tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37099826806846012542024-03-05T22:52:03.319+00:00South Georgia Journal 201254°17'S 036°30'W South Georgia, Southern OceanMatt Kenneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04764789215668159027noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-78514490631743437232012-07-29T16:12:00.003+01:002012-07-29T16:59:15.732+01:00Scielasko Ice Cap and Black Peak Mountain.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #444444;">Here follows a tale of mountaineering. Real mountaineering. With ice axes and crampons. And rope. I don't have many of these....</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">BAS policy dictates that we are not allowed to do glacial travel due to the technical nature of the traverse, and the associated risks if you dont know your ice axe from your snow bridge. The same rule also dictates, however, that we are allowed to do such things if accompanied by a BAS field assistant / mountaineer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">By a sheer streak of luck, this years base commander, Mr James Wake, is an ex BAS field assistant with a number of Antarctic field seasons to his name, as well as a history of miriad mountain climbs since he was a child. Therefore, glacier travel has become a possibility this year.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">There are a number of large, heavily crevassed and active glaciers in the area. The Nordenskjold is arguably to most impressive in the immediate vicinity of base (though, they are all simply stunning) but the Neaumayer glacier in Cumberland west bay is the most active. It calves enormous chunks of ice in to the sea almost on a daily basis, and measurements taken (some by me) have confirmed the ice face is retreating back in to the Allardyce mountain range at a rate of 1 meter per day - or around 360 meters per year.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">We opted to go and explore a less often seen feature on the Barff Peninsula however - the Scielasko Ice Cap. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvILRogrONod6w5bjuZt44qaug-p8u1vFszFqid6QaNysQN5IkoTg4u44iAwA2Pc3PshHBq_3GgP-Q6a0KAklCgGFCFDGqbKU7b0ND6LFUKmN4NqTLtfEdR4kCkUcW7wcWg6WrNvX0HbB/s1600/untitled+%25289+of+442%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #444444; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvILRogrONod6w5bjuZt44qaug-p8u1vFszFqid6QaNysQN5IkoTg4u44iAwA2Pc3PshHBq_3GgP-Q6a0KAklCgGFCFDGqbKU7b0ND6LFUKmN4NqTLtfEdR4kCkUcW7wcWg6WrNvX0HbB/s320/untitled+%25289+of+442%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">Being an Ice Cap, its nature is similar to that of a glacier. In fact, it once was a glacier proper, flowing down in to reindeer valley and no doubt contributing to a larger glacier as it went. Today, it has retreated in to a rift up in the mountain range on the Barff peninsula, and has become a stable, and smooth feature, devoid of crevasses. At the head of the ice cap lies the highest mountain summit in our travel area - Black Peak mountain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">Black Peak summit is recorded at 812m (2,664 feet) high, and on a good day allows for simply spectacular views of the surrounding area, including the Nordenskjold Glacier and Mount Paget - the highest mountain in South Georgia (which stands at a lofty 9,629 feet high) as well as the beautiful scarred coastline, and of course the endless expanse of the Southern Ocean, stretching literally infinitely about the southern hemisphere of Earth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">Day one, we were deployed at Sandebugten bay and we loaded our packs, and a miriad of gear in to the pulk which James would be carrying behind him on skis.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">A tough trudge through deep snow (even the snow shoes were sinking 3 or more feet in places) finally allowed us some altitude, which with it, reduced the temperature and made the footing more solid. Eventually we made it over a col and in to Reindeer Valley. The valley runs East West and offers one of the few easier passages to the far side of the peninsula overland. At this time of year, in the depths of winter, the valley floor is totally snow covered and the lake and streams which striate the landscape in the summer, are all frozen and seem to have disappeared all together.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">A few hours later, we eventually worked our way out of the valley floor and up in the hills in the vicinity of the Ice Cap. We found a suitable spot at the foot of the cap, which was not even visible in its entirety, partly due to the scud and poor visibility in the area when we arrived.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">We camped the night on what we believed to be a frozen lochen. I think we were all thankful of the goose down sleeping bags as the temperature dropped to double minus figures over night.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">Early AM on day 2, and we had breakfasted on hot porridge and tea. The camp was to stay in situ, so all unnecessary gear and supplies was depoted in the tent or pulk. Unfortunately most of the weight saved was then put back on in the form of our climbing racks (ice screws, carrabinas, prussicks, strops, cam clamps, pullys etc) which are worn on harnesses, plus ice axe and crampons (spiked metal shoes which fit to your boots and allow you to walk / climb on ice.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">The trek up the ice cap was simply stunning. The low scud and overcast dreariness of the previous day had cleared entirely, and to coin a well known (though less often used) FID phrase - we had a dingle day. We quickly got used to being roped up as a group and we made quick progress up to the base of the ridge line leading to black peak.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">The view opened up to the east coast once we got to the top of the ridge. The view from around 2,200 feet up was just spectacular, but in places the ridge drops vertically in some places for what looked like a good 1500 feet sheer drop. We remained roped up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">The summit came a hour later, and the view, as well as an enormous sense of achievement, was incredible. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">Day 3 we struck camp and trekked back in to reindeer valley, making our way further east to a col at the top of a picturesque bay and natural harbour called Godthul.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">Dropping steeply in to Godthul, down some steep gullys, we made camp on some rolling foot hills very near the disused whaling industry depot, surrounded by reindeer. We spent a wonderful evening on the beach, watching the gentoo penguins, which form a large colony at Godthul, return full-bellied from their day at sea, and scramble frantically back ashore, as the sun quietly set behind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #444444;">An unforgettable journey, and without doubt a superb way of spending the only sunny days we have had for a long while!</span></div>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-54222676528589035592012-07-29T16:00:00.000+01:002012-07-30T00:50:07.728+01:00Catch Up - March 2012 web diary.<br />
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Most significantly this month, we have been joined by two
new team members. Paula O’Sullivan and
Jo Cox are both familiar faces to BAS; Paula having worked as a boating officer
for two previous consecutive winters at KEP, and Jo joining us from the bridge
of the RRS James Clarke Ross where she is normally chief navigating
officer. Paula will be joining me in the
boating department, signifying the end of a period of working alone, and Jo will
be joining the South Georgia Government office where she will be working as a
government representative on the island.
A huge KEP welcome to both ladies!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKAWzPk2KZV48O_gHgYcWOLxxcD3sfeshe3AqR2Pl_PjL86f-QuSEp3t_ZfKytYvq8_R8RfnAetmPx9kHe9qoWhWGFRFaZJCX5dsKKwxYvB3gQbLkJdzuTp2m_b5yGoXoxlazHblTfEBY/s1600/Paula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKAWzPk2KZV48O_gHgYcWOLxxcD3sfeshe3AqR2Pl_PjL86f-QuSEp3t_ZfKytYvq8_R8RfnAetmPx9kHe9qoWhWGFRFaZJCX5dsKKwxYvB3gQbLkJdzuTp2m_b5yGoXoxlazHblTfEBY/s400/Paula.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Paula arrived to begin her third winter in South Georgia</i></span></td></tr>
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When talking of the traditions and orthodoxy of devoted
couples who decide to get married, rusty landrovers, Nido tins, boiler suits
and a ship’s fog horn are likely to get a rare mention, if ever mentioned at
all. </div>
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However, KEP had the privilege of playing host and notary to
the wedding of OTEP Ecologist Kalinka Rexer-Huber and her husband Graham
Parker; a wedding which cast aside many traditions in favour of a most unusual,
but very memorable ceremony. Conducted
in the shadow of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s memorial cross on the idyllic rock promontory
of Hope Point, the wedding was informal in the extreme, with most of the
congregation in boiler suits and rigger boots, and not a cravat or veil to be
seen. The result however was
extraordinary, and the fine weather and spectacular South Georgia views made
for a most romantic ceremony.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1A-f1IZtEiC6pZIOs41rbBnQC_1ZWT5qzVOzdErOf2rv4yp3S-JmkCZy2TqOdLC5w4gGQF08ZROyGqaqwh_HAJkNntuXBIyRyNe0x2MRz7sgF4Ayrq4EclD-PpmPfZqkeJj52rglKSDd/s1600/Kalinka+and+Graham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1A-f1IZtEiC6pZIOs41rbBnQC_1ZWT5qzVOzdErOf2rv4yp3S-JmkCZy2TqOdLC5w4gGQF08ZROyGqaqwh_HAJkNntuXBIyRyNe0x2MRz7sgF4Ayrq4EclD-PpmPfZqkeJj52rglKSDd/s320/Kalinka+and+Graham.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Newlyweds at Hope Point</i></td></tr>
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Everybody on base and aboard the fisheries patrol vessel
PHAROS SG, who was alongside at KEP Jetty at the time, were invited to witness
this special occasion, and join in on an afternoon of celebrations. Kalinka has become a very popular and valued
member of the King Edward Point team over the many months she has now spent on
the island, studying the rats and surveying and treating the small number of
manageable invasive plant species on the island. The ceremony was conducted by the registrar
of South Georgia, Sarah Lurcock, and the building team from Morrison’s
construction decked out their Series II landrover with electrical-cable-marking
tape for ribbon, and trailed a bunch of empty potato tins and milk powder
tins. With the rust and dents suitably
disguised, the chauffeur-driven vehicle whisked the newlyweds from Hope Point to
the front of Everson House, where they were greeted with a champagne reception and
a round of applause. Everyone here
would like to wish the happy couple many years of adventuring together.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpMMBc28uRChu2PZGeyfvQ4TFlyov9C7Vlx6xQ4gTneBx0SQ7SKGonLzvDCzgknPzTuwO8fOM3bmCDq_60tefKEEj3sZoor2JNbkLPsLB7FL_Mo0XQiVnv1ya0pzMfw7FahuttCdJ3dIx/s1600/Wedding+group+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpMMBc28uRChu2PZGeyfvQ4TFlyov9C7Vlx6xQ4gTneBx0SQ7SKGonLzvDCzgknPzTuwO8fOM3bmCDq_60tefKEEj3sZoor2JNbkLPsLB7FL_Mo0XQiVnv1ya0pzMfw7FahuttCdJ3dIx/s320/Wedding+group+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A wedding party, South Georgia style</span></i></span></td></tr>
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Of course, the festivities could not last, and the work
program for March started in earnest.
Katie Brigden, our resident fisheries biologist, accompanied members of
the OTEP team as well as South Georgia Government representatives on a field
trip to Ocean Harbour to study the reindeer movements in the area, and treat
some sporadic invasive plants. The work
undertaken in these studies will help build an accurate and thorough appraisal
of the reindeer population on the island, and how their removal might best be
managed.</div>
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Once again, we had the pleasure of hosting the Royal Navy at
KEP during a visit by patrol vessel HMS Clyde.
The ship docked alongside, where she remained for a few days to carry
out some work on the island. Amongst the
crew where a small team from the Royal Air Force explosive ordnance disposal
(EOD) team, who were to carry out controlled detonations to dispose of any
relics of the 1982 conflict, which still get reported in the hills surrounding
the base. It is a great time to be here,
as often the teams are very friendly and willing to get base members (safely)
involved, and what results is a louder and more explosive fireworks display
than you may have seen before! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN7DudBJ9SWtGaUalX7md1AxJo3jaACndkO5MLBdoQBBGIq7S7-NIbonTB0-FEMD1zeGu3IcOZBa8wuRzjb_ZMrHXVc-lh6_NLBPKQ2795fOnq8vnOVg40HP6ktu8kldh3v2Z7w-HDFVz/s1600/EOD+Explosion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN7DudBJ9SWtGaUalX7md1AxJo3jaACndkO5MLBdoQBBGIq7S7-NIbonTB0-FEMD1zeGu3IcOZBa8wuRzjb_ZMrHXVc-lh6_NLBPKQ2795fOnq8vnOVg40HP6ktu8kldh3v2Z7w-HDFVz/s320/EOD+Explosion.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Another controlled detonation echoes around the mountains</i></span></span> </td></tr>
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Often the Navy will volunteer crew during a visit to South
Georgia to any tasks which require extra pairs of hands. This time, we had a rather large
request. The wreck of the fishing vessel
LYN, which grounded and breached on rocks in the entrance to the Morraine Fjord
during a severe storm in 2003, has unfortunately sustained more damage during a
recent period of heavy seas. The vessel
has now broken up in to three sections which has breached the forward freezer
hold and exposed a quantity of expanding foam to the sea, which had, by the beginning
of March, been deposited on nearby beaches.
