Ready for sailing
Published on 30.12.2011 - British Services Antarctic Expedition 2012
Slowly gathering in South Chile
© Expedition website
The 25 people of the Bristish Services Antarctic Expedition (BSAE) are now gathering in south Chile. In a few days they should departure for their sailing across the Drake Passage.
Here is their mast press communiqué :
" The expedition is now well and truly under way. With the advance party of Stu and Mitch now settled in at Puerto Williams, and having located and checked all our supplies in the expedition shipping container, it was now time for the first part of the main team to head south."
"Chalk 1 thus flew from Heathrow this evening and are now on their way to meet up with Stu and Mitch and also the boat that will take them to the Antarctic itself, the Australis. Chalk 1 consists of the expedition leader Lt Col Paul Edwards RLC, the main science officer in the shape of Lt Cdr Martin Densham RN who were also joined by Capt Ivar Milligan Scotts Guards, Maj Phil Carrotte REME, Sgt Will Brant Army PT Corps, SAC Alex Thorpe RAF, Cpl Juls Ratcliff, Capt Sam Marshall AAC, Sgt Rich Simpson Royal Signals and Cpl Ali Allsopp QARANC."
"As soon as the team arrives in Chile there will be no time to relax as they will be straight in unloading duties to empty the supply container, which will quickly be followed by loading duties as they load our boat with 2 months worth of supplies to support 24 people, no easy task! In less than a week they will be half way across Drakes Passage (The worst sea in the world) and well on their way to the frozen wastes of the Antarctic, hoping that the sea ice has receded enough for them to make an approach into their preceding landing location and thus start setting up our first base camp."
"Meanwhile chalk 2, which contains the remainder of the team, will be flying out and jumping on a flight with the British Antarctic Survey which will take them directly to Rothera and within touching distance of the mainland of the Antarctic. Thus, in little more than a week, you should start to see some blogs and photos of the team coming back as they start their exploration into some of the most remote, and formally inaccessible areas of the Antarctic, as they begin exploring one of the worlds last truly unexplored wildernesses. Suddenly, its all very real!"
