Today I hiked over to Maiviken Hut as I wanted to tighten the cables that hold down the hut. I felt like a vandal when I left large footprints in the ice over the moss beds on the way there and back.

While the spray was soaking into the rusty turnbuckles I sat on the bench (I made back in January) and had lunch. As you can see behind me the windows of the hut are covered with about 3 inches of icy and snow. The wires I went to tighten are the ones leading up to the roof. Unfortunately one of the turnbuckles was so rusted I would have sheared it so I will have to go back with a new one and a hacksaw. The other one is now nice and tight so it can wait till I get back there next week.

The snow caught in the short grass looked like cotton blowing around a field.

On the way along the track I noticed a large piece of wood probably from the jetty at Grytviken and decided to carry it back to base to use for a project I am getting ready to do in the chippy shop. It was quite heavy being 12 foot long and 6 x 3 and a little wet. Thanks to Tommy’s help holding onto the other end it is already milled and drying in the boatshed. There was a great handmade nail sticking out of it which I have saved and will try to use in some way. I won’t start the project until after mid winter when everyone is finished with their MWPs and the chippy shop is a little less busy.

Hopefully tomorrow will be another relatively nice day – it has started to snow is small flurries so there will probably be a blanket tomorrow. I am off on holidays with Tommy and Rob next week from Thursday through Sunday on the Greene and am looking forward to it.

Odd title indeed! We took Matt Boat and Sue across to the Barff and dropped them at Sorling this morning for holidays. I went with Sam in the RIB and put Ali and Katie on the jet boat as I need to sign him off as a coxswain. On the way out Sue and Matt were on the jet boat – just before leaving the dock I told Matt and Rob not to worry if he heard strange things on the radio.

On the way back we waited till Ali was a distance ahead of us and I told Sam to stop the RIB. We sat there and drifted while waiting to see if Ali would react. He did a good job and stopped the jet boat after about a minute and half. We then waited to see if he would call to check on us which Katie did. We ignored the first call and then took the next call. I told them between fits of giggles that we needed assistance as our propellors had fallen off and there were ping pong balls in the engines! Before you all think I am completely nuts it was Sam who came up with the ping pong balls after watching the guys play in the boatshed and seeing the balls all over the shop!

So Ali, Sam and Katie had a lesson in setting up a side tow which we did for about 1/4 mile before starting our engines again. After lunch I taught knots to the group followed by some basic chartwork for Rob and Katie who had missed last weeks session. Basically a day of boat school on and off the water and cooking. I decided it felt like a roast sort of day so tonight we are having roast pork with crackling, roast veg, potatoes, roast parsnips, brussel sprouts sauted in bacon fat with bacon bits and last but not least cauliflower cheese. Oh and dessert is marble sponge with sticky chocolate sauce.

No interesting or exciting news today. No need for those snow chains and studs after all as it started to rain this morning. A day of indent, attempting to find instructions on how to fix our Italian made horn on the jet boat and getting ready for boat school tomorrow.

Knots for everyone and chartwork for those who missed the session last week. Mr Boat and Sue are off on holiday to the Barff tomorrow till Monday so I am taking his boat school session. The last fishing boat for inspection left Punta a few days ago so will probably be in Cumberland Bay sometime this weekend. Otherwise all is quiet in snowy, rainy South Georgia.

I spent the afternoon on the sewing machine making little covers for the manual bilge pumps as the diaphragms perish quickly in the high UV down here and also making a bag for HMS Dotty’s spares.

This morning I woke up and it was a little bit too icy for a run I thought maybe as the day went on it might soften however, it stayed just as bad. I fell on a sheet of ice outside the boatshed so maybe if it is like this tomorrow it will be time for snow chains on my boots and studs in my running shoes!

I spent the day finishing off rebuilding the Mariner and tested it out much to my surprise it ran like a champ!

Shelves of spare boat parts in our boatshed.

Also the annual indent is due mid month so I started going through all our stocks.

In the evening I went for a walk instead there are icicles all along the track and hanging off the grating going across Gull Lake dam. For a short period we had a small patch of blue sky and sun but it didn’t last very long. It is not getting light now till around 8am and gets dark just after sunset at 5pm.

The walk helped me walk off some frustration I had with a comment from someone about Americans reactions to Osama’s death as being rude. I bit my tongue and reminded myself that I am on a British base and the person making the comment was a teenager in 2001 maybe not able to comprehend the devastation of 911 to many families especially New Yorkers.

Some people find the Darryl Worley song distateful but it shows the sentiments of many Americans including my family members in the US Military.

I hear people saying we don’t need this war
But, I say there’s some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground
We didn’t get to keep ’em by backing down
They say we don’t realize the mess we’re getting in
Before you start your preaching let me ask you this my friend

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn’t worry ’bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it’s too disturbing for you and me
It’ll just breed anger that’s what the experts say
If it was up to me I’d show it everyday
Some say this country’s just out looking for a fight
Well, after 9/11 man I’d have to say that’s right

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And we vowed to get the one’s behind bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I’ve been there with the soldiers
Who’ve gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they’re fighting for

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Yeah, some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost and those left to carry on
Don’t you tell me not to worry about bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?
Have you forgotten?

