Log Entry No 3 - 10th Dec 07. (Discoverer)

FROM THE CAPTAINS CABIN

The more ambitious an undertaking, the greater the challenge and thus satisfaction, but equally and by definition the more ambitious the greater the opportunity for gremlins to cause disruption.

BAAE Team photo.

Any expedition of this type accepts the risk of being on the margin, not just geographically but also in concept. Regular readers will know that Discoverer came through a particularly difficult storm shortly before her arrival in The Falkland Islands. Although yacht and crew emerged with great credit, both bore battle scars as a result.   Whilst the injured crewmen have received excellent treatment both locally in The Falklands, from RAF medical evacuation staff and more recently from military and civilian hospital staff, including Selly Oak in Birmingham, Now it is Discoverer’s turn.

Practicing capsize drills in the inflatable boats.

Simply preparing a yacht for Antarctic waters is challenge enough but add in the further requirement for repairing the storm damage let alone preparing land equipment, and stowing everything we will need for the next 9 weeks and there is an exhaustive job list, each one critical to success and each one beset with challenges. Our task has been harder by having inadvertently incurred lady luck’s displeasure but  eased by the unflagging help and support from so many sources, none of whom we will be able to adequately repay.

Ensuring all the kit fits and works before departure.

Andy Mills’ team have faced the greatest challenges. He with Meryon and Rob, now to be known as “The Duke” to avoid confusion with “Big Rob” Hadfield, and the others on demand, continue to prepare Discoverer for her voyage South.  Even Minor repairs are essential but our greatest challenge is the vessels navigational instruments that suddenly went down a couple of days north of The Falklands on leg 3.

Unfortunately precious time and opportunity slipped away before Andy arrived to direct work. The local expert, Mario has crawled around the hull with ammeters, voltmeters, and just about every other meter he could find, but his initial diagnostic tests failed to identify the faults, so it was back to the drawing board once again.

However, quite understandably, Mario’s priorities don’t revolve around ours and there have been frustrating delays as he juggles his many commitments. Time to call in help from one of our principle sponsors, Raymarine, a phone call to Fiona Pankhurst and her team swung into immediate action.

Chris Grant fitting skins to the skis.

Telephone lines burst into life and suddenly the Falkland Islands didn’t seem so remote.  Advice was offered and contingency plans made. Of course we are now at the end of a long logistic resupply chain and with only 3 flights a fortnight, getting spares in a timely way means careful coordination with flight schedules. It was only the dedication of Fiona and her team from Raymarine, combined with WO2 John Crompton and Cpl Jim Smith from our own rear office that allowed us to meet the near impossible time lines of the flight. We are deeply indebted to all for their rapid response, so now we must await the outcome of fitting them.

The Instruments being repaired.

Away from the boat, we have refined packing lists; everything from food to the number of karabiners.  Equipment from ski’s to Coleman cookers have been checked and rechecked for serviceability, finally it has been packed and in some cases already stowed aboard Discoverer.   We continue to take every opportunity to train, from capsize drills to first aid. 

Rob Duke pracitces giving injections.

So despite the frustration of delay and uncertainty moral remains high and if the measure of a team is not how it handles success, but rather how it overcomes set back and disappointment, then this team is second to none.  But then I knew that anyway.

Dick Pattison