Two interesting hydrographic conferences are this month taking place ‘down under’: Shallow Survey 2003 in Sydney (17th-20th November / www.dsto.defence.gov.au/corporate/) and Hydro 2003 in Christchurch (24th-26th November / www.hydrographicsociety.org.nz).
In these days when both exhibitors and participants are ventilating the opinion that there are just too many exhibitions and conferences, it is good to have these two conferences ‘back to back’ - particularly for those of us from the other side of the world.

A growing number of Hydrographic Societies are using Hydro international as a vehicle to inform the hydrographic community of their activities. The Australasian Hydrographic Society Ð which already made use of this space in the last issue - is now heartily welcomed to the column entitled From the National Societies.

To continue on matters from ‘down under’: it is four hundred years ago this year that Abel Tasman was born, the first European to land on New Zealand (named after a province in The Netherlands) and Australia in the southern summer of 1642-1643. Some say that Cook would never have sailed to New Zealand (or even found it) 127 years later if he had not had Tasman’s charts and journal. Tasman had been tasked with finding the Great Unknown Southland and confirming whether or not its rumoured riches in gold etc. were exploitable, but shortage of food and water and the coldness of the Southern Ocean drove him into the more moderate latitudes of Tasmania and New Zealand.
He was also commissioned with locating a seaway via the Pacific to the Eastland (Chile), which in turn lead him to discover Tonga and Fiji. Some claim now that he was less than diligent in investigating his findings; his later proposal to go back and do so was turned down by his directors and he found himself instead charting the North of Australia the following year. (See e.g. www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/).
So take care when you are ordered to conduct a cable route survey and you less than fully investigate and report the dynamic flow around a seamount you have discovered… It may happen that 350 years later, when people have forgotten what cables were ever used for, that some might accuse you of lack of perseverance. And I doubt if a presentation will be held at Hydro 2353 to commemorate your hydrographic efforts!

Grahame Anderson of New Zealand wrote an interesting book on Tasman’s voyages and is sure he has established the position at which Abel Tasman lost his anchor off the coast of Tasmania in 1642. Here’s a perfect chance for exposure: manufacturers and companies in the hydrographic branche - take part in the project to locate, identify and raise the anchor.

On other explorers: the French sailing yacht Vagabond recently managed to sail the NW-passage having last year successfully navigated the NE-passage, the first sailing vessel to do so without having to winter in the ice (see www.vagabond.fr).