By J. Brock (SARTMA)
From Left to right, Paul Hilton, Dr. Diedre Galbraith, David Nichols and Nick Haddock
Twenty-one young explorers and nine experienced leaders are now approximately half way through their three-month adventure of a lifetime. The theme of this year’s British Schools Expedition Society adventure is called "In the Footsteps of Shackleton." The team began their expedition in the remote areas of Southern Chile. Organiser and Team Leader, Brigadier David Nichols, himself a veteran of the 1982 Conflict and former Commander British Forces Falkland Islands from 1999 to 2000, provides leadership for the young explorers as well as the nine staff who accompany them. A Medical Doctor, Chief Scientist, three Fire Team Leaders and three Assistant Fire Team Leaders tackled the challenges put before them in Southern Chile for five weeks and aided with various scientific projects in Paso del Indio, beyond the Fitzroy Channel, and Seno Skyring, north/west of Punta Arenas. This was followed by traversing the "W" Circuit in Torres del Paine National Park, which took ten days, and a further project at Cabo Froward.
A view of Torres del Paine Park
In the Falklands, the B.S.E.S. team spent three weeks on Bleaker Island where they planted tussac grass for Phyl and Mike Rendell. With Falkland Conservation’s Robin Woods, they surveyed Bleaker Island’s flora and fauna as well. Also helping with the project were Philipa Thompson and Montana Short. Thanks to the Military at Mount Pleasant, the team then went on a battlefield tour lead by David Nichols, who had first-hand experience of the battle that raged west of Stanley. Brigadier Nichols showed the team his artillery position and as they traversed the battlefield, he found a fin off of a bomb that exploded near his position all those years ago. The tour took the group to Mount Harriet, Moody Brook and Mount Longdon.
Twenty-four hours in Stanley followed, and it was time to do some well-deserved shopping and calling home, etc., before travelling overland to Volunteer Point from Lookout Camp, where they spent the night. Once at the Point, the team carried out a thorough survey of the Magellanic Penguins in the area. This was done by marking off rectangles 10 metres by 20 metres and counting nests, eggs and adults sitting on eggs. According to Brigadier Nichols, this type of survey had never been done in the Falklands before.
Grytviken is the next stop before going on to Husvic.
On Thursday, the 27th of November, the team boarded HMS Endurance for the trip to South Georgia, where they will be collecting data on the genetic make-up of that Island’s Reindeer. They will also study introduced flora as well as counting Fur Seals. Their final task will be to look for Shackleton’s discarded cook stove that he left in the mountains above Husvic, Stormness and Leith. While on South Georgia, the team will be based at Husvic.
