Tracking Changes in Photoperiod Around the Globe

Challenge Question #5

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Mystery Class entry Mr Ward's GNS 3A1 Outdoor Geography Class; Ajax High
School, near Toronto, Ontario Canada.

What a great contest again. One or two of the puzzle places in particular
caused a lot of head scratching. Below are our best shots together with
commentary, and support where we came across interesting things to share.

Latitude and Longitude are taken from the Times Atlas of the World. City
locations are often a little different from this and since sunrise sunset
times are often given for the local airport it is not always straight
forward to give exact locations. These differed a little from those
obtained by turning the tracking feature on in Encarta Atlas '97 --- a
wonderful way of visualizing location. One or two of the sites could not
really be exactly nailed down with the clues given, and in the end you give
it a good guess... Longitudes in brackets were derived from the March 19/20
GMT SR. This of course allows an exact solution for Longitude, though in
practice sites were a little away from these calculated locations. We also
used the most admirable Geoclock v7.1 for Windows, the USNO Web site SR/SS
calculator, and my Magellan XL GPS unit, as well as conventional references.

MC#1 Amguena Siberian Russia 66d59m N 179d02m W (179d 25m W)
MC#2 Barrow Alaska USA 71d 16m N 156d 50m W (156d45m W)
MC#3 Christchurch New Zealand 43d33mS 172d40m E (172d30mE)
MC#4 Fortaleza Brazil 3d 47m S 38d35m W (38d 30m W)
MC#5 Kunming China 25d 04m N 102d 41m E (102d 30m E)
MC#6 McMurdo Base Ross Island Antarctica 77d51mS 166d40mE (166d 45m E)
MC#7 Portland Oregon USA 45d31m N 122d 40m W (122d 45m W)
MC#8 Johannesburg South Africa 26d 11m S 28d 02m E (28d 00m E)
MC#9 Szombathely Hungary 47d 14m N 16d 38m E (16d 45m E)
MC#10 Walvis Bay Namibia 22d 59m S 14d 31m E (14d 30m E)

Well of course such a bald statement cannot possibly do justice to the
trails we had to follow. The Class worked in 5 independent groups through
till the final clues were given. Thus we did not report on the earlier
Challenge Questions since we only had the one InterNet hookup in the class.
When the clues stopped coming our answers were merged, and a best answer
given for the whole class. Thus 5 graphs were drawn from which latitudes
were inferred. In addition I used my own Excel function to approximate
latitude. After the first few clues each group maintained their best
answers, modifying them were necessary as new clues were given.

Comments on the mystery locations and clues:

MC#1: This one was complicated by the lack of information that we had on
Tin Mines in Russia. I started with the town of Egvekinot on the Zaliv
Kresta, which turned out to be prescient. After the last clue we realized
that Lul'tin (at the northern end of the road from the Bay) could very well
be a tin mine, and Amguena --- half-way along this road --- or nearby
Polyarnik are at the right location.

MC#2: This looked very much like Barrow or Point Barrow right from the
start, and so it turned out to be. The whale salvage drama was played out
on the beach here, and we found the reference in Maclean's Magazine,
October 31 1988

MC#3: As a New Zealander originally it was not difficult for me pick up the
language clues here. I also knew who split the atom --- Sir Ernest
Rutherford --- as many years ago I always considered passing the monument
outside the little one-room school in which he received his early education
to be the beginning of my University years holiday getaways, as I left
civilization and headed for the mountains. None of us have ever seen a $100
note though. (G) The clincher was the location of the 1974 Commonwealth
Games which nailed it down as 1974 for me --- though the class took a
little longer to find the supporting reference in the school library.

MC#4: This was an interesting site because of its location so close to the
equator, and so it had the least slope on its graph. The first three clues
confirmed that we were in Brazil, but clue four nailed it down as the
capital of Ceara State.

MC#5: On February 3rd 1996 there was a great earthquake in Yunnan Province
that reportedly killed over 200 people, and injured 14,000 or more. The
major city affected was Kunming, and the sunrise sunset data fit this
location very well.