A large cleanup operation was launched with the generous help of the
crew of HMS Clyde and some 20 RN volunteers (including the Captain!) equipped
with their own landing craft, joined a team from BAS and GSGSSI in the
cleanup. We were overwhelmed by our
success, and after a hard day filling sacks and ferry people to and from the
remote beaches, we had recovered practically all of the beach debris. It really made everyone proud to be able to
ensure the island is kept as pristine as possible, and the team here laid on
drinks in the base bar to thank the RN helpers.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV93A4zIZIBy-9H5-Gb4iicJoDZ2VrPx13f9nn0vJcAmTIUNqRowGZW1z0P0rgOiILfrYM49wBmFxoA-JCH1oe5ugPvJpfrzhGLKatT3ss9noEtEj85OTYSsv9nFMB8eMOo3Cym_7xu3qy/s1600/Beach+debris.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV93A4zIZIBy-9H5-Gb4iicJoDZ2VrPx13f9nn0vJcAmTIUNqRowGZW1z0P0rgOiILfrYM49wBmFxoA-JCH1oe5ugPvJpfrzhGLKatT3ss9noEtEj85OTYSsv9nFMB8eMOo3Cym_7xu3qy/s320/Beach+debris.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Debris on the local beaches before the highly successful cleanup operation</span><b> </b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The cooperation with the Navy turned to competition however,
and the next day, a football match was held on the old recreation ground at
Grytiviken disused whaling station. The
Navy gave our team a fair walloping, but foolishly agreed to a ‘sudden death’
decider, and the golden toe of BAS Engineer Tom Whitfield secured a (somewhat
un-deserved) victory! The day was
finished off by a fabulous talent show, organised by the rates mess on the
warship, and KEP took part with a last minute rendition of the Dad’s Army theme
tune, accompanied by some sub-sandhurst-standard marching and drills!</div>
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The science department has been busy this month, and
education has continued to be a large part of our resident scientist’s
roles. As well as delivering seminars on
board visiting cruise ships (including the National Geographic explorer among
others) to raise the scientific significance of the island to the tourists; our
team have also been delivering their expertise directly back to the UK. This year’s Cambridge Science festival
organised a live video chat between children at the festival and our scientists
in their laboratory here in South Georgia.
The children asked may questions, some scientific and some more
domestic, and the feedback was very positive.
It is hoped the base can participate in more educational and awareness
opportunities in the future.</div>
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An eventful month ended on a high, as we enjoyed another
visit by the tall ship Bark Europa. The 56m
LOA Barquentine rigged sailing ship is always a welcome visitor. Not only is the ship beautiful to look at,
and reminiscent of some of the ships which would have plied their trade in
South Georgia a century ago, but she always has a welcome invite for base members
to come aboard for a barbeque when she is in King Edward Cove. It is of course a great opportunity to share
our knowledge and experiences of the island with the passengers, and to help
educate them about some of the issues the island faces and the successes the
island enjoys, but the good food, good beer and (perhaps not so good) dancing
is always great fun!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhA9Zb155IHEY-67ybEoHKtl5oITbQDxCW5RNVmorjgarrptQhjsPupOeXJh9cyhI7LHO9X95r92eXtP1EXO-1cq3PHIKGydEnY06jpr4AEQyoxgTeKT7t-RjrXshRRULs0AWoHlmD27o_/s1600/Bark+Europa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhA9Zb155IHEY-67ybEoHKtl5oITbQDxCW5RNVmorjgarrptQhjsPupOeXJh9cyhI7LHO9X95r92eXtP1EXO-1cq3PHIKGydEnY06jpr4AEQyoxgTeKT7t-RjrXshRRULs0AWoHlmD27o_/s320/Bark+Europa.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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Lastly, our living link to Antarctic heritage, BAS Zoologist
Alastair Wilson, paid homage to his families’ impressive and significant past
on the 29<sup>th</sup> of this month.
Alastair hosted a church service in the Grytviken church to mark the
Centenary of Captain Scott’s last diary entry, made shortly before his tragic
death whilst attempting the return leg of his successful expedition to the
South Pole. The story, now famous
among Antarctic enthusiasts, still rings stark and true to those who work
south, as Captain Oates sacrificed his life in order for the others to survive
on the remaining food rations, and to cease holding up the party due to poor health stating “I am going outside, I may be some
time”. These words he is said to have
spoken to the three surviving men in his tent; Captain Scott, Bowers and Alastair’s Great
Great uncle, Edward Wilson.</div>
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MATT KENNEY</div>
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Senior Boating Officer, KEP – South Georgia.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-62111809366314322782012-07-07T17:58:00.002+01:002012-07-07T17:58:30.069+01:00This blog is a copy of the January web diary for KEP, which I wrote for the BAS website: <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">JANUARY 2012<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GLvmdN66NdE/Tw9kaMXg1vI/AAAAAAAABhI/ervVTs4bPt4/s1600/20111210-IMG_9703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GLvmdN66NdE/Tw9kaMXg1vI/AAAAAAAABhI/ervVTs4bPt4/s400/20111210-IMG_9703.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">With 2011 on South Georgia being cast
into the history books, 2012 started in earnest and once again the King Edward
Point gang enjoyed a busy, varied and challenging start to the New Year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As always, BAS science and South
Georgia government projects featured heavily on the agenda, and our fisheries
biologist, Katie Brigden MSc, Bsc (Hons) continued her hard work collecting
samples and compiling key data for the on-going fisheries monitoring program on
South Georgia. A large part of Katie’s work involves undertaking plankton
trawls aboard the Fisheries Patrol vessel Pharos SG, and the beginning of
January saw Katie back at sea trawling along pre determined transects in
Cumberland East Bay and Rosita Harbour some 40 nautical miles along the coast
from KEP. The samples collected are carefully sorted, weighed and analysed in
the James Cook laboratory and the data will contribute to an overall appraisal
of the health of the local fishery, and its impact on the wider ecosystems. In
addition to this, Katie has also been involved this month in a bird study on
Prion Island in connection with the on going rat eradication project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Further monitoring of the higher
predator populations on the island, namely the Antarctic Fur Seal and Gentoo
penguin colonies continued too and our other full time scientist Alastair
Wilson Msc, BSc (Hons) lead a gang of willing volunteers to the study beach at
Maiviken to undertake the first of this year’s seal pup weight surveys. This
survey will provide important data about the health of the higher predatory
populations on the island to the long term marine monitoring program, and again
ensures that krill and fish stocks remain abundant for the animals that rely on
them. Data so far this year is very encouraging, and a healthy number of pups
have been counted and their food sources appear very good with lots of fat pups
recorded. Alastair has also continued his work analysing scat samples which
again will help closely monitor the state of the seal’s diet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Visiting scientist Sue Gregory from
the Cambridge based marine science department arrived in January, and en-route
conducted this year’s ground fish survey aboard the fishing vessel New Polar.
Around 30 trawls where carried out, and a large amount of data and samples
where recovered from the Shag Rocks area on the different species caught, in
particular Mackerel Icefish. Data was gathered on length, frequency, sex and
maturity; and stomach samples were taken for analysis back at KEP to provide
information on diet and feeding habits. Groundfish Surveys like this one have
been carried out since the late 1980s, with the purpose to provide an estimate
of the standing stock and age structure of the mackerel icefish and inform fisheries
management in SG waters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-697-Yg5nJGA/Tw9jcO8NE1I/AAAAAAAABg8/n0Pp4VW5OXU/s1600/20111209-IMG_9603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-697-Yg5nJGA/Tw9jcO8NE1I/AAAAAAAABg8/n0Pp4VW5OXU/s320/20111209-IMG_9603.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The GPS equipment set up on the Busen peninsula.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The science theme continued in other
disciplines too, and Dr Kieron Fraser, one of our resident government officers
carried out some further data collection on the Barff Peninsula to assist with
the improvement of the BAS map of the area. The project, headed by Adrian Fox
of the BAS Mapping and geographic information systems department (or MAGIC for
short) is an SG government lead initiative to further improve the accuracy and
detailing of some of the maps used in South Georgia, using detailed aerial
photographs supplied by the Royal Navy, with the geo-referencing being done
using a very sophisticated GPS system. Conspicuous and unambiguous sites are
identified on the photographs and Kieron was then deployed via the base boats to
set up the GPS to take positional data for the site. The readings take over an
hour, such is the accuracy of the equipment, and a position to within
centimeters is achievable. The maps will be an invaluable asset during phase
two of the habitat restoration project which will be underway next year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Phase two of the habitat restoration
project, a project designed to eradicate all none-native species of plant and
animal from the island, will concentrate on the population of reindeer on the
Barff and Busen peninsulas. The reindeer have been monitored carefully over the
past few years, and a detailed study in to their impact has been completed. The
best option for the protection of native plants, animals and birdlife has been
determined, and the complete eradication of the animals will be managed by a
group of professional reindeer herders from Norway. Representatives of the
Statins Nature Oppsin in Norway have been on the island throughout January, and
the boating department have been busy deploying them using the boats in to
various sites around the locality so they can study the herds and plan for
their capture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">January was a busy month for shipping
too, and 23 vessels came and went throughout. Most of these vessels are
visiting cruise ships, and in total nearly 2000 visitors passed through. The
weather made its mark for one of these tourist visits, and after landing some
56 passengers ashore, the zodiac drivers where unable to retrieve them as the
wind increased to storm force 10, and 70 knot gusted ripped through the cove.
Visibility dropped drastically in flying spume, and the ship was forced to
weigh anchor and seek more sea room away from the rocky coastline. The team
here pulled together and invited all 56 in to the base for tea and biscuits.
Emergency blankets and beds where prepared incase the wind forced them to
shelter overnight, but thankfully after a couple of hours the gale blew out and
the passengers where once again re-united with their ship. The base staff where
left to polish off the soup and pasta which had been made for them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Another welcome visitor this month
was the South African research ship SA Aghulas, who stopped by during her
science cruise. The vessel stayed at anchor for the day and invited some of us
on board for tours. It was a great opportunity for science workers from
different national Antarctic programs to come together to share ideas and
methods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">January saw the history books
re-opened with the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Chris Nunn OBE Royal Marines
and his wife Siobhan. Mr Nunn was the commander of ‘M’ Company, Royal Marines
and was heavily involved in military operations in South Georgia during 1982.