It is sad to see how divisive the incident has been within my group of friends outside South Georgia. As the British primeminster said his death was ‘justified, lawful and right’. Enough politics as that is not why people read my blog.

The world outside KEP has had quite a weekend with the Royal Wedding on Friday and Osama’s death on Sunday. The picture above was taken on the Clyde by Matt Boat (I think) of the celebrations on the actual day in the Petty Officers mess.

For the Osama news we even had a special 2 page addition this morning on top of our normal mini newspaper. Whether or not his death makes a difference to terrorist attacks it has a psycological impact on all Americans drawing a line under the events of 911 for all the families affected – similar to a serial murderer being brought to justice. It is the end of an era as one friend put it – similar to the ”end” of the Troubles in N. Ireland – which unfortunately continue on a lesser level today (I hasten to add for individuals still effected it is not a lesser level). This doesn’t seem the time to let any guards down and I am not so sure about the necessity to ‘dance’ on the grave but than that is probably my British side coming out. I have friends with all different opinions we are lucky to live in a society that allows freedom of expression and everyone should respect that.

On Saturday Alastair downloaded the highlights of the wedding which a group of us (more boys than girls!) watched. There are a few people who don’t believe in Royalty so they didn’t watch however, I believe it to be something the British should be proud of. The Royal family is a large part of culture and heritage of Britain and for the 63p per year (according to my brother) it costs per person in Britain I would say it is well worth it. The amount of money that poured into London over the weekend I am sure more than made up for the costs. Besides that the pagentary is something that I feel proud to see and hope continues! So this weekend I was in a great position with my dual nationality as I was able to say that both countries did me proud.

Meanwhile as it was yet another bank holiday weekend the weather was atrocious with 60 knot winds blowing snow horizontally so I decided to postpone my monday off for a better day and worked instead. Hopefully we will have a nice sunny day soon to go back to exploring the local peaks. Instead we have been hitting the gym hard and now lead the 6000km race across Antarctica by 1698km which is over double what the distance the second place team has gone so far! We are over half way across the continent with 7 weeks left before midwinter. So much easier than actually manhauling to the South Pole and on across!

Yesterday was a bit of a rush in the chippy shop to finish the present for the wardroom of the York. I thought I had another day but the Clyde which is delivering the present came back to KEP a day earlier than expected. I literally put a coat of oil on 10 minutes before the Clyde arrived at anchor off Hope Point having not had the time to sand it to 120 grit so unfortunately there are sanding swirls in the finish. Oh well it is the thought that counts.

The board just after being oiled with Danish Oil. The main board was made by laminating four pieces of eucalyptus from some old beds then I framed it with some mohogony from the fishing vessel wrecks. Next I routered out the center and four L shaped areas and inlaid rosewood, pequio, Lignum vitea and mahogony. The squares I made using a chisel and after glueing the pieces in I planed the wood flat and sanded. All sounds simple however, it did take every evening this week and all day yesterday. I won’t be making another of those soon!

Up close

Wrapped in a chart from British Colombia not much use down here!!

While I was waiting for glue to set I made a trifle as we had Captain Kris’s birthday BBQ during which it started to rain and snow. Matt Mech made some very nice steaks, lamb chops, chicken and chorzo sausages on the grill and hung the parachute up in the garage. There were plenty of cakes as well so Saturday night meal will be an ecclectic mix of leftovers!! I managed to pull some wood out of the drum that Matt was burning he didn’t realise I was saving for a woodwork project I want to do after midwinter a little bit charred but I think I can still use some of it – guess I should have put a sign on it 🙂

You have to be careful of the shy quiet people as I found when I became the first person to be bankrupt playing South Georgia monopoly. Andy Black is worse than Donald Trump! Ali (last years BC) made Kieron for his midwinter present a South Georgia monopoly board complete with SG money, penguin colonies instead of hotels etc.
It looks store bought but it was lovingly handmade here on the island!

I was on earlies today and spent the whole day cooking making things out of freshies that are going bad and packing the freezer full of them. Two quiches, bannana crumb muffins, tomotoe soup, carrot and coriander soup, hot cross buns, tomotoe relish, apple sauce and then dinner. I did fit in a hour long boat school for the few on base the topic was compass bearings and headings and we also threw in a little bit of knot tying.

Last night it was suggested to have games night as there are only 9 of us on base with 5 people out on the HMS Clyde for a few days. Matt finished the uckers board and Sam, Matt and Ali played a game that lasted 2 hours while Sue, Kieron, Andy and myself played monopoly.

Dinner was fish and chips in newspaper in the bar. I got a lot of compliments for one of the simplist meals I have made here – you can’t win really!

