The Ocean Nova in Antarctica, photograph from Polar Latitudes Expeditions
Polar Latitudes Expeditions held auctions aboard two of their Antarctic expedition vessels during the 2025/26 summer on behalf of the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project. Four auctions were held, one aboard the 139-passenger Seaventure on 4 February 2026 while crossing the Antarctic Circle, and three on the 70-passenger Ocean Nova on 8, 18 and 27 March 2026. A total of R387 152 was raised, all but R5698 from the auctions. Interest in the auctions was raised by presentations on the MFM Project made on board by several members of the the ship’s staff, including Dr Annette Bombosch, Marine Mammal Lecturer and Citizen Science Coordinator.
Leigh Wolfaardt’s “The Albatrosses of the Prince Edward Islands”, in gouache and graphite pencil, was auctioned as a limited edition giclée print
The MFM Project supplied donated art prints by Leigh Wolfaardt, including her “The Albatrosses of the Prince Edward Islands” and books by Jean Brundrit (Over the Horizon), with which she included two limited edition photographic prints, and John Cooper (The Human History of a Beleaguered Island. Told by way of rare and intriguing historical photographs) for the auctions. Ruth Peacey, wildlife film maker who also acts as an ornithological guide on Polar Latitudes Expeditions voyages, facilitated the auction items getting aboard. In addition, Expedition Leader Hannah Lawson (who has a Master’s degree in Natural History Illustration from the Royal College of Art in London) adorned copies of the voyage charts while aboard with illustrations of wildlife observed during the trips, which consistently achieved the highest bids; USD6000 in one auction! The ships’ bow flags were also made available for auctioning and proved popular.
The Marion Island 68-page photobook, photograph by Beate Hölscher
The MFM Project expresses its grateful thanks to Polar Latitudes Expeditions for its support and Annette Bombosch, Hannah Lawson and Ruth Peacey for their efficient roles with the onboard auctions and presentations. Jean Brundrit and Leigh Wolfaardt kindly donated auction items and John Gibbs carried the books in his personal luggage from South Africa to the United Kingdom, saving the MFM Project expensive international courier charges.
John Cooper, News Correspondent, Mouse-Free Marion Project, 06 May 2026
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A King Penguin with its downy chick by Leigh Wolfaardt was one of the prints auctioned
The Mouse-Free Marion Project is a registered non-profit company (No. 2020/922433/08) in South Africa, established to eradicate the invasive albatross-killing mice on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean. The project was initiated by BirdLife South Africa and the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. Upon successful completion, the project will restore the critical breeding habitat of over two million seabirds, many globally threatened, and improve the island’s resilience to a warming climate. For more information or to support the project please visit mousefreemarion.org.