Mr Nunn gave a fascinating and very even-handed presentation on the islands
tumultuous past, and the role of his company during the Falkland Islands
conflict; and it was a privilege for base staff to host Mr and Mrs Nunn for a
week and facilitate an important visit for a retired war veteran to see the
eminent progress made by BAS and the Government of South Georgia since the end
of the war. Mr Nunn commented on his satisfaction at seeing the island return
once again to a place of peace and science, and was heartened to see the
islands rich and diverse ecosystem return to the forefront of the agenda. He
also bought with him a valuable archive of documents and artifacts which where
kindly donated to the South Georgia heritage trust which has made a substantial
contribution the recording of human history in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The boating department where kept
very busy running numerous support trips to the surrounding peninsulas for the
various projects underway. It was also a busy month training this year’s
incumbents in the safe use of the boats. When there is such a busy science
agenda, much of the training comes ‘on-the-job’, but there was still time to
carry out some dedicated training sessions, for example a towing exercise to
simulate a broken down RIB. Despite some 50 hours of time amassed on the water,
and the departure in December of Ashley Perrin (Mrs Boat) leaving me solo until
the next boating officer, Paula O’Sullivan, arrives in March. I was still able
to take a short weekend break to Harpon on the north coast of the Thatcher
Peninsula — a fabulous place to spend a couple of days right next to the Lyell
Glacier and tremendous views over Cumberland West Bay, with a small breeding
colony of King Penguins situated on the old Moraine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Lastly, this month KEP played host
once again to the annual South Georgia half marathon. This grueling test of
physical prowess takes the participant 13 miles through tussock, across rivers,
up scree slopes and over the summit of Brown Mountain. This year’s winner
overall was chief executive of the South Georgia Government — Dr Martin Collins
— with an impressive time of 1 hour 47 minutes. In second place, with a very
respectable 1 hour 52 minutes was the South Georgia post master Hugh Marsden,
with SG Government bird biologist Andy Black coming in 3<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">rd</span></sup> with a time of 1 hour 54 minutes. The
‘runkling’ class (those who intend on walking but running parts of the course)
was won by base doctor John Weissmann with a time of 2 hours 27 minutes, and
the winner of the walking category (by default as the only competitor in
class!) was taken by Alastair Wilson with a respectable 3 hour 43 minute
result. The wooden spoon went to Base mechanic Erny Duston with a time of 4
hours 58 minutes, but this was enough to see him take first place in the
‘nordic walking’ class, again as he was the only entrant, and there was some controversy
over the validity of this renegade class. Erny, originally hailing from North
Yorkshire, was pleased with the result however, and said afterwards “Well I had
little chance in’t other classes, so I thought I would mek’ me own up… you
know…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-30072646017513481812012-07-07T17:48:00.000+01:002012-07-07T17:48:09.593+01:00December 11<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yUTyRRiX5hM/Tw9jIOp6mCI/AAAAAAAABg4/jAb8iR8mYFs/s1600/20111206-DSC_1215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yUTyRRiX5hM/Tw9jIOp6mCI/AAAAAAAABg4/jAb8iR8mYFs/s320/20111206-DSC_1215.jpg" width="320" /></a>So on in to December 11, in the second of my latest series of catch up blogs. Looking back, December was a great month to be in South Georgia, and some exciting things were happening.<br />
<br />
Firstly, the team here welcomed the arrival of Dr Jostein Bekke and his team of researchers from the Bjerkes Centre for Climate Research in Bergen. The team had arrived with a considerable amount of equipment to take lake coring samples from some of the small lakes in the mountains of the Busen and Barff peninsulas. The team had a vast amount of kit to transport to each location including an inflatable raft, lake coring equipment, drills, sample tubes, an outboard engine, a generator, aluminium cases full of sundry scientific instruments, and of course personal kit and supplies for up to a week in the field. All of this equipment had to be stowed on the aft deck of the jetboat during passage to and from field locations, and this included strapping 20 foot long sections of drain pipe to the side decks!<br />
<br />
Once again the Royal Navy dropped by to say hello. The type 45 destroyer HMS Montrose rolled in to cumberland bay during her tour of the South Atlantic. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bt2L5jVfNqE/Tw9dCB4OjwI/AAAAAAAABgM/TQImjk2F9jE/s1600/20111205-P1010562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bt2L5jVfNqE/Tw9dCB4OjwI/AAAAAAAABgM/TQImjk2F9jE/s320/20111205-P1010562.jpg" width="320" /></a>Another major highlight was the arrival of the Norwegian reindeer herders Karl Eric and Henrick. Herick is a Sammi reindeer herder from the north of Norway, and is part of a traditional community of reindeer people in the region. An unassuming, friendly and placid character, Henrick often belies his impressive strength, and agility as he hunts reindeer in the tradition method of lassoing the beast and wrestling the animal to the ground (including the large bucks!). The process is very humane, and causes little pain to the animal as death is achieved quickly using a razor sharp blade and an intimate knowledge of which blood vessels are cut. Henrick gave lassoing lessons, and showed us how to prepare the meat for cooking. The meat itself is very tasty, though both Henrick and Karl Eric could discern a subtle difference in the flavour of the meat compared with the resident norwegian herds. The team are here to begin planning for the eradication of reindeer from South Georgia, and there will be further updates on this.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DIkuzY3WBi4/Tw9cLPsO1VI/AAAAAAAABgE/R0TwX1XId4U/s1600/20111205-IMG_7934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DIkuzY3WBi4/Tw9cLPsO1VI/AAAAAAAABgE/R0TwX1XId4U/s200/20111205-IMG_7934.jpg" width="200" /></a>Lastly, the outgoing winterers finally left the island after their year (or two) of adventure on South Georgia. To mark the evolution of time, and in a way put closure on what was a fabulous year together, we took a fabulous overnight camping trek to Curlew Cave on the North coast of the Thatcher Peninsula. Curlew Cave is a natural cave cut in to the rock, and features a lovely warm (ish) and dry sandy floor - perfect for bivvying out over night. The weather was less than perfect on the walk over, which in the conditions took us around 4 hours and saw us navigating through thick cloud in the mountain passes. however, once in the cave, with socks hung up to dry, and a blazing campfire permeating the frigid cold, we soon settled in to a few warming rums and some freeze dried beef curry! As a consolatory gesture, the return journey the following morning was made in glorious sunshine and excellent views from the mountain pass. Good bye (for now) and good luck to Rob, Matt, Ashley and Sam!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-49Du3zd53pQ/Tw9exVt_zhI/AAAAAAAABgc/S8Ci00d8X7U/s1600/20111205-DSC_1078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-49Du3zd53pQ/Tw9exVt_zhI/AAAAAAAABgc/S8Ci00d8X7U/s400/20111205-DSC_1078.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Ali, Me, Katie, Tommy,Matt H, Rob.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-57743517581952738412012-06-29T21:32:00.000+01:002012-06-29T21:32:34.085+01:00Update - November 11<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6Ol2KcpAlA/T-4MgS_xrYI/AAAAAAAABjc/hQhcqQpLbtU/s1600/20111124-IMG_7775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6Ol2KcpAlA/T-4MgS_xrYI/AAAAAAAABjc/hQhcqQpLbtU/s320/20111124-IMG_7775.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the SWMS - the entrance to Little Jason Lagoon is visible in the top right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">One of my infamous catch up blogs after not updating the site for an </span><span style="line-height: 15px;">embarrassing number of months... The time which has elapsed since the RAF air drop can accumulate a lot of waffle in my world... I must remember to blog little and often.... little and often....</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">November saw
the arrival of an exciting project being undertaken by BAS Scientists Gabbi
Stowasser and Chester ‘Cheps’ Sands and a Biological masters student Jana
Doemel from Germany.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_h6Xuxt5-I/T-4JnGgdHBI/AAAAAAAABik/mhDFjiyNwk8/s1600/untitled+%25284+of+13%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_h6Xuxt5-I/T-4JnGgdHBI/AAAAAAAABik/mhDFjiyNwk8/s200/untitled+%25284+of+13%2529.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The team wanted
to undertake sampling of the seabed at various locations around the Cumberland
Bay area to investigate the local benthic (meaning sea-floor) flora and fauna,
and the project required a boat to carry out trawl work with a ‘Benthic sled’
and some accompanying work with a domersal trawl net . It was therefore up to
me to convert one of our RIBs in to a suitable trawler work platform. I decided the most suitable boat for the job
would be ALERT with her dive rib layout and open aft deck. So with some cunning modifications, she was
transformed into perhaps the world’s first RIB trawler (!) making use of some
now rarely used fishing tackle in the net store, including floating line, heavy
trawl line, cheek blocks and swivel shackles. The makeshift system worked
perfectly and boat proved very capable whilst accumulating around 13 hours of
trawling. The team were overwhelmed by
the samples that were recovered and they will provide a significant
contribution to the marine science being undertaken by many nations around the
Scotia Arc. The trawling was great fun,
and we were very lucky with the weather.
The RIB actually coped incredibly well with bottom trawling, and with
both engines in slow ahead, made a perfect 1.5 knots with the trawl sled fully
deployed on the seabed. It was fascinating
to see the diversity of life that was bought up and put into sample buckets. Jana’s particular area of interest is sea
spiders, and we actually recovered many different species much to Jana’s
delight. In addition we found many
varieties of copepod, isopod, amphipod, echinoderms (starfish!) and other bits
and bobs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9e-rZxv7UE/T-4Lr8PvjfI/AAAAAAAABjM/du-HSwHhLbo/s1600/23-trawl3-actually-working.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9e-rZxv7UE/T-4Lr8PvjfI/AAAAAAAABjM/du-HSwHhLbo/s320/23-trawl3-actually-working.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of
particular interest to me was the requirement for the boats to go and explore
some lesser frequented spots around the coast.
We spend a fair whack of time cruising in to beautiful spots like
Sandebugten cove, Moraine Fjord and even little Jason lagoon. Little Jason is a tidal lake in Jason harbour
on the Busen peninsula, and is only accessible by RIB on spring high
water. As there is usually no reason to
make the journey in to LJ lagoon it is almost certainly the case that no boat
has been inside since HMS endurance made some soundings of the lake in the
early 1990s. Crossing the bar was
exciting, as fur seals leaped from the water across our bows and the last of
the late flood poured in through the entrance making rapids on the shallower
eastern channel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3BAdZIQB4s/T-4Mwd3gy4I/AAAAAAAABjk/ChE1CQgPoMQ/s1600/20111124-IMG_7822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3BAdZIQB4s/T-4Mwd3gy4I/AAAAAAAABjk/ChE1CQgPoMQ/s320/20111124-IMG_7822.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The trawls
inside the lagoon were somewhat disappointing, as it was hoped that because the
lagoon is protected from ice scouring, the benthic marine life could be
abundant. In reality, what was recovered
was a large amount of pungent smelling sludge.
It is my (non-scientific) opinion that the shallow ledge at the
entrance, the small change of water each tide, and the abundance of fur seals
around the lake have eradicated much of any marine life in the cove. Due to tidal constraints we only had time for
one trawl however. Before leaving, I
drove the boat around the perimeter of the lagoon and photographed the beach
for the seal biologist. On returning to
base I counted around 750 fur seals on the beach.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-31467917034877496612011-11-28T21:01:00.000+00:002011-11-28T21:01:21.849+00:00RAF Airdrop<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-krgQAuqvOjI/TtPuXz4i3cI/AAAAAAAABec/pwivpzNw7yE/s1600/20111103-IMG_6727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-krgQAuqvOjI/TtPuXz4i3cI/AAAAAAAABec/pwivpzNw7yE/s400/20111103-IMG_6727.jpg" width="400" /></a>The Royal Air Force has finally succeeded in delivering some supplied for the OTEP project currently underway on the Barff and Busen peninsulas (blog update to follow)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3dQlh4si_k/TtPthB3XRKI/AAAAAAAABeQ/sxPPyA_Q4sE/s1600/20111103-IMG_6668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3dQlh4si_k/TtPthB3XRKI/AAAAAAAABeQ/sxPPyA_Q4sE/s400/20111103-IMG_6668.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The much thwarted drop arrived on time from MPA which in a Hurcules transport aircraft takes a round trip of 6 hours, and requires an in-flight refuel from a VC-10.<br />
<br />
Ashley marked the drop zone with an orange smoke float and once the package had parachuted safely in to the sea, was picked up by Tom, Pat and I on the RIB. The chute and other sundry bits of gear will be returned to the RAF via an HM Warship which we are expecting sometime in the next month or two.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D8ip2iWnGuo/TtPvIgcVZAI/AAAAAAAABek/851m4KzYNeM/s1600/20111103-IMG_6775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D8ip2iWnGuo/TtPvIgcVZAI/AAAAAAAABek/851m4KzYNeM/s320/20111103-IMG_6775.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-1009690473156665502011-11-27T11:35:00.001+00:002011-11-27T12:08:07.417+00:00Catch up 2 - October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In this, the second of my "catch up" reports, I will be looking back on a very busy month. In many ways it was October that really put the blogging behind schedule as it was this month that saw the RRS JAMES CLARKE ROSS arrive on "first call" and with it the arrival of our new wintering team. It was still quite cold at the beginning of the month despite spring being upon us.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m1_s0pQErw4/TtFN4c8RUEI/AAAAAAAABcw/cAaqJoWNvy8/s320/untitled+%25283+of+637%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="284" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cold weather still apparent. This is LUNA's re-righting cylinder after an hour at sea.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The incumbents are: Ernie Duston - Replacing Matt Holmes as the Facilities Engineer, James Wake, replacing Rob Webster as the Base Commander and John Weissman replacing Sam Crimmin as the base Doctor.<br />
