By J. Brock (SARTMA)
Australian fisheries and customs patrol vessel, SOUTHERN SUPPORTER pounds through huge seas in the Southern Ocean, 1500 nautical miles south-west of Cape Town, South Africa on 24 August 2003.
As a result of her chase of the alleged poacher, VIARSA1, the Australian record for high seas pursuit has been set by SOUTHERN SUPPORTER. The Australian Customs and Fisheries Patrol vessel has now been following VIARSA1 for a record eighteen days and both vessels are located approximately 1500 nautical miles south-west of Cape Town and 1900 nautical miles east-north-east of the Falkland Islands. Both ships now have endured 3700 nautical miles of ice-strewn and heavy seas as well as strong winds
At present, pursuit is difficult in this area of the Southern Ocean because it is littered with extremely large icebergs. Adding to the difficulty are strong winds of 50kts and high seas with 10m waves. "Iceberg Alley," where the pursuit is now taking place, has presented 72 bergs in the past 24 hours, thus making the pursuit navigationally challenging.
If VIARSA1 makes it to Uruguay, she will have to face Uruguayan authorities and is subject to Uruguayan law as well as that of Australia, from whose territory Patagonian Toothfish was allegedly taken.
SOUTHERN SUPPORTER’S previous record was 3300 nautical miles, while chasing the SOUTH TOMI from 29 March to 12 April 2001.
