Icebergs target New Zealand

by Andrew Evans on

Hundreds upon hundreds of menacing chunks of ice are headed straight for innocent New Zealand–a country that couldn’t hurt a fly even if it had flyswatters for hands. Shipping companies haven’t been this fretful since the pirate times of . . . this summer, while the Antarctic tourist industry is rubbing its palms like Mr. Burns.

But is it news? Probably not. It’s springtime for icebergs in Antarctica. Also, Icebergs happen. The real concern is that icebergs are evolving into a major tourist attraction, right up there with sharks and poor people. Every year, more and more tourists are pouring into the polar regions and getting stuck in the ice or struck by the ice. Which reminds me of this movie I saw once where the largest cruise ship in the world (at the time) ran into an iceberg right after dinner and the hot guy drowned. Consider yourself warned: if you play with ice, you’re gonna get burned cold sitting in a lifeboat waiting to be rescued.

Australian wilderness survivor story gets a soap opera style twist

by Scott Carmichael on

What was supposed to be a story of personal endurance and an amazing rescue, has slowly turned into a nasty family battle revolving around a lot of money.

When 19 year old backpacker Jamie Neale was found after 12 days in the Australian wild, the photos showing Mr. Neale reunited with his father probably brought a huge smile to the millions of people following the story.

The whole thing has now turned into a battle of the words (and cash) between Mr. Neale and his dad. According to one story, his dad left Australia and headed back to the UK just 19 hours after his son was rescued. The reason? A $200,000 interview he had arranged. His second TV appearance netted just under $100,000, half of which was promised to go to the various rescue operations that participated in the search.

The other side of the story paints a different picture – that side claims Mr. Neale is the bad guy, and that he is the one refusing to donate the $50,000 to the rescuers. To give the whole thing an even bigger soap opera appeal, Mr. Neale claims his dad actually walked out on the family when he was three.

UK outdoors specialists are now questioning the whole incident, and have doubts about the story Jamie told the press. I’m not sure we’ll ever get to the bottom of the story – and that is probably for the best, as there is obviously more to it than meets the eye.

Backpacker rescued after 12 days in the Australian wild

by Kraig Becker on

19 year-old backpacker Jamie Neale, who has been missing in the mountains of eastern Australia for the past 12 days, has been found alive and is said to be in good condition, although he is recovering from exhaustion and dehydration in a local hospital. He was discovered on a trail near Katoomba, the same town that he set out from nearly two weeks ago.

The young Brit was on holiday in Australia when he decided to go backpacking in the Blue Mountains, found approximately 60 miles to the west of Sydney. He was last seen on July 3rd, but set off without his cell phone and didn’t bother to tell anyone where he was going. He also failed to sign the log book at the trail head as well, which complicated search and rescue operations later. To add to his level of unpreparedness, he was clad in dark colored clothes that made him difficult to spot from the air, and his survival blanket was left behind when he left Perth.

The Blue Mountains are a popular destination for hikers and backpackers alike. With more than 150 miles of trail available, and thousands of more miles of untouched wilderness stretching in all directions, outdoor enthusiasts flock to the region which is listed as a World Heritage Site for its natural beauty. The landscape is marked with sandstone plateaus, deep gorges, and eucalpyt forests that are not found anywhere else on the planet.

For Neale though, the beauty of the place that he was lost in turned into an ongoing nightmare. He tells reporters that he ate seeds and various plants to stay alive, and spent his nights huddled up in his jacket trying to stay warm in the cold evening air. He even reportedly spent one night sleeping under a log.

The backpacker’s family had all but given up on finding him, and his father, who had flown in from the U.K. to help search for his son, was preparing to fly home on the vary day that he was found. Now, they’ll wait for him to fully recover before returning home, where he’s likely to not be allowed to wander out of the yard with out his cell phone ever again.

Visitor gets lost, corpses found, visitor still lost

by Tom Johansmeyer on

A Beijing tourist got lost around Taishan Mountain in Shandong province. So, in accordance with common sense, a rescue team was sent out to find this person. While searching the rugged terrain, the crew found something completely different – seven corpses. That’s all we know about the newly found bodies. We don’t even know when they died, who they were or how it happened.

Suspiciously, Colonel Mustard declined to comment when reached by phone in the Conservatory.

Meanwhile, the one tourist that prompted the search remains missing – since April 28, 2009. Fortunately, Taishan Mountain, one of China‘s “Five Sacred Peaks,” attracts a lot of tourist action. So, there’s a shot that someone will stumble into the missing tourist, the way the rescue team stumbled upon the seven corpses.