<br />
The short period after the activities the month previous, and the arrival of the JCR allowed enough time for me to take a short break away from base. The government officer, Robert Patterson, Heritage Trust curatorial assistant, Katie Murray and myself took a short break to the Greene Peninsular. The Greene sits adjacent to the base, between the thatcher and barff peninsulas and is segrogated from the mainland by two Glaciers - The Nordenskjold and the Harker. The peninsula itself is fairly steep with lowlands skirting its perimeter. There are a couple of peaks to climb including a very easy walk up Eosin Hill, where a moderate traverse can be made to the South to climb the un named peak further along the ridge. This peak gives spectacular views over the Glaciers.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonBlQBYi2Mts-zsyNThHCa_tv_lemxD3_1_p2FZvrb1nn5BLnuhuiLDaBDWPYBUaMHed3_30IGquOgQk1FR0oPmGjNlbVRO4rAlvHu6ehKF4gY1gVh8ogFJQBnlp36arwHTRdh35XTJmy/s1600/katie+greene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonBlQBYi2Mts-zsyNThHCa_tv_lemxD3_1_p2FZvrb1nn5BLnuhuiLDaBDWPYBUaMHed3_30IGquOgQk1FR0oPmGjNlbVRO4rAlvHu6ehKF4gY1gVh8ogFJQBnlp36arwHTRdh35XTJmy/s400/katie+greene.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie on the ridge </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After being dropped off by RIB on the beach, we set up camp by the old survival hut situated on the North West side of the Greene. It is a good place to camp as there is a fresh water stream next door which provides tasty drinking water, the hut is well equipped with stove, lantern, food and supplies and view is spectacular across Cumberland East bay. We spent the afternoon of day 1 setting up camp and collecting fire wood from the beach. There are no trees on South Georgia, and natural driftwood is very rare. However some years ago there was a severe storm which wrecked two fishing vessels on the Moraine Fjord bar situated at the north west end of Greene which over the years have deposited some timber on the beaches around the Fjord. This makes great fire wood to keep warm on fridged evenings.<br />
<br />
Day two took us up on the mountainous spine of the peninsula as we climbed Eosin hill and then made north along the ridge. We stopped for a lunch of chocolate, biscuit browns and dried fruit, then doubled back and came down the steep north face of Eosin on the the beach near Mcmahon rock. From there it was a steady coastal walk back to the vicinity of the hut which was perhaps 2 or 3 miles. That evening we made a fire and had ration packs and wine for dinner.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SCRxz2-54us/TtFRmHyrelI/AAAAAAAABdU/UJdifrp9atE/s1600/untitled+%2528364+of+637%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SCRxz2-54us/TtFRmHyrelI/AAAAAAAABdU/UJdifrp9atE/s320/untitled+%2528364+of+637%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Harker glacier to the left - Hamburg Glacier to the right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The third day we started early and hiked the length of the West coast up to the Glacier. En route we came across a number of Elle Harems and also witnessed a violent fight between two Bulls. This was Katies first real encounter with South Georgia's elephant seal population, and she commented on our own fragile mortality stood on a beach watching the equivalent of 2 transit vans scrapping only perhaps 50 feet away! After doing our fair share of sneaking and fast walking however, we eventually arrived at the foot of the Harker Glacier. The Harker is an impressive glacier, which with its shear spikes and icy minarettes resembles something conjured from Tolkien's Middle Earth. We set up a mini camp and cooked a lunch of Chilli Con Carne over the optimus stove washed down with fresh coffee. While we sat and watched we witnessed quite a large calving from the ice face, and literally thousands of tons of Ice plummeted into the sea. I also happened to have my camera ready at the time, so check out the video below.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RNkoqqlZTms" width="420"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-46530779369473228282011-11-26T15:58:00.001+00:002011-11-26T19:00:16.823+00:00Catch up 1 - SeptemberGreetings folks. The one or two of you who still check this blog occasionally will have noticed that posts have been few and far between once again. This is for a hundred or so poor reasons, but principal of which is the fact that time here just passes so quickly. I feel its time to blog some updates especially if its been afew weeks since last I put fingers to keyboard, but its becoming clear that weeks in my head equivocate months in the real world. I notice for example that the last post I did was September, although I would bet a pound to a pinch of salt that a mere 3 or 4 weeks had passed.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEzxJl4lNOCRc_RGUzxsU2Rb24pTnPKrR7bPKWfzWGkiXChsY1oghFgojR8_2rcC1b4EZfbU-CVPW8DDDLMUuyjUcNstw7BCKwnn82xEGO5s7MZVaJvChnjQ7GGWxZifzIVLBu4_9GS-2/s1600/DSCN8881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEzxJl4lNOCRc_RGUzxsU2Rb24pTnPKrR7bPKWfzWGkiXChsY1oghFgojR8_2rcC1b4EZfbU-CVPW8DDDLMUuyjUcNstw7BCKwnn82xEGO5s7MZVaJvChnjQ7GGWxZifzIVLBu4_9GS-2/s320/DSCN8881.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5.5m Humber RIB LUNA blown off her trailer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>September is an interesting time at KEP. It is fast becoming the end of winter, the wildlife is returning and the prospect of the first real thaw for months is rapidly becoming a reality. This september, the weather remained harsh at times with some very severe gales. As you can see from the photos below, winds of over 80mph can cause chaos. The RIBs had been out of the boatshed to make room for one of the Jetboats which we had slipped the day before to carry out some planned maintenance. Based on the forecast we were expecting wind but perhaps not quite as much, therefore the boats where not tied down. It took 4 of us and a JCB about an hour to re-right / recover the boats, replace LUNA back on her trailer and tie the boats down. On this occasion we tied one to the 3 ton jetboat trailer and the other to the containers. The wind continued to blow throughout and we all got snow in every conceivable place!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGhgrDugNs5e2z2LkLtGUOY_Iivn6Lv2Fu56drZJScXEjSyJhnAhptC7-BVoAVHLwXhbc7oJi6_YeoJq79UiM5CdoWuzHBiAIjku9rG3WV157QLTpllwLcxL3zFSINgfrGBiHhMw6nssL/s1600/untitled+%25282+of+8%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGhgrDugNs5e2z2LkLtGUOY_Iivn6Lv2Fu56drZJScXEjSyJhnAhptC7-BVoAVHLwXhbc7oJi6_YeoJq79UiM5CdoWuzHBiAIjku9rG3WV157QLTpllwLcxL3zFSINgfrGBiHhMw6nssL/s320/untitled+%25282+of+8%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie... just before I couldnt see her anymore!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>To continue the theme of bad weather and driving snow, for the first time this year, Katie and I had to abandon a walk to Maiviken. We had set off in reasonable conditions bound for the sealers cave at Maiviken so we could watch the nesting Gentoo Penguins coming in to roost. However once making our way up bore valley the visibility dropped to almost zero with 45 knot winds driving snow in to white out conditions. We are very familiar with the area, and made the decision to turn back to base before the underfoot got a little trickier the other side of Deadmans Pass. The drifts were also very deep, so walking was near impossible. On the way back we took refuge in the Church House at Grytviken as enjoyed a lunch of Army Issue Biscuit Browns and Chocolate.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWY8BgBFiW3QzxBY2fihyphenhyphenemaiU-U9uJAix0v-pS3cHp2zyYtuSXlZzhg244T-3VIi4w9qEoF3mnQ5ccgO8doKVqrECrx8ysSi86xLQ4Fpoko3AsI2tutfciKHdOK7sHgfiOH6zKffM86Z/s1600/Nathanial+B+Palmer+%252814+of+62%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWY8BgBFiW3QzxBY2fihyphenhyphenemaiU-U9uJAix0v-pS3cHp2zyYtuSXlZzhg244T-3VIi4w9qEoF3mnQ5ccgO8doKVqrECrx8ysSi86xLQ4Fpoko3AsI2tutfciKHdOK7sHgfiOH6zKffM86Z/s320/Nathanial+B+Palmer+%252814+of+62%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The NATHANIAL B PALMER at anchor in King Edward Cove</td></tr>
</tbody></table>September was not all storms and hardship however. We were pleased to welcome the United States Antarctic Program's research vessel the NATHANIAL B PALMER to King Edward Cove. The vessel stopped by during a 3 week science cruise searching for marine flora along the Scotia Arc. She was on a tight schedule therefore did not stay longer than a day, but we were invited on board and given a tour by the First Officer and Chief Scientist. The multi million pound vessel boasts an impressive array of facilities for visiting scientists, and undertakes a busy program of science in much the same way as the JAMES CLARK ROSS does for the Brits. The vessel was trawling for samples and deploying CTDs... otherwise known as Conductivity (salinity) Temperature and Depth recorders to map the spread of certain species of flora along the Scotia Ridge. The data collected will be used by a group of American Scientists as part of a wider scoped study of the deposition of marine life in the region. Despite the science the living standards on board were excellent with a fully loaded Gym, Restaurant and Cinema (complete with lazy boys!)<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjTNSJZQ5vTBhrMiTuMAlV3f3IFRNrZ_zuaUmWf0sk3DdoTnjHS7eyGWj8fldc5lL0iO0nZldJIOjc8g0U1Vg2NcuT5gxDnulZitiYRZpvAXd7ZesB-JfG5BAMn7rb_htUyVYqcTKzfaz/s1600/untitled+%252842+of+82%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjTNSJZQ5vTBhrMiTuMAlV3f3IFRNrZ_zuaUmWf0sk3DdoTnjHS7eyGWj8fldc5lL0iO0nZldJIOjc8g0U1Vg2NcuT5gxDnulZitiYRZpvAXd7ZesB-JfG5BAMn7rb_htUyVYqcTKzfaz/s320/untitled+%252842+of+82%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Finally, September saw the birth of the first Elephant Seal pup on base. The first pup last year, called Charlie by the winterers, was killed by a large Bull who crushed him to death. This year, in honour of Charlie, I suggested "Pancake" might be a nice name for our new arrival. It was agreed and so came to pass.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQXcnzqgyJTw353bnjl013jlz_Mubg2wp7qjUQ-EB-tvzVZDJ8a2Wc6909dSyrbQWPBJdR7bo34UVJf01yArS4sqyzj5bGzRdJpUN2nHaHSAoJN1kkvMNgoR_BHUvuAhJecL6GIjHWsxH/s1600/untitled+%252872+of+82%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQXcnzqgyJTw353bnjl013jlz_Mubg2wp7qjUQ-EB-tvzVZDJ8a2Wc6909dSyrbQWPBJdR7bo34UVJf01yArS4sqyzj5bGzRdJpUN2nHaHSAoJN1kkvMNgoR_BHUvuAhJecL6GIjHWsxH/s320/untitled+%252872+of+82%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Penguins with Chicks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The elephant seals (as well as the Furries) spend winter at sea where they spend much of the time feeding on Krill and the like. Pregnant females spend this time gestating, and eventually the "Harems" of females along with the Bulls haul out on the shores about South Georgia to give birth and be re-mated; starting the whole process again. This is an exciting time as the beaches become packed with Elle seals bringing with them a cacophony of noise. The Bulls, weighing up to 4 tons, will fight violently for their place amongst the Harems. the successful bulls (the one with the deepest, loudest roar, the biggest nose, and the hardest headbutt) wins his place as a Beach Master, giving him exclusive rights over mating up to perhaps 40 females. However, he must wait until the pups have been born and subsequently weaned. Weaning takes 3 weeks or so in which time the pup will triple in size up to around 80 kgs, and begin to fend for itself, eventually learning how to swim and feed for itself, and mainly for the little boys, learning how to fight. This all takes place around the slipway outside the boatshed, and is a wonderful time to sit and watch the little guys playing around and getting to grips with there new surroundings. During this time the beachmaster will continue to fight his corner, but will have to give way to other males coming ashore in close proximity. He may even loose his place on the beach all together. The ones who are not mature enough, or strong enough to claim beach master status are destined to be a "sneaker". He will sit in the shallows offshore and wait until the beach master is not looking, at which time he will sneak ashore and try to mate one of the females. This usually ends in protestation by the female who attracts the attention of the Bull... 8 tons of muscle and blubber then come to a head. <br />
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Pancake did very well, has successfully weaned, and is now learning to swim in amongst his new friends at the creche. In a few years time he will be competing for his place amongst the girls. Good luck to him.<br />
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See the September Photo album here: <table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/mailmemek/SEPTEMBER2011?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5nABzKdLBbg/TtD3szA1DAE/AAAAAAAABbM/OfzrMkFlWaY/s160-c/SEPTEMBER2011.jpg?gl=GB" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/mailmemek/SEPTEMBER2011?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">SEPTEMBER 2011</a></td></tr></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-17385779262063642842011-09-19T13:17:00.001+01:002011-09-19T14:06:04.900+01:00South Georgia Photo updateLong overdue for many (mostly lame) reasons here is an update of goings on throughout August and September. I have decided to make this a photo update to keep it succinct!<br />
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<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="600" height="400" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fmailmemek%2Falbumid%2F5653799320929763985%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br />
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This slideshow is a little fast so to see the whole album click below.<br />