As there was batter left the guys decided to have deep fried mars bars which I have to say after trying one I am not really a fan.

A fun evening despite being bankrupt!

Other news –

This week the HMS Clyde came to visit and were not able to come alongside due to the wind so we ended up cancelling most of our social engagements with them.

I was on maintenance week so continued servicing of the outboard and in the evenings started making a present for the wardroom of the York – an uckers board with inlaid woods. We continue to lead in Race Antarctica by a very large margin but all have sore bottoms from sitting on the rowing machine for hours on end.

Fat Albert the RAF Hercules came for a fly by of base they were originally going to do an airdrop for practice but decided not to after all. We all have tomorrow of in celebration of the Royal wedding so shall enjoy a lie in followed by lots of physical exertion in the gym and chippy shop woodworking. Have a great weekend.

Pipit and Prion were used to taxi the officers and crew of HMS York

HMS York at anchor off Hope Point by Sam Crimmin

Playing uckers in the wardroom – Sam is in the middle of a training game against P2 (pilot)

With three of the officers of HMS York on the bridge wing after anchoring at Hope Point

Sam as a penguin on the flight deck – we had an evening of penguin racing (like horse racing) the wardroom didn’t do that well in the gambling but fun was had by all!

Cape Disappointment named by Captain Cook after realising South Georgia was not part of Antarctica and was an island

On the flight deck of HMS York in Dabrowsky fjord

Captain of HMS York and myself after anchoring just off Hope Point

Lots to catch up on 🙂

Monday I was a grease monkey again all day working on the outboard engine and its 100 hour service. Due to lots of corrosion I had to drill, and helicoil out some bolts which had become part of the aluminum casing.

Tuesday the Royal Navy arrived for two days of shore leave so Matt boat and the whole base were involved in ferrying 93 people between the shore and the warship. First lot off were the EOD or bomb disposal team which spent 5 days in Larsen House and each day they went out to various pieces of unexploded ordinance to blow it up in control explosions. There were quite a few large bangs which particularily excited the guys on base! The flares that we had that were many many years out of date went off with a particularily large bang along with a still live harpoon gun from the whaling station at Grytviken.

Wednesday was a crazy day with two fishing boats arriving for inspection, another 90 people to transfer ashore and a ship arriving at our jetty there were ships all over the place and we joked about needing a traffic scheme at Hope Point. We also took the bomb disposal team over to the Barff Peninsula. We were lucky as the weather held out for us a little cold but not too windy and no rain or snow. In the evening after a night pick up from one of the fishing vessels we had a bomb disposal demonstration. Tommy set up the plastic explosives and I was allowed to detonate it from a safe distance away.

Thursday morning the girls on base (except Katie) were transferred aboard the warship for a ”cruise’. It was an amazing experience. We had 2 and half days aboard staying in a petty officers 6 bed dorm and dined the first night with the Captain. The wardroom were so inviting and hosted us the whole time with many tours of different areas of the ship – engine room, operations room etc. We were invited up to the bridge for weighing anchor at Hope Point and anchoring in Gould Harbor where we spent the night and watched the sunrise.

Drygalski Fjord

It was a very interesting experience watching the 10 people on the bridge of a warship and their interactions. I remarked to the Captain at dinner about the skills required to be officer of the watch and conned the vessel to anchor. He replied that you get use to it and it is easy inviting me to do anchor when we came back to KEP. So there I was on the bridge conning a warship into anchor at Hope Point on Friday! Something that has happened only a couple times in naval history according to Simon. It is indeed hard to take the verbal inputs of where we are etc and translate that into orders for the helmsman, throttleman and anchoring team. It is something that I normally internalise and reaction to myself with subtle changes in my throttle and buckets combined with helm movements and I don’t even really think about what I am doing it is just a natural reaction.

I will write more today however, must rush off to help with some lines on a ship. HAPPY EASTER everyone.

Overnight the snow around base has melted away due to increased temperatures bringing rain. At least we made some use of it while it was here and hopefully we will get some more in the near future. I introduced everyone to American pancakes – buckwheat ones to be exact and they seemed to go down a treat. There was some educating of how to eat them required – as in no lemon and sugar instead butter and maple syrup.

We also had some very tasty freshies – pineapple, oranges and melon.

The bananas that were not doing so well when they got here I made into banana muffins.

After breakfast I worked on turning an old climbing harness into a hauling harness for manhauling. We don’t have many harnesses on base and I decided to save 90 pounds and recycle the climbing harness.

The padding in the belt is made from an old thermarest.

Before I headed out for a hike with Tommy to a small lake above Gull Lake I put a piece of beef and some veg in the oven to slow cook for 10 hours for dinner.

As you can see it was a truly stunning day with blue skies and a little bit of a breeze.

Seeing as it is Sunday night it is movie night so I must off to the movies! Hope you all had a great weekend.