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Last night offered a further voyage highlight of our third Auroral display - again we had dancing green lights in the sky over the ship which kept our keen photographers onboard outside in the cold for a while. After dinner we welcomed our expeditioners back onboard and briefed them on the operational plan for the next couple of days. Along with the usual acitivites we explained that the policy for today was likely to be "Hurry up - and wait ..." and unfortunately that was proven to be true. We had expected poor visibility throughout the morning, with an improvement as the wind picked up. Our primary task for today was to retrieve our remaining personnel from the island and bring three of our helicopters back to the ship, deblade them and put them into the hangar. Unfortunately someone forgot to tell the weather that we needed to be able to see at helicopter flying height and it stayed misty all day. We saw flashes of the island when the wind increased but could usually only see as far as Landing Beach when the wind gusts died down again. We weren't able to get the helicopters back to the ship but did continue bringing out RTA cargo, load the LARC to the deck ready for RTA and bring out our MIPEP personnel, AGSOs (Air Ground Support Officers) and our WCOs (Watercraft Officers). This leaves us with three helicopters, three pilots and two helicopter engineers to get back to the ship tomorrow.
The other landmark event today was our attempt to send the JCB ashore early this morning. After toolbox meetings at each end of the operation we determined the conditions to be suitable and swung into action. The shore end put the required plant and personnel in place, and the ship end attached the ramps to the barge and discharged the barge into the water ready to be loaded. At this point our (perhaps premature) jubilation began to fade as conditions deteriorated and we cancelled the operation for the day. This task requires a very specific set of wind, swell, wave and tide conditons to be successful and today was not the day for them all to stay lined up for long enough for us to complete the job. We haven't given up, and the people and equipment remain ready for if we get another chance.
We are now waiting to see what tomorrow's weather brings with the forecast telling us that the winds are set to increase again overnight but that we should again be able to see the island tomorrow after it spent all of today shrouded in mist and cloud.
REGARDS: Nicki and Mike
Map
A map showing Australia and Antarctica. The map shows the journey of one voyage that has occured in the season, with each route highlighted in a distinct colour.