The "Explorer" was depicted on at least two postage stamps issued by South Georgia.
The ship left Ushuaia, Argentina on November 11, 2007, on a 19-day cruise intended to trace the route of 20th century explorer Ernest Shackleton through the Drake Passage (an area typically stormy with rough seas). After visiting the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island the "Explorer" hit an unidentified submerged object in the Bransfield Strait close to King George Island in the Antarctic Ocean, near the South Shetland Islands, on November 23, 2007. The object struck by the "Explorer" caused a 10-by-4 inch (25 × 10 cm) hole to the ship's port side (left side) which allowed sea water to enter the ship.
A passenger reported sea water in the cabin at about 03:00 UTC. Although some reports indicate there had been no noticeable impact, or at least nothing more than the normal crunching of ice experienced when sailing through icy waters, other reports say that there was a loud bang. Some reports also indicate that the ship drifted into an iceberg on the "Explorer's" starboard side while the crew was assessing damage caused by the original impact to the port side of the ship.
A mayday call was put out by the ship at 04:24 UTC, and rescue operations were quickly coordinated by the Prefectura Naval (Coast Guard Corps) of the Argentine Republic, and the Chilean Navy Center for Search and Rescue. Chile dispatched the icebreaker "Almirante Viel", and nearby commercial ships including the MN "Ushuaia", the "National Geographic Endeavor", and the Norwegian Coastal Express ship MS "Nordnorge" which was operating as a passenger cruise ship at the time. By 07:30 UTC, all 91 passengers, 9 guides and 54 crew, from over 14 countries
, left the ship and took to the life rafts, where they drifted for three to four hours, until they were picked up by the Norwegian ship MS "Nordnorge" which arrived on scene by 10:00 UTC.
Some of those rescued by the "Nordnorge" were taken to the Chilean Eduardo Frei Montalva Station on King George Island. Later they were flown by C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Chilean Air Force to Punta Arenas, Chile, in two separate flights on Saturday, November 24, and Sunday, November 25, 2007. Approximately 70 of the survivors were taken to Uruguay’s Artigas Base. The "Explorer" sank within 20 hours after striking an unknown submerged object reported to be ice.
Calcite
Calcite is one of the most common minerals on the Earth's surface. It is a often part of sedimentary rocks, especially limestone. It is also the primary mineral in metamorphic marble.
It is a chemical or biochemical calcium carbonate with the formula CaCO. It is a carbonate mineral. It can be a vein mineral in deposits from hot springs, and in caverns as stalactites and stalagmites.
Stalagmite
A stalagmite is a form that can be found on the floor of a cave. It rises from the floor of a limestone cave when mineralized solutions drip from the ceiling and deposits of calcium carbonate form columns on the ground. The corresponding formation on the ceiling of a cave is known as a stalactite.
There are several methods to help remember which formation hangs from the ceiling (stalactite) and which rises from the floor (stalagmite):
When touring caves with stalactites and stalagmites you might be asked to not touch the rock formations. This is generally because the formation is considered to still be growing and forming. Since the rock buildup is formed by minerals solidifying out of the water solution, skin oils can disturb where the mineral water will cling. So the development of the rock formation will be affected and not will not be natural anymore.
Stalactites and stalagmites can also form on concrete ceilings and floors, but they form much more quickly on concrete than in the natural cave environment.
Deposit
Deposit could mean:
Deposition (geology)
Deposition is the geological process where material is added to a land (or a landform). This can happen in many places, such as a beach or river. Some parts of a shoreline build up and grow out, whereas other parts of the shoreline erode and fall into the sea.
In deposition, wind and water lay down grains of material that have been eroded and transported from another place. Deposition happens when the forces which transport sediments are weaker than the forces of particle weight and friction. This causes a resistance to movement, and the particles drop down.
Deposition can also refer to the buildup of sediment from organically derived matter or chemical process.
Calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with the chemical formula CaCO. The elements involved are calcium (Ca), carbon (C) and oxygen (O). It is a common substance found as rock in all parts of the world, and is the main component of seashells, snails, and eggshell.
Calcium carbonate is usually the main cause of hard water. It is used as a calcium supplement or as a treatment for antacid, but too much can be bad for your health.
Calcium carbonate is found naturally as the following minerals and rocks:
To test whether a mineral or rock contains calcium carbonate, strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid, can be added to it. If the sample does contain calcium carbonate, it will fizz and produce carbon dioxide. Weak acids such as acetic acid will react, but less quickly. All of the rocks/minerals mentioned above will react with acid.
Hard water
Hard water is water that has a high mineral content (contrast with "soft water").
The main components of these minerals usually are calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) ions. But there are also dissolved metals, bicarbonates, and sulfates. Calcium usually enters the water as either calcium carbonate (CaCO) in the form of limestone and chalk, or calcium sulfate (CaSO) in the form of several other mineral deposits. The main source of magnesium is dolomite (CaMg(CO)). Hard water is generally not harmful and some hardness in water is a useful source of calcium for healthy bone development .
Soft water
Soft water is water which has relatively low concentration of calcium carbonate and other ions . It contains less than 85.5 parts per million of calcium carbonate.
The water that lathers with soap easily is called or known as soft water. It describes type of water that contain few or no minerals like calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg) ions. The term is usually relative to "hard water", which does contain significant amounts of such ions.
Soft water mostly comes from peat or igneous rock sources, such as granite but may also come from sandstone sources, since those sedimentary rocks are usually low in calcium and magnesium.
Hard water may be better for the heart than soft water. Its calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)ions may be a dietary supplement for some.
The main disadvantage of hard water is it deposits calcium carbonate on pipes, especially hot water pipes. This is called "scale formation". It may cause blockage of pipes and reduce boiler efficiency. Also, soap and detergents work less well in hard water. These effects increase as hardness increases.
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat that one can find in upland areas, that are characterised by acidic soils.
Moorland habitats are rather common in the neotropics and tropical Africa but one can find them also in small scattered places in northern and western Europe, northern Australia, North America, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In the tiny areas of European moorlands tend to be environments with only very few species. They are often dominated by heather. In the far more extensive moorlands of the tropics species diversity can be extremely high.
Moorlands differ from typical heathland in being colder and much wetter, often with extensive bogs.