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<table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/mailmemek/SGWinterUpdate?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KoRr0zlZaBA/TnZUhvtdApE/AAAAAAAABWo/XFWpA0sFp-k/s160-c/SGWinterUpdate.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/mailmemek/SGWinterUpdate?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">SG Winter update</a></td></tr></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-21033555703407825462011-07-02T15:18:00.000+01:002011-07-02T15:18:42.394+01:00Picture frameAs you may be aware from some of my other posts, KEP station benefits from a well equipped carpentry workshop, and a supply of wood which we can use for personal projects. The time here can be well spent learning a new skill or brushing up on old ones. I have an interest in woodworking, and did a fair bit building wooden boats at Woolston maritime college. That was a few years ago now though, and I felt it was time I started practising some of the old skills.<br />
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Sue Gregory, BAS marine biologist extraordinaire and long distance girlfriend of mine left our shores 7 weeks ago now to work a 7 week stint at sea aboard the longliner San Aspiring as a scientific observer (see blog) and to mark her departure, I wanted to put my skills in to practice and make her a nice leaving gift. A couple of weeks prior to her leaving we had enjoyed a glorious day in the snow covered foothills to the North of Mount Hodges and she had become particularly fond of a photograph I took of us in the lee of Hodges cap. I decided I would print the photo and hand make a frame for it (see photos)<br />
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The frame is white oak with dark hardwood inlays, mitred and butted together with a perspex glass and a scanned chart backing on which I plotted the exact location the photo was taken. I also scribed some words of wisdom which I first read carved in to the companion way of Wander III. It reads "Grab a chanceand you wont be sorry for a might-have-been". Never a truer word spoken in my view. Except perhaps "Never eat yellow snow"....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pCxzEqThzbU/Tg8hvkVUb2I/AAAAAAAABRE/irzuEUMk2Zs/s1600/sgj+%25282+of+2%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pCxzEqThzbU/Tg8hvkVUb2I/AAAAAAAABRE/irzuEUMk2Zs/s320/sgj+%25282+of+2%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-22053766151172000112011-07-02T14:59:00.000+01:002011-07-02T14:59:11.014+01:00Boat SchoolOne of the many highly skilled (sic) duties of a BAS boatman is to train other base staff in the safe use of the boats. As in the UK, this requires a mix of practical instruction afloat and shore based classroom lessons. Ashley and I have devised this years theory curriculum and have divided responsibility for delivering each subject equally between us.<br />
Last week the subject was 'Buoyage' and it was my class. I spent the morning drawing all the different kinds of buoys on the computer, printing and laminating them. After a short introduction and refresher on the IALA systems of buoyage and how they are used, I got the guys to design their own harbour. I laid out a channel using rope on the dinning room table and I placed a few hazards and area of interest along it. The idea was for them to use their knowledge as a group and place the buoys where they think they should go. It worked very well and I think everyone enjoyed it. They may of course have learned something along the way, but its always difficult to tell when your all having a laugh!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bi2KoFTZJJA/Tg8jCx03-9I/AAAAAAAABRc/lJ9OgZXecq0/s1600/sgj+%25286+of+9%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bi2KoFTZJJA/Tg8jCx03-9I/AAAAAAAABRc/lJ9OgZXecq0/s320/sgj+%25286+of+9%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-75469276853240568032011-06-25T18:11:00.000+01:002011-06-25T18:11:58.888+01:00Midwinter celebrationsMidwinter greetings folks!<br />
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It is tradition for all Antarctic bases from all nations to celebrate the winter solstice, or the passing of midwinters day. For bases like Halley at 76 degrees south, midwinters day will bring a welcome boost in morale, as for quite some time they will have been living in perpetual darkness. Passing the half way mark means that the days will start getting longer, and for the bases farther south the return of the sun. KEP at 54 south does not experience perpetual darkness. The days in winter are similar to those of the british winter in that we always have at least 8 hours of daylight a day. It is the case however that South Georgia, being situated East of the Drake Passage in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and devoid of the climatic tempering provided to the UK by the Gulf Stream, winters are on average considerably tougher than those of Britain.<br />
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Either way, it is a sterling excuse for a celebration. The lobby in Everson house (our accomodation block) is festooned with midwinter greetings from all the other Antarctic bases, and we all have a week of party games and celebrations. BAS arrange (without our knowledge) to have packages sent from our families back home (thanks mum for my lovely box!) and we also have the BBC Midwinter broadcast. The broadcast is a collection of greetings from our friends and family and is aired of the BBC world service and on the HF frequency band so we can tune in here. It was great to hear all the messages from back home.<br />
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We also have a midwinter feast, and present each other with the midwinter gifts we have been busily constructing over the last few months. The standard this year was incredibly high and all the gifts made showed a great deal of skill (existing or learned!) and a huge amount of effort. I would like to thank Sam the doc for my wonderful coffee table book. Sam is a talented photographer and has a very creative eye for graphic design. She has created a year book showcasing some of her wonderful photographs and documenting everything we have done since our arrival last year. Its not finished of course as some of this year's history is yet to occur. I drew Ruth, and I have made her a jewellery box out of white oak with purple heart and mwenge inlays and hardwood panelling. I lined the inside with old "fathom" charts of the Cumberland Bay area.<br />
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The other activities we had planned for the week have been postponed due to science duties getting in the way. Alistair and Matt have gone to sea on the Pharos to undertake some plankton trawls and other surveys, and therefore Midwinter Olympics (including human curling, sledge bowling etc), crazy golf, base pub crawl, wine and cheese tasting evening etc etc have been postponed until further notice.<br />
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I do feel the comforts of a modern antarctic base, belie the original reason for midwinters day celebrations. It is not our reality being sat huddled in a pyramid tent with the huskies keeping warm outside, sipping whisky and opening the celebratory can of bully beef. But the traditions are important to uphold, and well, its a whole lot of fun!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FmGBx2zA2jI/TgYRBBHe6_I/AAAAAAAABQU/Fc5qM23PdXE/s1600/midwinter+%25281+of+5%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FmGBx2zA2jI/TgYRBBHe6_I/AAAAAAAABQU/Fc5qM23PdXE/s320/midwinter+%25281+of+5%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our greeting to the other Antarctic Stations - Photo S Crimmin</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A midwinter cigar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4I9HSYf5nBXHnSvo-n3aJqXAp9awfOZIJ_kqMAZjTSdiEhDQV2wpHk5OmLmQ4NFrLUSzdyMYIjXdNFxyoBCeoPo0RelUM2gSvXMrLNRDGddnvFBjP3x-S2fanVHm9-xcTyLvIO1x8eR2/s1600/midwinter+%25282+of+5%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4I9HSYf5nBXHnSvo-n3aJqXAp9awfOZIJ_kqMAZjTSdiEhDQV2wpHk5OmLmQ4NFrLUSzdyMYIjXdNFxyoBCeoPo0RelUM2gSvXMrLNRDGddnvFBjP3x-S2fanVHm9-xcTyLvIO1x8eR2/s320/midwinter+%25282+of+5%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of MWPs showing my jewellery box</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MWi6qzILKP4/TgYRUE5M99I/AAAAAAAABQc/7P54ODvgUNA/s1600/midwinter+%25283+of+5%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MWi6qzILKP4/TgYRUE5M99I/AAAAAAAABQc/7P54ODvgUNA/s320/midwinter+%25283+of+5%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All handmade presents we made for each other. Note the Ukelele!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRJzRMLleXQbQabjakgdNhSIw4XkfjJDQqFCJo7ms4eNvsgXC_GbfuVDCtOKlJyKbLCo3dbssJZd25kjcfa0H3K_8ykUzfHVT6E-mkIcfK3Cgn3T6P_Lr_YI-V5peHtNF_KXxTsUEcuHT/s1600/midwinter+%25284+of+5%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRJzRMLleXQbQabjakgdNhSIw4XkfjJDQqFCJo7ms4eNvsgXC_GbfuVDCtOKlJyKbLCo3dbssJZd25kjcfa0H3K_8ykUzfHVT6E-mkIcfK3Cgn3T6P_Lr_YI-V5peHtNF_KXxTsUEcuHT/s320/midwinter+%25284+of+5%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the boys set the table for dinner - didnt do a bad job I thought.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-58980498869949173482011-06-15T23:55:00.000+01:002011-06-15T23:55:03.235+01:00Glacier MappingMonday morning saw nearly the entire contingent of base staff out on the boats. The first task, and arguably the most important (sic) was to deliver Katie, Ali and Matt the mechanic to Sorling for their holidays. <br />
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Its a fairly involved process, which includes loading all their gear (and there is alot of it with winter gear and Katie's supply of liquid refreshments!) in to dry bags, then on to the boats. Then it is simple case of deliver people and stuff to the destination by performing a beach landing at the other end. <br />
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All of our potential holiday destinations involve landing on to the beach. The beach landings are done with the ribs, and it actually very straight forward, in a little tricky at times. The boat is driven bow first to the beach by the helmsman while the crewman trims the engines up. Trimming the outboards in this way reduces the vessels draft, and allows the boat to get further in to the beach without grounding the skegs or damaging the propellers. The negative effect is that the helmsman has markedly less control over the boat, particularly in applying astern power. This is because the prop is now at an awkward attitude and it's efficiency is greatly reduced. The helm (steering) also becomes heavier in this trim. It is for this reason that a slow and controlled approach is taken so as to minimise the need to use astern to slow the boat. <br />
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Cross winds present the most difficult approach. If the wind is blowing along the coast then keeping 90 degrees to the shore becomes a tricky task. If the boat should end up side on to the beach there is a serious risk of the vessel grounding and becoming prone to capsize in significant swell. The swell is the other serious factor. The to get personnel safely ashore (or in to sufficiently shallow water) and to keep the drives in the deeper water at the same time negates a stern-too approach. This leaves your transom vulnerable to being "pooped" (a genuine nautical term!) by the incoming swell. This can flood a boat or drive it too far ashore. The alternative would be to come in stern too riding to a kedge anchor laid offshore and trim the engines right out of the water. This isnt done because it has big downsides (like having no power available should the anchor fail at an inopportune moment, and frankly, its a bit of a faf) in reality, if the conditions on a particular shore are so severe as to raise concerns over a bow-to approach then the landing can wait!<br />
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I digress. Once the campers were ashore, Ashley (at the helm of the accompanying jet launch) took the opportunity to "map" the face of the Nordenskjold Glacier. The glacier face is only a mile or so to the south of Sorling (see my sorling camping trip blog for pics etc) So we proceeded South in to the ice. The rib is of no use in this exercise. The method used to give an indication of glacial retreat is to range the jet launch 1/4nm off the face by radar range, then navigate a course at this range taking GPS fixes at certain points en route. Plotting the positions, and the range will give an indication on the current location of the face. The accuracy is limited with this method because of GPS inaccuracy (which according to the Royal Navy who have spent alot of time charting SG can be often upto 500m!) and one or two other inaccuracies. However, Ashley does an admirable job in making the readings as accurate as possible, and it does give reasonable results. The Neumayer glacier, mapped in this way a few months back, is known from other surveys, known to receeding at up to 360m per year, and Ashleys survey did confirm this ball park figure.<br />
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As you may have gathered, the radarless rib is redundant during this kind of work, so time to practice some spirited manoeuvring......<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOPKWUbLRnU/Tfa0-iq7G8I/AAAAAAAABOg/DnxSlnmGbd8/s1600/20110613-IMG_7011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOPKWUbLRnU/Tfa0-iq7G8I/AAAAAAAABOg/DnxSlnmGbd8/s320/20110613-IMG_7011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nordenskjold Glacier from the jet boat - Photo Sam Crimmin</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somebody let the plug out?</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4A-BypkUzY/Tfa2a3hL3II/AAAAAAAABOw/FrcF08rjKFU/s1600/20110613-IMG_7081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4A-BypkUzY/Tfa2a3hL3II/AAAAAAAABOw/FrcF08rjKFU/s320/20110613-IMG_7081.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-30222657692761069162011-06-15T17:11:00.001+01:002011-06-15T17:15:42.903+01:00Winter updateHello everyone. Just a quick update on the progression of the winter months. The temperatures have been consistently below zero, save a few hours of the last few days. The snow came back a week ago and left a good amount on us. The temperature has ensured it has stayed too, although on lower ground around the base, the fluctuating temperatures of the last few days have melted the snow in places during the day, then re-frozen the melt water at night. This leads to some slippery conditions as I found out first hand on my midnight rounds the other night (bruised hip but pride intact as nobody saw!) <br />
