The Antarctic Peninsula And Back…
3 May, 2010 RRS Ernest Shackleton
Radio Officer Patrick and the Crew got off the Mighty Ernest Shackleton in Stanley, Falkland Islands in Mid-March. Pat told me he was doing a monthly blog and would I continue with some of my own entries and so apologies for not posting this a little earlier. But we returned to Stanley expecting to do a 3-1/2 month trip onboard the vessel, and upon joining alongside at FIPASS ( the fisheries processing and storage facility ), it was confirmed we were only onboard for 2 short months !
That means we have lots of work to do and lots of places to go all in a much shorter-than-expected period onboard, so it has been busy busy busy ever since. Not that I am complaining, but it equally makes for a very short leave for Capt Marshall and his crew this time.
It was a cloudy, drizzling day when the Shackleton crews changed over, but it was all blue and sunny skies for those heading homeward for their leave after 4 long months of service onboard. The oncoming crew had time to absorb their handover notes, unpack their baggage and cases and then go down to the ‘cages’ ( the ship’s storage) to retrieve their cold weather and wet weather work attire. Here’s a picture of the Shackleton alongside at FIPASS.
Having joined on the 15th March, we had 4 days to enjoy the hospitality of Stanley before the vessel headed out of the Narrows with a practically empty ship of passengers and then set forth for the Antarctic Peninsula.
Mr. John Hall of BAS Operations and 2 other passengers were the only exception to a ship filled only with crew. Our compliment is usually 21 persons. John, Andy and Bruce were joined by our additional crewmember, the Dentist Burjor Langdana an our resident Doctor Susanna Gaynor. Andy’Mac’ of Halley was also travelling onwards with us as he was contracted to do several metal fabrication jobs for the vessel on the Northbound journey.
The ship’s company totalled 29 as we set sail across a choppy Drakes’ passage.
The first of the disasters that befell the writing of blogs onboard the Shackleton, was the ever-threatening weather, and it was not kind to us. The 3 day crossing of the Drake Passage to the first islands of the Peninsula, was dogged by head winds , heavy swells and vomitous motion of the oceans ! Urghhh.
Our first port of call ( if you can call it a port ) was Deception Island which is an old volcano that is now flooded. With a narrow entrance for the ships to the east, Deception Island forms a large crescent island and natural sheltered harbour. The ship enters through the narrow ‘Neptunes Bellows’ and once inside, there are 3 Antarctic stations to be found. The Spanish and the Argentinean Bases are still occupied during the Antarctic Summer months, but the British Base is long since abandoned, having been covered over by a mudslide way back in the 50’s. It was from Deception Island that the Shackleton managed to rescue an old ‘single engined Otter’ aircraft in April 2004. But this year we were not to be so lucky. Although the sea inside the crescent of the Island is sheltered, the ‘bellows’ are subject to the forces of nature and the stormy seas had not abated by the time the Shackleton arrived. It was a shame to sail on by without a visit to this peculiar Volcanic island, but at least the seas were getting smoother as we progressed South and towards the inside passages of the Peninsula.