MC#6: This was another great site! It was not difficult to realize that it
had to be in Antarctica, and the potential locations were not too many. I
suspected McMurdo or Scott Base --- the adjacent NZ Base. Setting Geoclock
to the February 19th date on which the "class" reported the first sunset of
the season and cranking the speed to let it rotate around the rim of
Antarctica showed dramatically and graphically the terminator brushing the
edge of Ross Island. The final clue gave it up as McMurdo for certain when
a search of the InterNet yielded a great photo of the USS Greenwave loading
cargo at McMurdo.

MC#7: We were able to see past the misleading clues that could in a stretch
have applied to Seattle Wa also, and come up with the Columbia River port
of Portland.

MC#8: This site was a little frustrating as, while all the clues pointed to
South Africa as the country, none specifically nailed down the exact
location. Soweto and Pretoria are other possibilities, but J'burg better
fits the longitude and the sunrise sunset times.

MC#9: Before the clues started to flow I had thought this might be in
Croatia, but clue one lead us to Hungary or Austria, and clue two (two
rivers dividing the country in three) meant it was Hungary. Three of the
groups had independently picked Szombathely Hungary at this stage. This
town made a nice fit with the SR/SS data, and although the 1995 edition of
the Reader's Digest's admirable "Guide to Places of the World" gives a
population slightly in excess of 85,000 an earlier reference was more in
line with the clue of 65,000 for this ancient town. The Net yielded many
references to the rich cultural life of this area of Hungary, and its
location 188 km from Budapest fitted very well also.

MC#10: This is the other site where two locations fit the data well, and we
have gone with Walvis Bay. It could also be Swakopmund Namibia, a bare 35km
further north up the coast. The SR/SS data fits Walvis Bay fractionally
better, but a clue derived from their different heritages would have been
useful.

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Three Gray whales trapped by ice in Alaska

Barrow Whales

Help is on the way for three whales trapped beneath the Arctic ice on Alaska's frozen north coast, but it is still a long distance off. A giant air cushioned barge left Prudhoe Bay yesterday afternoon in hopes of creating for the whales a pathway to the sea. In the whales favor they are at their energy peak after fattening up all summer in the food rich Arctic waters getting ready for their long migration south to the waters off Mexico. The whales are now also rising to breathe in the new holes cut by rescuers. The California gray whales are sticking together, all three choosing the same hole at each breathing cycle.

(man)"The one that we were regarding , let's say the slowest of the three seems much better behavior wise, we think this may be due to some folks have enlarged the opening where the animals have access to, and I think they are themselves less stressed now."

The nearest open ice channel is just five miles away, but just beyond lurk polar bears, which are known to attack stressed whales.

(man)"It's getting darker and darker there are polar bears that will certainly be attracted to this so, there's a number of factors over which I don't think we've any control that are maybe going to take this situation a little further down the road"

There are other options to saving these whales, including dynamiting the ice to break it up, but biologists are concerned that the concussion may frighten or scare these whales to death. Helicopter pilots are also experimenting with hoisting aloft a nine thousand pound concrete cylinder to smash the ice. Local Inupiat Eskimos have given the whales Eskimo names for ice and snowflake and hole in the ice, but some residents feel this rescue attempt may have gone far enough.


(man)"Personally I think we ought to just come out in the middle of the night and end their suffering, if they are suffering. They will suffer eventually because their gonna lose these holes , we can't keep them open forever"

Ten to twenty rescuers are at the holes at any one time , hacking and chopping away to keep the ice from freezing over as the temperature drops below zero and continues to go down.

