|
So far HMS Endurance has achieved the aims of work period one. Possession Bay has been surveyed along with remaining portion of King Haakon Bay by the SMBs. The ship has also competed her allocated segment of the cruise vessel route around the island up off the North West coast. The BAS fur seal counting project is going well, and indications are that the technique is successful.
Fur Seal Family
All in all it has been a busy week for the Ships Company. There
was a welcome opportunity on Sat 13th for the ships company to get
ashore to stretch their legs and explore Stromness Whaling station
as the ships boats provided a ferry service to and from the ship,
anchored in Stromness Bay. It was a welcome respite from the steady
pace of the ship’s daily routine, and although the fur seals came a
little closer than some would have liked, all who got ashore (some
60 of the ships company), enjoyed the opportunity to explore. A
number stayed to welcome in the RM detachment who had been airlifted
to King Haakon Bay the previous day to trace the route that
Shackleton and 2 of his men took in 1916 having landed on the
south side of the island to traverse to the north and whaling
stations and ‘civilisation’. An arduous route, they succeeded within
the time they predicted, and their success was toasted as they
arrived back on board the ship.
Ships Company Ashore
So now the ship enters the run up to Christmas, the messes have been decorated, the Christmas photos taken, but there is still a good 10 days work to do and the pace will not let up. Mulled wine and mince pies are on board, but neither hide nor hair has yet been produced.
We now move down to the South east of the island to Cooper Bay where we have a further surveying task for the SMBs and further round still for the ship to another section of the ‘cruise route’.
Surveying in King Haakon
Bay by SMBs
It is
getting busy in this isolated part of the world, there have been
several vessels sighted this week; the RRS Ernest Shackleton (who
were kind enough offer us use of their dentist), an American cruise
vessel, a Spanish ship (who have kindly taken our mail to the
Falkland Islands for dispatch to the UK), a Norwegian party, as well
as the BSES personnel ashore. Over the Christmas period we
anticipate at least 3 ships to be in or around Grytviken. It seems
to be peak tourist time! Nevertheless we are looking forward to our
Christmas on board, wherever we may find ourselves, and all on
Endurance wish everyone at home a very Happy Christmas.
|
