8 NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2011


IT IS rumoured that some senior officers have been heard to say “no more bloody penguins!” when perusing the latest dispatch from ships deployed to the bottom


photographer to do when the birds just throw themselves into a previously perfectly penguin-less photo- shoot?


● (Above) HMS Scott in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, during a visit to a Polish base


half of the world. However,


what is a Southern


“I have never been anywhere like this, with all the penguins and seals and the mountains. “It’s amazing to think how Shackleton crossed the whole island, not even with a pusser’s bagged meal.


● (Left) AB Duffy, of HMS Gloucester, attracts the interest of some fur seal pups


● (Below) HMS Scott alongside in Mare Harbour, Falkland Islands


● (Bottom of page) HMS Gloucester in the Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia


Not to mention the difficulty in complying with guidance to stay away from wildlife, when a sailor is just having a little lie-down at the water’s edge waiting for the sea-boat, and the local fur seal pups decide to join him.


was blowing getting up just one of those ridges.” Most of the ship’s company also took the opportunity at Grytviken to visit Shackleton’s grave, which is inscribed with his favourite quote from Browning: “I hold


This is the nature of the South Georgia patrol, the regular insertion of one steely grey HM warship into one of the world’s most pristine environments, and this time the turn of HMS Gloucester,


down to 54° 50’ South in the last of her five months patrolling the South Atlantic islands. When the Fighting G was last


down South Georgia way more than a year ago, the snow was over a foot deep right the way down to the beach. January being the height of the southern summer,


mountains and glaciers of the Allardyce range were this time showing a rather different face – they were visible, for a start, in gleaming sunshine.


the jagged extending herself


however, there is no doubt that even for the most hardened of Gloucester’s many old and bold, South Georgia was the highlight of a long seven-month deployment just for its sheer, astounding beauty. CO Cdr David George said:


Instead of three- tonne bull elephant seals fighting for harems, this time the beaches were thronged with inquisitive fur seal pups. Maybe it is a lesson learned from living among the elephant seals, but adult fur seals tend not to be too keen on tall creatures. Combine this with their


tendency to lurk, invisible, in the tall grass, and you have a recipe for sailors scampering along the shingle with a set of sharp teeth in hot pursuit. However,


Gloucester’s ship’s company discovered, sit down and mind your own business, and the wildlife cannot resist investigating. Inevitably, however, there was


work to do as well (let us not forget that...). For the British


Survey,


an opportunity to bring stores, move people and gear around and – most importantly – use the precious resource of the Lynx helicopter for conservation work. The aircraft was employed on


aerial photographic surveys of eight glaciers, and comparison with previous photos will allow the BAS to determine if the glaciers are retreating and how fast. In South Georgia, this has a


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particularly critical importance for the millions of ground-nesting birds, as the glaciers are the only thing preventing the devastating spread of egg-stealing rats to several areas. Darren Christie, South Georgia


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b t s s


Environment Officer, said: “The photos were absolutely brilliant. “I can’t emphasise enough how


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important this information is to the management of the island, and it isn’t something that we could easily have achieved without Gloucester’s assistance.” The spectacular rugged terrain is an obvious place to achieve some adventurous training too. Over two days, 35 of the


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ship’s company traced the part of Shackleton’s epic 1916 cross- island journey from Fortuna Bay to Stromness. ET(ME) Rob ‘Baz’


s o i t


said: “South Georgia is the most amazing place I’ve ever been.


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Pictures: Scott) and


P Billson


● (Right) HMS Gloucester in Cumberland Bay, South Georgia


PO(Phot) Ray Jones (HMS S


LA(Phot) Terry Boughton (HMS Gloucester)


Gloucester’s visit was Antarctic as several of


unusual: low-intensity, not warlike, but it reminds us that there are other things. “Things that are worth striving or fighting for come in many shapes and sizes, and one of them is that this wonderful haven should be conserved, which in this day and age has to be managed by people like the British Antarctic Survey and South Georgia Government. “We’ve been able to support that, and, with the lads getting ashore to be absolutely awe-struck by what


was there, they probably think it’s one of the most worthwhile tasks they could


be doing.” Maybe, after all, it is all about the penguins...


While alongside in Mare Harbour, back in the Falklands, Gloucester met up with ocean survey vessel HMS Scott, which recently returned to the Southern Ocean for her second season amongst the ice of Antarctica. Having left Devonport in late


“To go to such a place is an immense privilege. “For sailors,


it’s something


life’s set prize.” Not a bad inspiration. Whatever the work and training,


that a man should strive to his uttermost for his


I


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