FinalAnnReport 2004 _artwork - Hugha.co.uk

BSES EXPEDITIONS | ANNUAL REPORT 2004
Gravity meter reading in the Rift Valley with
Leica total station for accurate positioning
Oldoinyo Lengai from Lake Natron
Oldoinyo Lengai from Kerimasi base camp
TANZANIA
EXPEDITION MEMBERS
The time for separation into Highland Trekkers (those choosing to remain for the
full five weeks) and Rift Valley Wanderers was suddenly upon us. A few walking
wounded were driven round to the Ngorongoro park gate, and in the dark the
following morning the Highland Trekkers set off up the side of the Rift
Escarpment. Daylight saw just nine of us tidying up the camp that had previously
held forty-five plus the local Tanzanians. We were joined for one minute by
leader Sue Block who ran back in to camp for her towel left drying on a tent guy
line. She ran back over the hill to mighty cheering from her audience. By mid-day
the trekkers had reached Empakai village and made VHF radio contact with the
Rift Valley Wanderers sitting in a dusty truck thirty kilometres away. The trekking
group spent that night on the floor of the school in Empakai, while the Tanzanian
staff and vehicles were delayed at the Park Gate seventy kilometres away by the
newly appointed Park Warden. He did not want to recognise the letter of
authority written by his predecessor allowing our party to enter at reduced rates.
The Rift Valley wanderers climbed Kitumbeinei on their way back to Longido and
their flight home from Nairobi on14th August. The Crater Highland Trekkers
enjoyed a climb up Loolmalasin on their way to the Ngorongoro Crater. They
hired vehicles for a day spent game-watching on the floor of the crater and
arrived at Olduvai hot, dusty, tired and in good spirits. Sadly every expedition has
to end and the bus ride back to Longido was long and tiring. Even there the dust
remained firmly stuck to sweaty bodies for 24 hours, a hold-up caused by the
local staff having driven one of the vehicles carrying the showers off the road on
the way back. This last phase of the expedition ended with the flight back to
London from Nairobi on 20th August.
CONCLUSION
The expedition was two years in the planning, and over in such a short time.
Much of the planning was done by GMTZ in cooperation with the Chief Leader.
The Tanzanian National Park entrance fees are prohibitively high, which led to our
itinerary avoiding them for most of the expedition. The direct flights to
Kilimanjaro Airport in Northern Tanzania are also expensive, hence our choice of
flying to Nairobi in Kenya with Kenyan Airways.
The expedition achieved its physical and scientific objectives, with all of the
Young Explorers and leaders returning safe and in good heart.
14
Leaders
Colin Nicol Chief Leader
Dan Hamer Deputy Chief Leader
Ewan Laws Geology Fire leader
Sue Block Geology Fire leader
Owen Mountford Ecology Fire leader
Maggie Wilkinson Ecology Fire leader
Hugh Anderson Survey Fire leader
Mark Evans Survey Fire leader
Sue Torry Medical Officer
Young Explorers
Edward Artley Derby Grammar School
Jessie Barstow Marlborough College
Will Bermingham Sir William Borlaise Grammar
William Bradley Exeter School
Holly Brooker Tormead School
Helen Buckley Olchfa School
Clare Butcher Olchfa School
David Clough The Ecclesbourne School
Lindsay Connolly Dunoon Grammar School
William Coombs Tapton School
Bryony Cottam Droitwich Spa High School
Megan De Silva Ysgol Friars
Iain Devon Winchester College
Gilbert Harrap Harrow School
Alex Hehir Olchfa School
Rachel Kerr Milburn Academy
Morna McLean Dunblane High School
Laura McNally Loreto Grammar School
Toby Oxenham Worcester Sixth Form College
Sarah Palmer St. Catherine's School
Vanechka Patel Wolverhampton Grammar School
Angharad Pereira-Rego Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Adam Pill Exeter School
Hannah Platts St. Aidans and St. John Fisher Associated Sixth Form
James Reaney Winchester College
Tom Renninson Exeter School
Ben Robson Leicestershire and Northamptonshire
Army Cadet Force
Daniel Saker Christ the King Sixth Form College
Ed Schwarz St. Michael's School
Ben Skinner Cardinal Newman Sixth Form College
William Smith The Chase Technology School
Tessa Weale Victoria College
Naomi Whittaker Charterhouse
John Willcocks Exeter School
Camilla Windham Exeter School
Dominic Wordsworth Christ the King Sixth Form College