The Voyage - 2003/4
Created | Updated Oct 10, 2005
John Ridgway Save the Albatross Voyage 2003-4
AIM: TO PREVENT THE NEEDLESS SLAUGHTER OF THE ALBATROSS
Map courtesy of www.theodora.com used with permission
LEG ONE
27 JULY 2003 – Start: NW SCOTLAND - CANARY ISLANDS
CREW: JOHN (BR)(65) MARIE CHRISTINE (BR)(59) and NICK GRAINGER (AUS)(53)
Additional Crew: Scott Simpson
Key Focus of Leg: Checking out the systems, ready for our first meeting with Albatrosses and our Birdlife International Volunteers.
Lead Partner: RSPB
11 August 2004 – Arrived Los Gigantes, Tenerife, CANARY ISLANDS
LEG TWO – “The Yellow-nosed” Start 14 August 2003 – CANARY ISLANDS – CAPETOWN
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: MARIE ROGERS (BR) (35)
Route: Down the west coast of Africa, then across to the eastern seaboard of South America and south to meet westerly winds for a downwind sail across the South Atlantic to Cape Town.
It was a good time to meet Albatrosses at sea, before the start of the breeding season.
Key Species: The Yellow-nosed Albatross
Lead Partner: BirdLife Co-ordinating Office, Capetown.
5 October 2003 – Arrived CAPETOWN.
Maximum coverage on radio, television and Press, thanks to Samantha Petersen (29) of BirdLife International, Cape Town. Talks to school children and adults. Meetings with marine scientists. Filming of a convicted pirate long-liner.
LEG THREE – “The Wandering” Start: 25 October 2003 CAPETOWN – MELBOURNE
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: IGOR ASHESHOV (PERU)(39), TREVOR FISHLOCK (BR)(60), QUENTIN HANNICH (AUS) (36)
Birdlife Volunteer: Quentin Hanich (Aus).
Route: We followed the route of the circumpolar flight track of the Albatross round the world.
We called in at the Kerguelen Islands along the way, to interview French scientists.
Key Species: The Wandering Albatross.
Lead Partner: BirdLife Co-ordinating Office, Capetown.
14 December 2003 – Arrived MELBOURNE.
Publicised the plight of the Albatross.
LEG FOUR – “The Buller’s” Start: 28 December 2003 MELBOURNE – WELLINGTON
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: IGOR ASHESHOV (PERU)(39), CAROL KNUTSON (NZ)(29) AND PETE LEWIS (NZ)(25)
Birdlife Volunteer: Carol Knutson ROYAL FOREST AND BIRD SOCIETY, NZ
Route: Across Tasman Sea to Wellington
Key Species: The Buller’s Albatross and Antipodean Albatross.
Lead Partner: Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of NZ.
10 JANUARY 2004 Arrived WELLINGTON.
Maximum radio, television, lectures and Press coverage, thanks to Royal Forest and Bird NZ.
LEG FIVE – “The Royal” Start: 28 January 2004 WELLINGTON – PORT STANLEY
STARTED BY HELEN CLARKE, PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: IGOR ASHESHOV (PERU)(39), FRANCOIS NOUAILHAS (FR)(50), BRENT STEPHENSON (NZ)(29)
Birdlife Volunteer: Brent Stephenson (NZ).
Route: Eastward, through Southern Ocean and round Cape Horn, to Stanley in Falkland Islands.
Key Species: The Royal Albatross and Chatham Albatross.
Lead Partner: Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand.
3 March 2004 – Arrived STANLEY.
Media coverage, lectures and meetings with scientists, organised by Ben Sullivan of Falklands Conservation.
LEG SIX – “The Black-browed” Start: 13 MARCH 2003 PORT STANLEY – HORTA,AZORES
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: IGOR ASHESHOV (PERU)(39), TIM REID (AUS)(42)
Birdlife Volunteer: TIM REID (FALKLANDS CONSERVATION).
Route: North up the Atlantic to Horta, Azores.
Key Species: The Black-browed Albatross.
Lead Partner: Falkland’s Conservation.
12 May 2004 – Arrived HORTA, AZORES.
Replenished stores after ten weeks at sea.
Prepared for Albatross work in London and at United Nations in Rome, Italy.
LEG SEVEN – “The Greyheaded” Start 22 May 2004 AZORES - TOWER BRIDGE, LONDON
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: IGOR ASHESHOV (PERU)(39)AND RICHARD MORRIS-ADAMS (BR)(67)
Route: Eastward up English Channel.
Ports of Call: Honfleur and Calais in France.
15 June 2005 Arrived TOWER BRIDGE, LONDON
17 June - Tower Bridge raised for the Albatross and English Rose VI.
18 June – RSPB/BirdLife Reception for English Rose VI at St. Catherine’s Dock, London.
24 June - John and Marie Christine Ridgway and Euan Dunn of RSPB, presented the Save the Albatross Petition (105,000 signatures from 131 countries) to a meeting of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome.
LEG EIGHT – Start 26 June 2004 LONDON - ARDMORE, NW SUTHERLAND
CREW: JOHN AND MARIE CHRISTINE RIDGWAY, NICK GRAINGER
ADDITIONAL CREW: IGOR ASHESHOV (PERU)(39), WARD IRVIN (USA)(30), NATHANIEL IRVIN (USA)(26), BOB DUNCAN (ZIM)(40)
Route: Up North Sea, along north coast of Scotland and down west coast to Ardmore.
30 June 2004 Arrived ARDMORE, NW SCOTLAND
End of John Ridgway save the Albatross Voyage 2003/4.
Crew Disperse.
Our sincere thanks to all who helped us raise awareness to the plight of the Albatross.
Into the mist…..
John and Marie Christine Ridgway and Nick Grainger. 17 June 2005
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