Things are getting slightly more difficult than in the summer. For example Ashley and bought one of the jet launches out of the water the other day to carry out some work. We had to clear the slipway of snow and ice to get her re-launched. Also the hose used for flushing the rib engines has to come inside to stop it freezing, and the water to it has to be kept running in to a drain to keep the pipes from freezing. Other than that, it is the usual problems, like looking for mooring lines accidentally left un marked under a few feet of snow, and remembering that once you do find them and dig them out, to put gloves on before handing them! The ice makes them in to 16mm thick cheese wire!! I fixed a problematic diesel heater on the jet launch during the haul out which is a god send in avoiding scraping the wheelhouse windows to clear the ice too.<br />
Time is occupied with Mid Winter Present making still (a blog on what I have made will appear when it is no longer a surprise to the recipient!) and working on a personal project or two. Again there might be some more on these as they progress.<br />
Anyway, pictures speak a thousand words, so here are some photos from the other day. Things are still fairly mild and benign, so this is not so bad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The JCB sporting her winter snow chains.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Icicles from the roof</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sea in the cove is largely iced over. Not thick enough for skating though!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-37433246603673716752011-05-30T01:26:00.000+01:002011-05-30T01:26:33.170+01:00A very happy birthday Me 'Arties!Saturday night be as swash bucking as one gets around here. A theme party it was held to celebrate Tommy and Katies Birthdays, and the chosen theme... well Pirates o'course! Arrrrr!<br />
Ashley she did a fabulous job o' preparing a wonderful 3 course meal, including a pirate ship cake, and table decorations including silver bullion made from nuts and bolts, and parrots folded from coloured paper.<br />
The bar it was decorated as a pirate ship and a mutinous motley crew of dirty, rotten, cut throat sea bandits showed up to assist with the 15 men, the dead mans chest, and the bottle of rum.<br />
I is a little concerned that the full spectrums of the piratin' community 'ad not been represented (these is some diverse times we live in mateys) so I came as a modern day Somali pirate, complete with a hand crafted AK47 and sunglasses. Rob our BC thought like wise and stepped outside the box with an accurate rendition of a 15th Century Indian Ocean Pirate made out of bed sheets and a fake seal fur beard.<br />
We ates and we dranks and we blundered and bludgeoned are Arrrrr! we'd be avin a whale of a time...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s9X0JQRMDqE/TeLjDhVvO1I/AAAAAAAABNw/E9Pcat-CMCs/s1600/Pirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s9X0JQRMDqE/TeLjDhVvO1I/AAAAAAAABNw/E9Pcat-CMCs/s320/Pirates.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mutinous crew o' Pirates!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wGEac_0BCM/TeLji6N_TxI/AAAAAAAABN0/brzBXELp3uA/s1600/Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wGEac_0BCM/TeLji6N_TxI/AAAAAAAABN0/brzBXELp3uA/s320/Cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Esperanto .... Well I can only hope I can burn my piece off in the gym!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-66043193009808074992011-05-24T21:11:00.000+01:002011-05-24T21:11:52.470+01:00The Cosmos as viewed from South Georgia.One advantage of being in a truly remote location, hundreds and hundreds of miles out in to the middle of the Southern Ocean, and being the only human habitation on the island (apart from our counterparts at bird island, many miles to the North) is that there is no light pollution. Go out on a crisp, cloudless evening before the moon rises and the Cosmos is laid bare above you. The Milky Way (the large cluster which is our own Galaxy) is often visible to the naked eye streaked across the Cove. Last night was no exception, and with sincere thanks to Dr Sam for her expert photographic advice, here are some of the images I shot of the stars last night. For those who are interested, the shots were taken with my Nikon D90 on fully manual mode. They are all 30 second exposures using a range of ISO numbers from 1600 to 2400. The lens is an 18-105mm set at 18mm with an aperture of F3.5. The camera was of course sat on its tripod! These are my first attempts, and with Sam's permission I will post some of her shots taken from the whaling station the other evening. They are truly stunning!!! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oty70Tjv-68/TdwBMFVhDOI/AAAAAAAABL4/oTWUtVht5_0/s1600/Cosmos+%25287+of+8%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oty70Tjv-68/TdwBMFVhDOI/AAAAAAAABL4/oTWUtVht5_0/s320/Cosmos+%25287+of+8%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Iy1phdY6WA/TdwBYFk2zcI/AAAAAAAABL8/57Vo8N3MeGY/s1600/Cosmos+%25288+of+8%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Iy1phdY6WA/TdwBYFk2zcI/AAAAAAAABL8/57Vo8N3MeGY/s320/Cosmos+%25288+of+8%2529.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-51773797357870008222011-05-24T20:56:00.001+01:002011-05-24T21:00:27.653+01:00Load Testing the ships mooringsToday I assisted Robert, the Government Officer, in testing the integrity of the mooring arrangements on the shore here at King Edward Point. <br />
The base has a wharf which is used by a few different vessels throughout the year, some of whom, for example the James Clarke Ross, are quite large and heavy.<br />
The mooring lines of these ships are fastened to "bits" and "bollards" on the quay, and to "Stenhouse slips" which are anchored in to the ground just above the beaches to the north and south of the quay. The stenhouse slips are large chains with a hook and ring for attaching the spliced eye of the ships warps to. This job is usually done by us BAS lot when a ship arrives. The crew will pass a messenger line of small diameter with a "monkeys fist" on the end (which helps the line travel farther through the air). Once the light line is hauled in by the shore party, the large diameter mooring line is let go and hauled ashore. Then it is simply a case of dropping the loop over the bollard or passing the stenhouse hook through and securing it back up with the ring and pin provided. The vessel can then pull the line tight using large capstans or mooring winches.<br />
The problem with the arrangements are that the integrity of the ground tackle beneath the ground is unknown, and in the case of the mooring chains, their exact design is in fact also unclear. They were installed, it is believed, either by the military, or earlier, although not much information exists. Based on one which was removed a few years back, they utilised heavy gauge anchor chain with sea anchors at the terminations. They are dug in to the ground, although the depth and extent is unclear. In theory this set up in extremely secure, and it has certainly stood the test of time, as many vessels for decades have heaved and surged against them in rough weather without ill affect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b2isRNjT95c/TdwJgqUSNsI/AAAAAAAABMM/dyLT0BwOJbw/s1600/Load+cell+%25282+of+4%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b2isRNjT95c/TdwJgqUSNsI/AAAAAAAABMM/dyLT0BwOJbw/s1600/Load+cell+%25282+of+4%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Warp attached to the Stenhouse Slip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It is important however to test the integrity of the systems with the use of a "load cell" and a willing ship with decent diameter lines and powerful winches.<br />
The Load Cell is a device which when placed in line with a length of warp or line it will measure the pull exerted on it in tonnes. Robert, who is an experienced merchant navy officer himself, wanted to test the moorings were capable of at least 3 tonnes without any sign of breaking out or moving. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NK9KB4r3zsQ/TdwKCdAKc4I/AAAAAAAABMU/ClZc1WQ1Prs/s1600/Load+cell+%25284+of+4%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NK9KB4r3zsQ/TdwKCdAKc4I/AAAAAAAABMU/ClZc1WQ1Prs/s1600/Load+cell+%25284+of+4%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>I am pleased to report all moorings were tested up to and in most cases beyond 3 tonnes of pull, and all were extremely secure. It was clear to us both that they would in fact take a great deal more force. So I am told, it is unlikely a force on any single mooring line will exceed 3 tonnes when they are holding a large ship against an offshore gale. The lines are all doubled and designed to share the load in this circumstance, so for now the Government can be content the mooring provisions are secure. It was great fun for me, although I will rest well tonight after hauling heavy line and carry 12 tonne SWL shackles around the place! Who needs gyms!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XwoBxEXMSG8/TdwJuLuj6bI/AAAAAAAABMQ/1NWtMxvYnys/s1600/Load+cell+%25283+of+4%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XwoBxEXMSG8/TdwJuLuj6bI/AAAAAAAABMQ/1NWtMxvYnys/s320/Load+cell+%25283+of+4%2529.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing the Load Cell connected between the mooring line and stenhouse.</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1221185741"></span><span id="goog_1221185742"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-47850188096777085822011-05-16T23:19:00.000+01:002011-05-16T23:19:25.998+01:00The Sled of DeathHere is a slapdash collection of footage taken on my first trip out to the hills to go sledging! There were a few minor injuries, but a whole load of laughs!<br />
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We will no doubt be back out again this weekend with the aptly named DEATHSLED.<br />
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Enjoy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vf0LicYzPSA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-12205464434280948232011-05-14T17:07:00.000+01:002011-05-14T17:07:55.431+01:00Camping trips and Hiking... its not all work ;-)<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, heres a surprise... What I do here is technically classed as work. It certainly takes up a minimum of 37.5 hours a week, and often quite a bit more, but I know trying to persuade you folks that this constitutes a 9-5 is like trying to persuade science that the Sun does in fact rotate around the Earth after all. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would like to make a case for the work done here by saying firstly that it is not always glamorous, and South Georgia isnt always beautiful. Sometimes it rains heavily, and cold wind bites your cheeks as you meander your way to the boatshed to undertake some remedial works or get oily servicing an outboard engine. Only yesterday I was rota'd for "gash" during our weekly "scrubout". It was therefore my duty to empty all the bins, sort the recycling, clean the waste room, compact the cardboard, shred the glass and wash the gunge out of the landfill container. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">So its not all fun and games after all, and although I am far from complaining about the down sides of the work here, I was thankful to get away for a short break.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sue Gregory (Fisheries Biologist most-high) and I hitched a ride on the Ribs to Sorling on the Barff Peninsular. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rookery bay is also on the Barff (see the blog) although Sorling is a few miles farther south, and significantly, is situated just on the East side of the Nordenskjold Glacier. From Sorling, it is possible to hike to St Andrews bay (known for its large colony of King Penguins), Ocean Harbour (know for being the site of the first whaling station on South Georgia, and the site of the remarkably intact wreck of the Bayard) and a few other worthwhile destinations on the oceanward East Coast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day one was spent organising camp at Sorling. The weather was iffy and forecast to get considerably worse, so taking some of Ray Mears' finest advice, we prepared food, warmth, a camp fire and some shelter. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qknbIEYlsfg/TchVRexzq4I/AAAAAAAABHk/LASc4kHrgCo/s1600/Sorling+%25286+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qknbIEYlsfg/TchVRexzq4I/AAAAAAAABHk/LASc4kHrgCo/s320/Sorling+%25286+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the Glacier from our Camp at Sorling.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day two was to be our first adventure East. We wanted to make Ocean Harbour and camp there for the evening with the hope of a spectacular sunrise over the Bayard the following morning. It was not to be. As we set off with full winter survival and camping kit weighing 30Kgs on our backs the weather began to deteriorate. Snow had fallen overnight and the atmosphere felt far more unsettled. Lenticular clouds over the mountain ranges warned of high winds in the hills and the visibility began to decay in the mist. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxI5Dg26XDjWComWFaVNsKvwY2muWCF3EqVR_g6KCgOnlqff2YN0u0ks6qVCm2s70pfnj261CMiECa9lZN-GyogV9VJGFoeBZKdQC6HczPBctdtbP56tA1fGG1jbdEZ4TS5ve0DDF7s54/s1600/Sorling+%25284+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxI5Dg26XDjWComWFaVNsKvwY2muWCF3EqVR_g6KCgOnlqff2YN0u0ks6qVCm2s70pfnj261CMiECa9lZN-GyogV9VJGFoeBZKdQC6HczPBctdtbP56tA1fGG1jbdEZ4TS5ve0DDF7s54/s320/Sorling+%25284+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing the size of the packs. This was Sorling valley before the weather broke.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The hike to Ocean is perhaps 2.5 miles as the crow flies, and initially it is a gentle climb up Sorling Valley, following the water course, which is a very picturesque river, reminiscent of the trout rivers of Scotland or the Salmon rich waterways of Canada. The route becomes slightly more challenging when a steep ascent is made to reach a Col to the South of "Black Peak" which takes you over the moutain range and drops you neatly in Ocean Harbour. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U4YgzII6jb8/TchWqoZnWHI/AAAAAAAABH0/OV2YDUlR3f8/s1600/Sorling+%252810+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U4YgzII6jb8/TchWqoZnWHI/AAAAAAAABH0/OV2YDUlR3f8/s320/Sorling+%252810+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A King Penguin crossed a semi-frozen fast moving melt water stream near Sorling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Progress was good, and we were confident, despite the deepening snow as we climbed, that we would make camp in a few hours, however the weather took a rapid turn for the worse. We had been traversing the steep scree face with difficulty with heavy packs and deepening snow and ice for about 30 minutes when a large dark precipitous veil of cloud began to shroud the ridge we were heading for. The wind began to gust, and it became a little un nerving having to brace against 40mph wind with large slab sided packs and frozen snow under foot. It began to snow and we lost sight of the ridge to the West of our position. Already tired, and fearing that even if we made it to Ocean, this weather front may deposit far more snow and ice for the return journey, we decided to make back for Sorling. The decent back to the valley floor was a little unsteady, but far easier than climbing into the weather. It took us perhaps 2 hours walking to return safely to our camp at the Survival Hut. It was a good days walking, and we were both very pleased we had made an attempt. There was no regrets in our decision to abandon the hike as the temperature dropped, the snow fell and the winds continued to howl around the hut while we made soup over the Primus Stove.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYxMZW_RVKM/TchXN_teKrI/AAAAAAAABH4/sWTFuCObZCw/s1600/Sorling+%252811+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYxMZW_RVKM/TchXN_teKrI/AAAAAAAABH4/sWTFuCObZCw/s320/Sorling+%252811+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Reindeer stampede over the snowless lowland hills near Reindeer valley.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day 3 was a revelation. The initial plans to wake up on the shores of Ocean Harbour were scuppered but we awoke at Sorling to glorious sunshine, and a smattering of large Ice Bergs on the shore. As I mentioned earlier, Sorling is only a mile from the face of the Nordenskjold Glacier, and in the pitch black of night, tremendous rumbles and booms can be heard echoing around the bay as huge chunks of ice are deposited from the advancing face of the Glacier. This process, known as Calving, sets these large floating Ice Bergs adrift and often the larger ones end up grounded just offshore in the shallower water. It made for a spectacular compensation for the failings of the day before.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wvXcyHI3fS0/TchYT-wrvaI/AAAAAAAABIY/uzQjo1zjuKw/s1600/Sorling+%252819+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wvXcyHI3fS0/TchYT-wrvaI/AAAAAAAABIY/uzQjo1zjuKw/s320/Sorling+%252819+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A large piece of Ice Calves from the Glacier Face. The noise is something to behold!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">We decided to make for the Glacier face and photograph some of the Calvings. It is, in comparison to the previous days effort, a very easy coastal walk, with light day sacks on our backs. We spent 3 hours at the Glacier, and I was pretty pleased with some of the images I shot. We had lunch sat amongst the ice on the shore, and witnessed some large calvings. I am pleased to report however, that the Nordenskjold did infact seem very stable, and although the pieces were large and spectacular, compared to the size of the face, the deposits are relatively small. I dont believe the Nordenskjold to be receding anywhere near the rate of the Neumayer or Hamburg Glaciers.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-95EyHX__B18/TchZz5-06HI/AAAAAAAABJY/I76sCMCHyVI/s1600/Sorling+%252835+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-95EyHX__B18/TchZz5-06HI/AAAAAAAABJY/I76sCMCHyVI/s320/Sorling+%252835+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An evening return to camp from the Glacier. There were Gaint Petrels nesting very close to where this shot was taken.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Day four, and the boats returned to take us back to base. It was our intention to stay until Monday (which would be day 5) however we decided to take advantage of the fact the boats were afloat to put the Government Officers aboard a fishing vessel for inspection in the bay. We did decide however to continue our holiday on our return and Monday morning we set off up Brown Mountain to the East of Gull Lake. This was Sue's first Summit, and despite a very sunny, if cold start at the bottom it became quite an adventure at altitude as the winds rose to 40 mph and the snow began to drift. We were well equipped and warmly dressed, so we had fun with it and ended up glissading (or bum sliding) down much of the mountain on our decent. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6a67ZNrtCCVAJHXINH5GJGj1ZnzJlZ-npAoQwANyVY7fTGvzKWCBCA2D9NbZSiTZO6D_RZUWNOXJoyKCP-4UblojWhEX58geVPzwfct0YQ4H8xLNFaesXV9NcfH4sPjDfP7NsJZWUnJ95/s1600/Sorling+%252844+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6a67ZNrtCCVAJHXINH5GJGj1ZnzJlZ-npAoQwANyVY7fTGvzKWCBCA2D9NbZSiTZO6D_RZUWNOXJoyKCP-4UblojWhEX58geVPzwfct0YQ4H8xLNFaesXV9NcfH4sPjDfP7NsJZWUnJ95/s320/Sorling+%252844+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sue poses for a snap near the summit of Brown Mountain. It is more akin to a long ridge that a typical mountain peak.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps not well rested, but certainly very well rewarded for our travels, it is back to work. The base is encased in snow and Ice now, with the prospect of it getting quite abit worse, so we are preparing to begin having to dig our way out of doors every morning.... Ill keep you informed.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2J832oqg-2c/TchaPhgKkJI/AAAAAAAABJw/I5wzudbKe_g/s1600/Sorling+%252841+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2J832oqg-2c/TchaPhgKkJI/AAAAAAAABJw/I5wzudbKe_g/s320/Sorling+%252841+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An idyllic Gull Lake on the way up Brown.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQg-nJxUNGg/TchbL9e95KI/AAAAAAAABKk/KIcVgnM_Kgs/s1600/Sorling+%252854+of+58%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jQg-nJxUNGg/TchbL9e95KI/AAAAAAAABKk/KIcVgnM_Kgs/s320/Sorling+%252854+of+58%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wind really blew on the South Ridge of Brown Mountain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-67508084337729828662011-04-30T18:48:00.000+01:002011-04-30T18:48:20.953+01:00Royal Navy Support, HMS Clyde and the Royal Wedding.<div style="text-align: justify;">This week, we have been visited by two Royal Navy vessels; the "Type 42" Destroyer HMS York, and the Offshore Patrol Ship HMS Clyde.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEUpC16g3O0/Tbw6c3NBFUI/AAAAAAAABCw/p98UU7us2zM/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%25281+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEUpC16g3O0/Tbw6c3NBFUI/AAAAAAAABCw/p98UU7us2zM/s320/HMSCLYDE+%25281+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pilot Launch with HMS York.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The York, with her compliment of approximately 280 military personnel had just completed a voyage to Libya to undertake taskings on behalf of the British Government with respect of the fresh tensions in the region. Her crew were therefore very pleased to be in South Georgia to take a brief period of R&R and see some of the spectacular sights the island has to offer. As usual the marine team here at KEP provided boat support to ferry the Sailors, Royal Marines, Army Soldiers and RAF Bomb Disposal (EOD) personnel ashore.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5pplTwybMtw/Tbw6jM-21AI/AAAAAAAABC0/_f09pL0m-U0/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%25282+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5pplTwybMtw/Tbw6jM-21AI/AAAAAAAABC0/_f09pL0m-U0/s320/HMSCLYDE+%25282+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bringing the pilot launch away from the York at speed. My crew Matt is visible on deck. Photo: Sam Crimmin</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The RAF EOD team were here for the annual clearance of recorded items of Ordnance (E.G. Machine Gun rounds, Rocket Venturi, Smoke Grenades, Flares etc) from the hills around the BAS travel area. These items are relics of the South Georgia conflict in the early 1980s and the subsequent occupation of King Edward Point as a British Armed Forces Garrison until it was re-occupied by BAS personnel in 2001. This year, two of the items of ordnance were reported to government by myself as I had come across some items during hikes. Our standard procedure for reporting potential ordnance is to firstly mark the position with bright orange ribbon which we carry in our packs. To avoid disturbing the item, it is usual to tie the ribbon to a rock close by. Then a position is taken. This is by GPS, or geographical reference to nearby landmarks. A photo is taken if possible and then given to a Government Officer on return to base. Here are some of my photos:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Uim3vX-2aU/TbxDtQEHygI/AAAAAAAABEY/ZwGhRKBzNQs/s1600/SGJ+%25281+of+2%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Uim3vX-2aU/TbxDtQEHygI/AAAAAAAABEY/ZwGhRKBzNQs/s320/SGJ+%25281+of+2%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A British Army Smoke Signal Grenade.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48FUkZbWnRA/TbxD0qaGHnI/AAAAAAAABEc/GV_ljHvEMzM/s1600/SGJ+%25282+of+2%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48FUkZbWnRA/TbxD0qaGHnI/AAAAAAAABEc/GV_ljHvEMzM/s320/SGJ+%25282+of+2%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Falklands War Rocket Venturi.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The RAF EOD were a great bunch of lads and we all had a few beers together over the few nights they stayed ashore. During the day, the peace and tranquillity was periodically interspersed with deep, ethereal booms as the team exploded another item in the mountains. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were lucky enough to be invited to a demonstration by the team where they explained how the equipment worked. There are two different types of disposal charge. A "high order" charge which will set the device off, or blow it up completely. The charge is set above the item on a tripod and a copper slug is fired into the device, where it will obliterate the innards. This results in a large explosion and total destruction of the item. A "low order" charge will simply penetrate the device slowly and "fizz" the detonator, rendering the device harmless without a large explosion. This sort of charge is apparently used in the vicinity of buildings and other sensitive areas. Fortunately, our demonstration showed the "High Order" technique, and Tommy, the electrical engineer assisted the team in blowing a hole in a piece of 5/8th" thick steel plate. It was a great advert for the PE4 plastic explosive used, as the gut thumping bang was generated by a mere 20 grams of the stuff! The team are hoping to apply there skill clearing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) once again back in front line theatre in Afghanistan toward the end of July this year. Best of luck to them all, we will be thinking of you.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QzzwNt_mk7w/Tbw6nNMGS1I/AAAAAAAABC4/LeR-BFKEtYo/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%25283+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QzzwNt_mk7w/Tbw6nNMGS1I/AAAAAAAABC4/LeR-BFKEtYo/s320/HMSCLYDE+%25283+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMS Clyde in the evening light. Photo: Sam Crimmin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The visit was finished off on a huge high as Lieutenant Commander Wisemann of the Falkland Islands Protection Vessel HMS Clyde invited Rob (Base Commander), Tommy (Electro Eng), Katie (Team Fish), Robert (Government Officer) and myself aboard for a 2 day tour of the East Coast of the island. The vessels "rigid raider" boat (normally used to land Royal Marine Commandos into battle) came to pick us up from the wharf at 0730 on Thursday morning. We spent 2 fabulous days on board, with free access to the bridge (on the request "officer of the watch, bridge please") and great tours around Husvic, Jason Harbour, St Andrews Bay and Drygalski Fjord, 60 miles south of here near Cape Disappointment (so called by Captain Cook when he realised South Georgia was merely a small island rather than the great new land he had hoped) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyHD_8MjngU/Tbw72chFqVI/AAAAAAAABDw/Swb-8sPmwdU/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%252817+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyHD_8MjngU/Tbw72chFqVI/AAAAAAAABDw/Swb-8sPmwdU/s320/HMSCLYDE+%252817+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMS York in Drygalski Fjord.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Drygalski Fjord is a stunning 6 mile deep fjord on the South of the island. It houses a number of Glaciers and the coves, including Larsen Harbour. The mountains jut straight out of the sea and rise to 6000 meters in places. Our visit was in poor weather, with 50 knot winds blowing out of the Fjord, which unfortunately meant we were unable to go exploring on the Pacific 22 rib and Rigid Raider.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We also enjoyed a fly past by an RAF C130 Hercules over Cumberland Bay. The aircraft had made the 3 hour journey from Mount Pleasant Airbase in the Falklands to here to air drop some supplies to the Navy, however, there was a problem in finding the correct paperwork at MPA and the required authorisation could not be given to drop.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GBIATWvvRAA/Tbw7G4m7H7I/AAAAAAAABDQ/Tmm92zaeY9U/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%25289+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GBIATWvvRAA/Tbw7G4m7H7I/AAAAAAAABDQ/Tmm92zaeY9U/s320/HMSCLYDE+%25289+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RAF C130 Hercules over Cumberland Bay</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bridge of the Clyde is a busy place with the Captain, Navigating Officer, Weapons Officer, XO, Midshipman and afew others often in attendance. They navigate to a high degree of accuracy using a combination of old techniques and cutting edge technology. In coastal waters the team of warfare officers will carry out fixes every 6 minutes, whereby a three point fix is achieved using the azimuth, or if 3 visual landmarks are not visible they are augmented with radar ranges. The fixes are fed into the Warship Electronic Charting Display and Information System (WECDIS) and compared with GPS data. 6 minute fixes are reduced to 3 minute and 1.5 minute fixes approaching anchorages or other tricky areas.