Log Entry No 24 - 8th Feb 08. (Discoverer)

FROM THE CAPTAINS CABIN

Discoverer lies alongside in East Cove. The clean up is well under way and in a few days the team will return to the UK. Since coming ashore, we have all had time to reflect individually and collectively on the expedition. There are many privileges, responsibilities, advantages (and disadvantages!!) of leading an expedition; one is the opportunity to voice some final thoughts.

An expedition is a medley of experiences, emotions and opportunity and now reflection. Trying to articulate these in the drifting sands of changing perspective in the immediate aftermath of return is a challenge.

So, where to begin? Perhaps an uninspired start point is to judge the expedition’s success against our declared aim of continuing the exploration and field studies of previous British Army and other expeditions in the Danco Coast and Forbidden Plateau region. As far as we can tell we broke new ground exploring the Waddington Bay and Trooz Glacier areas. The field studies sampling programmes have been largely completed; every geological target sampled and snow core data collected that has exceeded our expectations.

These objectives are some of the tangibles, but I hope our achievements run far deeper. I hope we have preserved the legacy we inherited from our predecessors, enhanced the reputation of The British Army, repaid the investment of our Sponsors, merited the approval of The Royal Geographical Society and delivered to our academic partners. I hope we will inspire others. Above all I hope we left Antarctica as we found it for future visitors.

Ours was a modest endeavour that will never be more than a footnote in the annuls of International Polar Year let alone Polar exploration; others will complete far more challenging enterprises. But we can, I contend, still take pride in the achievements of 16 ordinary people. We have faced discomfort, deprivation and sometimes danger, we have survived nature and each other and even found time to laugh. As we go our separate ways, many to operational theatres around the globe, the experience will bind us and friendships forged in ice and at sea over 7 weeks one Antarctic Summer will endure. We return rich in experience and stronger as people and soldiers for whatever challenges await us.

Return also means a welcome reunion with families and loved ones. Nothing I can write can ever come close to expressing the debt and emotion that every team member feels for those we left behind to keep the home fire burning.

Once again, inadequately articulated, but on behalf of the entire team, I thank you all for the support that made it possible.

Dick Pattison
Expedition Leader