Product review – SPOT satellite messenger

by Scott Carmichael on

Today I’m going to give you a closer look at a gadget that isn’t just fun to play with, it’s something that could actually help save your life.

The SPOT satellite messenger is part GPS receiver and part satellite locator beacon. The device receives your location from GPS satellites and relays it through even more satellites back to ground stations. It all sounds horribly complicated, but the SPOT messenger couldn’t be easier to operate.

The device is about the size of a small digital camera and only has 4 buttons (help, on/off, OK, 911). Naturally the on/off button is for powering the device on or off. The OK button sends an email or text message to a predetermined recipient (as well as activating the tracking feature) and the help button sends a “help me” signal with a personalized message to people you have added to your SPOT account. And finally, the 911 button actually alerts a global rescue organization that you are in trouble and need immediate assistance.

This emergency assistance is provided by the GEOS Alliance, an organization underwritten in London which provides search and rescue services. SPOT accounts optionally include up to $100,000 coverage per year for rescue resources (including helicopter, aircraft and private search teams). When GEOS receives an alert message, they will first try to contact you and your emergency contact numbers. By holding down the 911 button for 3 seconds, you can cancel your alert request.

The buttons are fairly easy to press, which also means you run the risk of pressing them by accident if you pack the device in your luggage, so pay extra attention when stowing it. The SPOT messenger weighs 7.4oz/209 grams and is made of impact resistant orange plastic with a black rubber bumper. SPOT rates their product waterproof in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. The device also floats, which is handy if you find yourself falling overboard, just be sure to attach a lanyard to the opening in the back.

I’ve been using the SPOT messenger for several months, and it’s become just another gadget that I’d never leave home without. As I mentioned earlier, there is a less serious angle to this device, as you can share your current location with anyone back home. Your position can be sent via email or text message whenever you press the “OK” button. If you enable the tracking feature of the device, the SPOT messenger transmits your location every 10 minutes, which can be viewed on a Google map overlay on the SPOT site.

GPS and satellite reception is more than adequate outdoors, but you can’t rely on the device to function indoors. I’ve also had a hard time getting a GPS signal inside a car. So, if you had dreams of using this device to track your luggage, I’ll have to disappoint you; it won’t work. The device has just 4 indicator lights, and these don’t really provide enough information to figure out what the device is doing. You will need to read the manual and learn the various blinking codes. Of course, by not adding more lights, or a display, they have managed to make battery life quite impressive.

The SPOT messenger operates off 2 AA batteries, but SPOT strongly advise against using regular (alkaline or rechargeable) batteries and claim that the device operates best off non rechargeable lithium batteries (around $5 per pair). The batteries are installed in the device behind a plastic cover attached with 2 screws. To remove the back cover you also need to unscrew the belt clip. Full batteries can keep the unit powered for up to 2 weeks when in SPOT Tracking mode (with messages every 10 minutes) or for manually sending up to 1900 OK messages.

The SPOT messenger relies on access to 2 different satellite constellations; the US government GPS satellites, and the Globalstar network. GPS satellites cover almost every corner of the globe, but Globalstar is only available in select regions.

A coverage map for Gloablstar satellites can be found here. As you can see, there is no coverage in places like India, Hawaii and most of Africa. If you plan to purchase the SPOT messenger, be sure to check the local coverage before you leave.

The SPOT messenger costs $169 with service starting at just $99 a year. The basic service package includes unlimited 911 alerts, OK and help messages. This basic service does not include the progress tracking add-on which costs an additional $49.99 per year.

The GEOS search and rescue service is $7.95 per year when purchased upon activation (or $150 prior to activation). Bargain hunters can find the SPOT messenger through various vendors on Amazon.com for as little as $127.

Let me close with a warning; I’ve done a lot of reading about the SPOT messenger, and personal distress locator devices in general, and the experts on these devices make it clear that the SPOT messenger is not a replacement for a true emergency beacon. Don’t buy a SPOT messenger to replace your existing equipment if you plan to sail around the world or if you are off on your own climbing a mountain. In my opinion, it’s a great device for someone that normally would not carry a product like this or for someone who would like an affordable way of relaying back to their friends and family that they are ok. It’s also a fun way to keep your friends and family updated on your location. Imagine your kid logging on to his or her PC every morning to see where Daddy is. Make no mistake though, the SPOT messenger is a reliable emergency locator, and their “true stories” rescue pages have some great stories of how the device helped with rescue operations.