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkZY3Qj4RIj8UIwIeqNKwSerJhyw2AHDPpr79fZTbKzZlWdQQ8a1y1qU4yIxZx6rYypiaqx0z2ewSuK4c8AXWpOljDzdkBiGZ8VEcBn-MT-4hLn9QE1MHIZvvTr2L0KzwdRkGqDr-SNdx/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%25286+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkZY3Qj4RIj8UIwIeqNKwSerJhyw2AHDPpr79fZTbKzZlWdQQ8a1y1qU4yIxZx6rYypiaqx0z2ewSuK4c8AXWpOljDzdkBiGZ8VEcBn-MT-4hLn9QE1MHIZvvTr2L0KzwdRkGqDr-SNdx/s320/HMSCLYDE+%25286+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Azimuth bearing finder on Clyde's Starboard bridge wing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Our trip was finished off by toasting the new royal couple with a special lunch in the Petty Officers Mess. Union flags, commemorative flyers and napkins were laid and we had fish and chips with a bottle of wine. So there we were celebrating a Royal Wedding aboard one of her Majesties warships in a patriotically decorated POs mess eating fish and mushy peas with officers of the Royal Navy listening to Land of Hope and Glory on the stereo! What better way to toast the flag! The mood was light hearted, and we had a good laugh. . . . . The conversation eventually turned to spending cuts and RN job losses...</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5gxwY9iFrI/Tbw7OlDkWuI/AAAAAAAABDU/_tYUbNNkECc/s1600/HMSCLYDE+%252810+of+22%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5gxwY9iFrI/Tbw7OlDkWuI/AAAAAAAABDU/_tYUbNNkECc/s320/HMSCLYDE+%252810+of+22%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toasting the new Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge in the PO's Mess.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-72033642301343736532011-04-17T03:26:00.000+01:002011-04-17T03:26:19.314+01:00Fishing Season has begunDespite its reputation as probably the most formidable of seas on the Planet, the Southern Ocean hosts a valuable fishing industry, and is fished by vessels from many countries throughout the world. The government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands are responsible for the management of fisheries in two defined areas of the Southern Ocean. The first being South Georgia, otherwise known as Sub-area 48.3 and the South Sandwich Islands, or Sub-area 48.4. Vessels who wish to fish these areas must apply for a license to do so, and the number of licenses issued is based on the quota for the year. The quota is a joint effort between CCAMLR (Convention for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) and the South Georgia Government, and is based on scientific data relating to the abundance of target species in the area. It is a principal reason for the base here at KEP as our scientists assist in the study and management of the South Atlantic Ocean. In addition the vessels themselves must operate within strict standards and prove that they are doing so. Before the vessel begins her season in South Georgia waters she must first present herself here at KEP for a thorough inspection. The inspection will look at the safety equipment aboard, scrutinise the fishing equipment to ensure correct specification, and ensure that by-catch mitigation measures are in place to reduce as far as practicable the killing of sea birds and other marine life. The season is beginning now and 6 vessels in total will begin longlining for Patagonian Toothfish. Toothfish is very sought after and is marketed all over the world. It is the case that toothfish have been overfished worldwide, however South Georgia is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as sustainable due to the stringent management in place, and measureable stocks. The vessels will deploy a line (or long line) weighted at both ends which has attached to it numerous hooks and lures. The line is laid and buoyed and left to "soak". Then the vessel will return and haul the line hoping to find an abundance of Toothfish. The fish will be gutted and filleted on board and will then be trans-shipped, usually in the falklands, to ships which transfer the catch to market abroad. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4YyG6Fe54Bk/TaTpCFqAPsI/AAAAAAAAA80/Nd3Cgk5BvM4/s1600/AG+%25282+of+5%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4YyG6Fe54Bk/TaTpCFqAPsI/AAAAAAAAA80/Nd3Cgk5BvM4/s320/AG+%25282+of+5%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Departing the cove on a flat calm evening bound for the ARGOS GEORGIA waiting offshore.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqf-yIw_oJ7yrQEnZtP9XVPfqK3vI1wfARekEHzChapSt9X_6FzaceYF0q97CMpaVPVM81mym1UbYxxH-XOG0w7VstSVKMaQP-Z3Kucz6os7bH5WrIsAF4iN7uQHx6HPYk9oO5C58o6Mkr/s1600/P3280200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqf-yIw_oJ7yrQEnZtP9XVPfqK3vI1wfARekEHzChapSt9X_6FzaceYF0q97CMpaVPVM81mym1UbYxxH-XOG0w7VstSVKMaQP-Z3Kucz6os7bH5WrIsAF4iN7uQHx6HPYk9oO5C58o6Mkr/s320/P3280200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming away from the Long Liner ARGOS GEORGIA after boarding Robert and Kieron to carry out the inspection.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-64762753877196244592011-04-13T01:23:00.000+01:002011-04-13T01:23:41.190+01:00Winter is here!Just a photo post to announce the official beginning of winter. These photos were taken on Saturday when Fisheries Biologist Sue and I took to the mountains to enjoy the sunshine and the snow! We took a route up bore valley and ascended the North East face of Hodges up to the plateau and frozen lakes. Once at altitude the snow is already deep and at times you disappear up to your waist!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spindrift off the North East Ridge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In such remote areas, the snow is perfect and untouched for miles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sZ5Fo57S6oE/TaS6ywelF7I/AAAAAAAAA5E/G9l34DzYdK4/s1600/HLs+%252811+of+34%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sZ5Fo57S6oE/TaS6ywelF7I/AAAAAAAAA5E/G9l34DzYdK4/s320/HLs+%252811+of+34%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow helps by allowing you to dig your toes in whilst climbing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZrzFuaTuLk/TaS648J7GVI/AAAAAAAAA5M/cdnSYSrxN-0/s1600/HLs+%252813+of+34%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZrzFuaTuLk/TaS648J7GVI/AAAAAAAAA5M/cdnSYSrxN-0/s320/HLs+%252813+of+34%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing keeps you warm enough!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A perfect snowdrift</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AXXYy4X9zQ0/TaS67gczJiI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/kZ1ghD1vWbs/s1600/HLs+%252814+of+34%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AXXYy4X9zQ0/TaS67gczJiI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/kZ1ghD1vWbs/s320/HLs+%252814+of+34%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep snow for the unsuspecting!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T15JxTLSKmo/TaS8DPYlUsI/AAAAAAAAA6g/UaL4jmgtjKo/s1600/HLs+%25281+of+1%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T15JxTLSKmo/TaS8DPYlUsI/AAAAAAAAA6g/UaL4jmgtjKo/s320/HLs+%25281+of+1%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The frozen lakes at Hodges.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-56895632142292688962011-04-13T00:19:00.000+01:002011-04-13T00:19:38.600+01:00Last Call and the Beginning of Winter!The RSS Ernest Shackleton has been in for "last call" before the winter. She is on her way back north after collecting BAS personnel who are not wintering from Rothera, Halley and Signy. She bought with her some supplies but her main duty was to collect all the outgoing cargo which includes scientific samples, waste and a 40 ton Volvo Excavator. The volvo was the largest thing the Shack' has ever lifted with her 50 ton crane, and it was a slightly tense moment as she took the strain and heeled perhaps 15 degrees to starboard as she took the weight. <br />
As an aside, I took a small group of personnel out on the jet launch to give them a tour of the local area while disposing of food waste in the bay. I had an unusual addition to my passenger list though, as a large Winnie the Pooh came aboard. It turns out this particular bear is quite a celebrity having climbed Everest and having been to the South Pole. I put a life jacket on him (strict BAS policy, that ALL passengers and crew wear one!) and took him to the Nordenskjold Glacier for a photo opp. See if you can see him sat on the wharf supervising the lifting of the Digger in the photos below.<br />
As she is carrying a number of BAS people from different stations it is tradition here that there is a party held for the ship. We spent an afternoon converting our Boatshed into a party venue (see photos) and the compliment of ships crew and passengers came ashore and helped us drink a dinghy full of alcohol which was kept cool with Glacier Ice (see previous post) We had a great weekend that even included the wedding (although slightly unofficial!) of two of Shack's crew, a deckhand and a cook. The bride and groom were thrilled to be able to tie the knot (no pun intended) at the church at Grytviken. The captain exercised his ability to wed them.<br />
And so winter begins.....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very impressive bridge of the Shack.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMS Dotty showing her 3.3hp engine and her unusual cargo :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kEH_BZEL3d8/TaTZbEYoPyI/AAAAAAAAA70/9pGcJPsN-8M/s1600/ES+%25286+of+11%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kEH_BZEL3d8/TaTZbEYoPyI/AAAAAAAAA70/9pGcJPsN-8M/s320/ES+%25286+of+11%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boatshed Ball! the parachute is an old army one from the days when supplies to KEP were airdropped from Hercules aircraft.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-2303348418025204832011-04-12T23:48:00.000+01:002011-04-12T23:48:15.147+01:00Jet Boat Slipping and G&T on the Rocks!This month Ashley and I had to slip both the Jet Pilot Launches and bring them into the Boatshed for repairs and servicing. The jet launches are around 6 tons gross weight, therefore they have very sturdy, specially made launch trolleys which are attached to a winch wire and the JCB. On this occasion it was my job to pilot the launch on to the trailer, allowing ashley to secure it and drive the telehandler and the boat back up the slipway. Both went very smoothly, and a lot of work was carried out including servicing of the Jet Propulsion units, changing anodes, changing oil and filter on the Yanmar Turbo Diesels, Inspecting the ground tackle (anchor), scrubbing the hull (they were exceedingly weedy this time around, so much so that George the last boatman {currently working with the SGHT rat eradication} said he had not seen anything like it in his 2 years here. It was decided the unusually warm summer had prompted greater than average growth) Tommy the awesome electrician also fitted a repeater alarm to the outer helm position for the Fire Flood and Overheat alarms. Oh and one cool thing, the red waterproofs im wearing in the cheesy photo below were once worn by Sir David Attenborough on his visit to South Georgia in 2008! I was truly humbled by this experience!<br />
Once the boats were re-launched I took them to sea for sea trials and while I had this free time, took the opportunity to collect some glacier ice from the bay for use in Gin and Tonics! Its the best ice available in the whole world.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RGqKI-aN6Ho/TaTVWu95jPI/AAAAAAAAA7M/Rr3G9wnizN0/s1600/JB+%25281+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RGqKI-aN6Ho/TaTVWu95jPI/AAAAAAAAA7M/Rr3G9wnizN0/s320/JB+%25281+of+3%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e5HMNf0-ujE/TaTVxO-fpMI/AAAAAAAAA7U/mEwx5M-2uV0/s1600/JB+%25283+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e5HMNf0-ujE/TaTVxO-fpMI/AAAAAAAAA7U/mEwx5M-2uV0/s320/JB+%25283+of+3%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-36XARn4PPQY/TaTVikMY5yI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/1ItR5e2VJgM/s1600/JB+%25282+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-36XARn4PPQY/TaTVikMY5yI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/1ItR5e2VJgM/s320/JB+%25282+of+3%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3709982680684601254.post-27065918654712394282011-04-12T23:23:00.000+01:002011-04-12T23:23:56.200+01:00Bark Europa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNdtUtHyQeATkCM_RJgMAwnVSHZMy8fBsJdlY69b7NIh9yoi8qjjiS33YpqKlOF83DNlaMRK2D9LOOurxNVEdKzHLa-iT_unyETslj8VdANlulaWaydyjBCexgtLKl7TcDXlhne4QJrF1/s1600/BE+%25282+of+6%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNdtUtHyQeATkCM_RJgMAwnVSHZMy8fBsJdlY69b7NIh9yoi8qjjiS33YpqKlOF83DNlaMRK2D9LOOurxNVEdKzHLa-iT_unyETslj8VdANlulaWaydyjBCexgtLKl7TcDXlhne4QJrF1/s320/BE+%25282+of+6%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSv8LRr4OAI/TaTOaJK2FOI/AAAAAAAAA64/XEVZZT1oODY/s1600/BE+%25284+of+6%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSv8LRr4OAI/TaTOaJK2FOI/AAAAAAAAA64/XEVZZT1oODY/s320/BE+%25284+of+6%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a>As the summer season draws to an end, so too the number of visiting vessels wanes. One of the last to be visiting us before winter is the square rigged sailing ship the Bark Europa. She was built in 1911 in Hamburg, and began her life as a light ship on the River Elbe. Europa's transformation to her current form was completed in 1994 when she had 3 masts fitted and was fully converted for ocean sailing. Today she girdles the globe with a crew of 14 and up to 48 "guest crew" providing passengers a unique way of reaching remote parts of the world, like South Georgia and the Antarctic Continent. Robert the GO, Ashley and Myself went round on a wet and fridged morning to tend her lines. We had great fun trying to find things large and sturdy enough to tie her too. Much of the old jetty has collapsed, and stout looking lumps of concrete are about the best bet. Bits and bollards are not always bolted to the ground anymore! It was an interesting spectacle for us, as when she was alongside at Tijuca Jetty at Grytviken she really did look like the whaling ships of old, and the cove was cast back to the pioneering early days. She did not stay long, and that very afternoon she cast off bound eventually for the Antarctic Peninsular. She celebrates her Centenary in August this year. See <a href="http://www.barkeuropa.com/">http://www.barkeuropa.com</a> for more info.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZklNXwHQtcU/TaTOhHIRQqI/AAAAAAAAA68/rahJLV_BjLg/s1600/BE+%25285+of+6%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZklNXwHQtcU/TaTOhHIRQqI/AAAAAAAAA68/rahJLV_BjLg/s320/BE+%25285+of+6%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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