketho langoku lase-Antarctic ngo-1969, inani labakhenkethi e-Antarctica likhule ukusuka kumakhulu ambalwa ukuya ngaphezulu kwama-30,000 ngonyaka, ngokutsho kweInternational Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.
