France, Jan. 24 -- Setting sail from Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 January and wrapping up in Hobart, Australia, on 15 March, Etienne's Polar Pod / Perseverance crew will spend their time collecting all kinds of data from the sea, the sky, the air and the ice, using special onboard equipment.
Their main goal is to study the breeding patterns of local fauna to provide evidence for the efficacy of the marine protected area (MPA) in the Ross Sea off Antarctica, now a decade old.
Perseverance is an appropriate name for the mission - one that suggests the same patience, determination and faith that have driven Etienne's ambitious projects over the years.
At 79, the doctor and explorer has kept his spirit of adventure. It all began as a chi...