S.Atlantic : Sartma Daily (01/12/05)
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 02.12.2005 (Article Archived on 16.12.2005)

A brief run-down of South Atlantic news

Sartma Daily (01/12/05)

Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)

Section 1:  Articles by FINN

Section 2:  Committee News

Section 3:  Business News

Section 4:  Announcements

Section 1:

VIP VISITS MPC

By J. Brock (FINN)

Mount Pleasant Complex played host to the Chief of Joint Operations, Air Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy KCB CBE DSO BSc(Eng) FRAeS RAF recently.  He has just left the Islands after a very successful and enjoyable visit. 

While in the Falklands Sir Glen and Lady Torpy had a full tour of various sections and departments around the naval, military and air communities.   He met with His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Howard Pearce and with the newly elected councillors during a visit to Stanley.

Lady Christine Torpy, who her husband throughout his visit, dropped in on the Mount Pleasant School, Weavers (WRVS) and Oasis as well as meeting some of the families at MPC.

Sir Glenn and Lady Christine’s visit was not all work and no play, as they managed to find time to visit both Saunders and Sea Lion Islands.  A photo of Sir Glenn at Onion Range is on SARTMA and FINN’s Websites.

Air Marshal Torpy takes up his new appointment as Chief of the Air Staff in 2006.

SOUTH GEORGIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION COMPLETED BY BRITISH KAYAK TEAM

By J. Brock (SARTMA)

The British Kayak Team consisting of Peter Bray, 48, Jeff Allen, 43, Nigel Dennis, 50, and Hadas Freedman, 34, have successfully completed the circumnavigation of South Georgia.  They crossed the finish line on the evening of November 30^th.  It took approximately 16 days for the team to complete the circumnavigation by tackling the South Shores of the Island first. 

This means that from King Edward Point they would have travelled north-westerly to Larsen point and then on to Stormness Bay to Fortuna Bay, Antarctic Bay, Prince Olav Harbour, the Bay of Isles, Right Whale Bay, Cape North, Church Bay, Bird Sound, Wilson Harbour, King Haakon Bay, Cape Nunez Bay, Aspasia Point, Newark Bay, Hauge Straight, Undine South Harbour, Diaz Cove, Cape Disappointment, Drygalski Fjord, Cooper Sound, Iris Bay, Gold Harbour, Cape Charlotte, Royal Bay, St. Andrews Bay, and Cumberland Bay back to King Edward Point.

It has been reported that while the South part of the Island’s shore line had few problems, when they reached Cape Charlotte, catabolic winds from the mountains caused an emergency landing and an overnight stop at the southern shore of Royal Bay.  The weather was not kind as the team approached Cumberland Bay for the second time, as there were blizzard conditions.

Undaunted, the team made their final landing to the welcome of British Antarctic Survey staff, the Crew of the Pelagic Australis, and the Museum Staff.  The reports did not say whether it was Tim and Pauline Carr or other staff members from the Museum.

The New Zealand Kayak Team was the first to circumnavigate South Georgia and they did so in 18 days.  The British team cut two days off their time.

CAPE PEMBROKE LIGHTHOUSE CELEBRATES 150 YEARS

By J. Brock (FINN)

As part of the Year of the Sea, the Falkland Islands Archives and the Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust are celebrating 150 years at Cape Pembroke.  On Thursday evening there was an exhibition for invited guests at the Cape Pembroke Lighthouse.  There was also a weekend of activities at the Lighthouse with a special Ham Radio stint with Falklands amateurs planning to contact various operators throughout the world throughout the weekend.

The Cape Pembroke Lighthouse was extensively renovated in 1989 and 1990 with the light being replaced and the building being made secure.  It had suffered extensive damage after the 1982 Conflict and a considerable amount of money was raised in order to replace the glass and optical equipment, which had been smashed.

Now that the work is nearly complete, it is hoped that the lighthouse, first lit on December 1^st 1885 will be maintained and kept in good repair.

ENDURANCE ARRIVES IN THE FALKLANDS NEXT WEEK

By J. Brock (FINN)

The MOD website says that HMS Endurance will arrive in Stanley over the weekend from Montevideo, where, according to Captain Nick Lambert, she underwent a final check for seaworthiness before the Antarctic patrol begins.

While in Montevideo HMS Endurance was berthed near to the QE2, that visited the Falklands this Tuesday.  According to the website the passengers off the QE2 and the Endurance’s Crew mingled and swapped sea stories.  Mention was made about UK’s weather at the time, which featured blizzard-like conditions.  November Temperatures in Montevideo can be 28C.

Section 2:

COMMITTEE NEWS:

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE PLANNING ORDINANCE 1991

NOTICE OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED

Notice is hereby given that the following applications for planning permission have been received

Section 3:

BUSINESS NEWS:

PRESS RELEASE

The Falkland Islands Company (FIC) and Gentoo Designs are pleased to announce the release of The Falkland Islands Company Virtual Tour of Stanley Seafront CD-ROM. The CD is available exclusively at the Capstan Gift Shop, for only £9.

With over 150 years' presence in the Falklands, FIC have played an integral part in the history of the Islands, and have amassed a photographic collection that charts this history visually. This CD aims to share some of these images with the public in a way that is enjoyable, whilst also being informative.  Contained on the CD is a collection of photographs for thirteen historic sites along Stanley's seafront, with pictures from as early as the 1870s, up to the present day. 

Some of the sites featured on the tour include the FIC Offices and Jetty, Christ Church Cathedral, the West Store, Stanley House and the 1982 Memorial. Each site has a timeline of photographs with captions, which are easily accessed through aerial photographs of Stanley. 

Nikki Buxton of Gentoo Designs (the graphics branch of Synergy Information Systems Ltd) commented “this is by no means a comprehensive catalogue of historical sites in Stanley, merely a selection of some of the most interesting along the seafront. Production Designer Rob Burnett has really done a first-rate job. This project is the third in our series of locally designed and produced CDs and DVDs, following the successful launch of the Falkland Islands Journal CD-ROM and the Standard Chartered Bank’s World Sight Day Favourite Sights DVD.”

Roger Spink of FIC added, “The excellent work of Gentoo Designs, combined with the historical knowledge of Joan and Terry Spruce, has enabled the Company to bring to life some of the wealth of Falkland history contained in our archives.”

Thus far, the reaction has been extremely positive, with one user saying, “I think it is great!  Both myself and the children can navigate easily, the cover and booklet are both eye-catching and informative – I am just so impressed!”