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	=20 MENU | . home . | . accommodation . | . commerce . | . what to do? . | . events . | . explore . | . info . |
Canterbury Region South Island of New Zealand	check the map!
Comments and Queries to admin@mediafusion.co.nz =20 Often described as the most English city outside of England, this reputation reveals Christchurch's origins. Church of England settlers with a mission tamed, drained and carved wild swampland on the wide Canterbury Plains to build a better version of home. Many of their neo-Gothic stone public buildings still stand, now mellowed by the passing of almost 150 years, set amongst the many parks and gardens that were included in the plans of the city's founders. Make the move to Christchurch - this = home is for sale. Christchurch City Centre with the Southern Alps in the= background In leafy suburbs Victorian and Edwardian colonial wooden villas with their shady verandahs heavy with scented burdens of wisteria jasmine or roses are characteristic. =20
accommodation=20	Where to stay? Find out more about accommodation available. Bed and Breakfast in the central city at Fendalton House, or=20 motel at Arcadia Motel.
what to do=20	Jump straight to a guide to a wide range of attractions and things to do in= Christchurch, and around the Canterbury region. Take a stroll down along Worcester Boulevard to= the Arts Centre, or take a picnic and relax on the banks of the River Avon. For a birds-eye view of the city, take a ride on The Christchurch Gondola.
commerce=20	Follow this link to contact details for a wide variety of=20 key organisations in= Christchurch, or=20 consult the Canterbury Promotion= Kit
events	Whats happening here? - glad you asked -=20 events and festivals year round!. Hit the calendar button for a run-down of events and festivals coming up= over the next twelve months.
info=20	Use the A-Z as an introduction to= Christchurch. Facts and statistics about= Christchurch Getting here and getting around? RAIL - Christchurch is on the main= trunk line. Find out more about travelling to (or from) Christchurch at Ba= ck on the Tracks. AIR - Fly in to or out of= Christchurch International Airport -=20 follow this link to more information. ROAD -=20 You could always hire a rental car or motor= home in Christchurch and drive.
The Canterbury Pages TM

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The Earthquake Relief Project in China

On February 3, 1996 AMDA(Association of Medical Doctors of Asia)= Headquarters in Okayama Prefecture in Western Japan its emergency medical= relief activity for the people affected by the earthquake of February 3 in= Yunnan Province, China, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale. Death toll was= reported to be over 200, with a great number of injured.

• The situation= report No.1, February 4, 1996

• The= situation report No.2, February 6, 1996

On February 3, 1996, north west region of Yunnan Province, China was hit by= an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale. According to DHA= (Department of Humanitarian Affairs), death toll is 248 with 14,000= injured, and the number of buildings destroyed climbed to 410,000.=20 AMDA began its relief operations sending its first medical mission of 3= members on February 5. The team arrived in Kunming, and has already started= medical activities for patients who are being transferred from the affected= area. The mission brought 40 kgs of medical supplies from Japan, along with= 500 kgs of additional supplies they obtained in Guangdong province on its= way to Kunming. On February 7, the second mission of 5 members left Japan= with 830 kgs of WHO emergency medical kit (I set).=20 The survivers of the devastating earthquake are now faced with freezing= climate and has been pleading for urgent help. Many now suffer from= influenza and in serious need for winter clothing, blankets and medical= supplies. As its 3rd mission, AMDA headquarters is preparing to send those= needed supplies to Kunming by air directly from Okayama where AMDA= headquarters is located, with cooperation from private companies and= organiza tions. AMDA headquarters welcomes monetary contributions to support its relief= effort. A large cost for transporting medical teams and supplies and= communication, etc is expected. Your kind cooperation and support is= crucial to our effective relief operations. * For comments please contact AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia)= China earthquake relief operations headquarters (Phone:81-86-284-7730= Fax:81-86-284-6758).

Return to The AMDA Home Page

=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@=81@Further=
 information;nakanot@amda.or.jp

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Huge shipping containers (or milvans) filled with hazardous and nonhazardous waste are loaded onto the supply ship Greenwave at McMurdo Station in February 1994. Waste materials from all U.S. stations were returned to the United States for recycling by facilities in Washington state.

USAP photo by the U.S. Naval Support Force.

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S Z O M B A T H E L Y

	Készült: Szombathely Megyei Jogú Város polgármesterének megbízásából Szerkesztõ: Ávár János	Es wurde im Auftrag des Bürger- meisters der Stadt Szombathely mit Komitatsrecht zusammengestellt Redakteur: János Ávár	Made on the commission of the Mayor of the County Right City of Szombathely Edited by János Ávár
	Fotó: Czika László Design: Stankowsky Endre	Photos: László Czika Design: Endre Stankowsky	Photos by László Czika Design by Endre Stankowsky
	Copyright ©1996 Pencom Technika pencom@vas.hungary.net	Copyright ©1996 Pencom Technika pencom@vas.hungary.net	Copyright © 1996 by Pencom Technika pencom@vas.hungary.net

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Walvis Bay - The edge of the Namib

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Amid oceans of shifting sand, a quiet fishing village provides an entry to the unusual natural attractions of the world's oldest desert, the infamous Skeleton Coast and the dramatic seas of Namibia's premier holiday resort.

