On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:17:45 -0500, Cub Driver
wrote:

It's getting awfully crowded down there (or up there, in terms of
latitude).

Sure seems to be. In addition to the highly publicised (and
criticised) aviation expeditions there's a host of other unsupported
ground based privateers - more than a dozen I think - mainly ex the
US.

And some officially sanctioned activities are landing in strife with
the very recent drowning of a bunch of Koreans which seems to have
passed without much comment.

"Eight South Koreans, including four scientists working at an
Antarctic research centre, are missing after their boats capsized in
rough weather, Reuters reports.A boat carrying three scientists went
missing on Sunday as they returned to South Korea's polar research
base at King George Island after seeing off 24 colleagues returning to
Seoul. Immediately after the boat capsized, a second vessel carrying
five people left to search for them and suffered the same fate."