Societies

Australasian Hydrographic Society

AHS Forum

A forum page has been established on the AHS website to encourage members to discuss important issues and hopefully bridge the gap between members in distant or remote locations where meetings are impossible. The forum web page is at weblink 1.

AHS Education Page

An education tab has been added to the AHS web page. The pages seek to encourage young people interested in hydrographic surveying as a career, as well as assist those seeking to gain certification. Links to the Surveying & Mapping Industry Council of NSW (SMIC NSW) and the Institution of Surveyors NSW Inc. (ISNSW), as well as the Universities and TAFE are provided on the pages (see weblink 2).

AHSCP Certification

The Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Certification Panel has updated the certification guidelines and information on the Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI) (weblink 3) under the Hydrographic Commission, Certification Section. The biggest change is for degree-qualified surveyors wishing to gain Level 1 certification. All surveying experience including Lidar can now be used towards the 5 years of experience.

The Panel have also provided information for candidates on the IHO modules and how to relate their logbooks to competencies listed in the IHO manual.

The Grandfather Clause for those surveyors wishing to gain Level 1 certification who have greater than 5 years’ experience but no university surveying qualifications ends on 31st December 2008.

AHS Education Award

The Australasian Hydrographic Society offers an Annual Education Award of AUD2,500.

The Award is open to students studying or researching any maritime discipline including, but not limited to, the following:

- hydrography, nautical charting, surveying at sea

- coastal studies, coastal zone management

- offshore resource surveys and management- port development and maritime engineering

- Law of the Sea

- marine cartography

- environmental studies

- marine geology and geophysics.

The closing date is Friday 12th December 2008. Application forms are available from the Australasian Hydrographic Society website (weblink 2). For further information, please contact the Australasian Hydrographic Society – Education Award Panel, phone: +612 99093437; fax: +612 99538203; e-mail: [email protected]

Hydrographic Society Russia

Similarly to other scientific and professional societies, the HSR has its own collection of books, historical documents and photos. As a rule, all of them are handed over to the Society by its members or by like-minded hydrographers and seamen.?More recently, this collection was supplemented with two new additions.

The first one is the bookTo Take Off at any Cost, written by HSR member Captain of the 1st rank Alexander I. Gruzdev (retired) in co-authorship with the expert on a particular rescue Captain of the 1st rank Jury M. Kuts (retired).The book describes the events that occurred near the Pacific coast of the USSR in August–October 1977. At that time, a naval landing ship was stranded on a pointed rock in one of the bays at the approach to the coast. The 60-year anniversary of the October Revolution was drawing nearer, and an event such as a naval ship getting into trouble did not correspond well with the jubilee preparations. Therefore, the order was received from Moscow ‘to take off at any cost’.Work on removing the ship from the rock lasted almost 3 months (till 20th October 1977). As an officer of the Hydrographic Service of the USSR Pacific Navy, A.I. Gruzdev participated in leading the team. In his diary entries, he almost continually described the course of the work. At that time, information on such events was not publicly disclosed, and so today a book as this stirs much interest. This is confirmed with numerous responses from thankful readers. They noted that the book gives an interesting and informative account of an event in the recent history of the fleet that before now was not seen in materials collected together on such themes.

The second addition to the collection is a booklet called Cadets (Students of Naval School). It was presented by Captain of the 2nd rank Grigory I. Akulov (retired). As an amateur artist, he used to draw when he was a naval school cadet (student) (from 1947 to 1951), as well as during his career as an officer/hydrographer. Despite his age, he continues to draw and actively participates in the public life of the city and hydrographic community. Recently, an exhibition of his work devoted to cadets of the naval school was arranged in one of the marine technical colleges in Saint Petersburg. The exhibited works were published in this booklet.With surprise and pleasure, the skill of the artist reflects the characteristic moments of life in this study of young people in the 1940s and 1950s. These works by Captain Akulov are accepted by the HSR with gratitude. Hydrographic Society in?Scotland Annual Golf Outing 11th September 2008? The marine survey community in Aberdeen broke a 10-year tradition of holding their golf outing at Banchory by choosing Kemnay Golf Club for their 11th golf outing. Ten teams of three teed off for a pleasant and sociable game of golf. The format for the day was Stableford competition (3/4 handicap) with prizes for nearest the pin and longest drive. All prizes were generously donated by the survey, manufacturers and rental companies.The winning team was DOF Subsea, consisting of team captain, Mike Leaper, Jim Smart and Mark Essler, with a very impressive 104 points.

The best individual score with 38 points was John Fraser of RESON Offshore. Other prizes went to Russell Halkett of Acergy and Dave Bowden of NCS Survey with nearest the pins at the 6th and 18th holes. The longest drive at the 15th hole went to Dave Currie of Seatronics. Also winning prizes was Sonardyne, who gave a gallant display of golf.All teams enjoyed their day and our thanks go to the Kemnay Golf club for hosting the event.