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The approach to Walvis Bay is across a seemingly endless desert before the sea and the colourful harbour town comes into sight. As the SA Express Dash 8 propjet touches down, one is filled with a sense of anticipation and adventure. One has reached Namibia - "the smile on the face of Africa".

Walvis Bay has a well developed port and fishing harbour, which is the hub of Namibia's fast growing fishing industry. The town's main attraction is the Walvis Bay Lagoon, regarded as the most important wetland in Namibia and one of the ten richest in Africa. The natural beauty of this tranquil stretch of water is accentuated by thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds that frequent the lagoon. Up to 80,000 wading birds can be seen at one time and the spectacle at sunset when the birds are settling down for the night is almost dream-like, filled with brilliant colours and reflections. More birds can be viewed from the watchtower overlooking a small sanctuary just outside town.

Also on the outskirts of town is Dune 7, at 50m the highest dune in the area, complete with palm trees, picnic sites and barbecue facilities.

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A Cool Oasis

Thrity five kilometers to the north is Swakopmund, Namibia's premier holiday resort. Quaint German colonial buildings from a bygone era add to the continental atmosphere of this desert town which is enhanced by lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully tended flower beds. The town hosts numerous good hotels, pensions, restaurants and coffee shops selling traditional Bavarian pastries and cakes, while the coastline and desert offer relaxation and adventure in unspoilt nature.

Swakopmund has everything to offer the tourist and holiday maker. Spacious beaches, good swimming and surfing and excellent fishing for kabeljou, kingklip, monk and sole from boat or bank. The local restaurants serve the catch of the day as well as specialities such as fresh oysters and crayfish. Other pastimes include camel riding in the desert, horse and donkey rides, sand sliding and dune skiing, and even skydiving. Several local companies arrange flights over the town and to the shipwrecks along the coast. These can be extended to include charter flights further afield, while other specialised safaris are available to take visitors to see the gemstones, dune landscapes and unique plants of the desert.

The local brewery, which conducts tours and tasting sessions, still brews according to the centuries old "Reinheitsgebot" purity policy in which only water, malt, hops and yeast may be used in the making of the beer.

The old German built railway station has been restored and is now an imposing entrance to a luxurious hotel, casino and modern entertainment centre.

Swakopmund is a cool oasis with accommodation available to suit every taste and budget. It is also a perfect base for exploring the Skeleton Coast and Namib Desert. A number of these routes need to be tackled in 4X4 vehicles and, while these can be hired locally, there are also a number of experienced tour and safari operators who cater for every requirement - from half-day and full-day local trips to extensive all-in safaris. These skilled operators also assist visitors in maximising their available time and, with their extensive knowledge of the surrounding attractions, can provide valuable advice.

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Day trips from Swakopmund

The 140km Welwitschia drive, a guided or self-guided interpretive trail, zzfeatures geology, lichens and interesting desert plants. The barren Moon Valley landscape flanking the Swakop River was formed millions of years ago when the river's tributaries scratched out soft deposits from the desert floor. The unique Welwitschia Mirabilis plants from which the trail gets its name, grow only in the Namib Desert. The average plant is between 500 and 800 years old, while the giant Welwitschia Mirabilis is estimated to be almost 2000 years old.

Fascinating Bushmen paintings are also within a day's drive of Swakopmund and are protected as national monuments. The mysterious White Lady of Brandburg National Reserve is one of the most famous, while the White Elephant in Phillips Cave also attracts many admirers.

Other tours to be considered include a visit to the tiny angling holiday town of Henties Bay and further north to Cape Cross. Here, at the site where Europeans first set foot on Namibian soil more than 500 years ago, is the largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals along the South African and Namibian coasts. Some 200,000 seals converge here every November and December to mate. After the mating season, the bulls return to the ocean while the cows remain in the colony, looking after their young.

