The Intrepid-DX Group’s plans for a 2023 DXpedition to Bouvet Island are back on the front burner. In a brief announcement to the “global DX community,” DXpedition co-leader Paul Ewing, N6PSE, said a new charter vessel contract is in the offing. The 3Y0J DXpedition has refunded all donations to its earlier announced plan, advanced before losing its contract with the charter vessel Braveheart, and Ewing conceded, “there was a high degree of uncertainty that we could move forward.” Braveheart captain Nigel Jolly, K6NRJ, told the DXpedition in June that the Braveheart was being put up for sale, and he was canceling its contract for the 3Y0J voyage.

Ewing said this week that the team has found a suitable and affordable vessel whose skipper is willing to take a group of a dozen DXers to Bouvet, and they are negotiating the terms of that charter contract at present.

“We have submitted a new application to the Norwegian Polar Institute,” Ewing said. The team leadership has been revised. David Jorgensen, WD5COV, will be a co-leader, responsible for operations and antennas, while Kevin Rowett, K6TD, will be a co-leader, responsible for systems/networks, procurement, and logistics, and Ewing as a third co-leader, will oversee planning, public relations, tents, and logistics.

“Together, this leadership team will assemble 12 operators to make this vision a reality,” Ewing said. “We are revising our website and soon, we will begin fundraising for this renewed effort.” He expressed gratitude for all past sponsors of the Bouvet Island DXpedition initiative and said he hopes they can support the renewed effort as well. A new website is under construction.

A dependency of Norway, Bouvet is a subantarctic volcanic island in the South Atlantic.