Other day tours include visits to Pelican Point; Sandwich Harbour and the flamingos at the saltworks; Spitzkoppe ("The Matterhorn of Namibia") and the gem and semi-precious stone mines; picnics or barbecues on the Swakop River and many, many more. The Tour operators will combine elements to meet specific requirements, while special interest tours - for birders, historians, amateur geologists, etc - are also available.

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The game parks of Namibia

By straying a bit further afield, visitors can enjoy the splendor and sights of some superb nature reserves. Approximately 15% of Namibia's land area is protected - either as a national park or game reserve, recreational area or protected diamond area - putting the country in the fore-front of conservation in Africa. The country's major vegetation types are all to be found in the proclaimed areas, ranging from the rich flood plains of the Caprivi and Kavango to the vast seas of sand and dunes of the Namib and scrub savanna in Etosha.

Close to Swakopmund,and just beyond the seal colony at Cape Cross, is Skeleton Coast Park, so named for the large number of shipwrecks along its beaches and covering an area of approximately 1,600,000 ha. The attraction of this remote area lies in its aura of mystery and changing moods. Desert adapted elephant and black rhino can be found in dry river beds, while the park is also home to brown hyena, gemsbok, jackal, ostrich and springbok. A wide variety of unusual plants are found on the slopes of the dunes, canyons and mountain ridges.

To the southeast of Walvis bay lie the oceans of desert that dominate the largest game reserve in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. Travellers in the Namib-Naukluft Park will be treated to an unending expanse of ochre sand and purple-orange mountains, as well as some rather exciting drives through the river bed canyons at the Kuiseb and Gaub passes. Wandering down the side roads requires a permit, as does a visit to the Kuiseb Canyon, which has been described as a unique geological phenomenon in the world's oldest desert.

The narrow sub-terranian Kuiseb River alone holds back the world's highest dunes (at Sossusvlei), which the prevailing winds push relentlessly northwards. One of nature's unique sites, this river was clearly visible to Gemini V astronauts when they orbited the earth in the 1960's. Mission photographs showed the Kuiseb as the clear division between the Namib's southern sands and the northern gravel plains.

Animals in the park include a variety of antelope and mountain zebra, as well as predators ranging from jackal and wild cat to hyena and leopard.

To protect the sensitive desert, Sesriem is the only place where visitors are allowed to drive into the dunes. The camp at Sesriem provides the entrance to one of Namibia's major tourist attrations - the mighty dunes of Sossusvlei, soaring up to 350 metres into the sky. A spectacular path has been carved through the dune for all vehicles, but the last 4km must be conquered with a 4x4 or on foot.

The vlei itself is a greyish white clay pan virtually surrounded by the towering dunes. It is often dry for several years, only seeing water after extremely high rainfalls. Visitors to the area should not neglect the Sesriem Canyon, the gorge that traps what little rainwater that does fall. Accommodation at Sossusvlei is available at the park's restcamp or in a luxury lodge just outside the park. 4x4 vehicles can be hired, while a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the Sossusvlei dunes makes an adventurous start to a new day.

Much further south is the incredible beauty of the Fish River Canyon, while Etosha in the northeast is always rewarding. In the far north, on a sliver of land between Namibia and Zimbabwe, is the Caprivi Game Park. Local tour operators offer overnight camping and lodge safaris to these and other areas of Namibia and its neighbouring countries. Tours are by 4x4 vehicle, bus or charter aircraft.

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Many different tourist packages are available together with special car hire and accommodation rates.

For more information, contact SAA Costcutters on (011) - 356 - 1144, your nearest travel agent or Colleen Kennaugh

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Reutrn to SA Express homepage

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Contact the Webmaster :-

Find out more about SA Express Airways or if you have any queries, please contact Colleen Kennaugh or call +27-011-978-5577.

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Hyper text created by Stewart Moss, graphics done by Stewart Moss and Donald Wallace.
Design by Guy Lauzon.

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This page was last updated :- Saturday, May 25 1996.
This site has been online since :- Tuesday, September 26 1995.

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--=====================_862817858==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Tony Ward VE3NO NYAA StarFest On-Line tward@visionol.net, tward@spanit.com 71520.1520@CompuServe.com ComputerViz There are three kinds of people. Those who can count, and those who can't... --=====================_862817858==_--

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