Day 13 : 23 March 2011

Hello All

The cut off low passed us last night causing heavy rain squalls with thunder and lightning giving the air an electric feel. It all cleared up just before midnight as we entered the cold sector with the wind backing very quickly from the NE to the WNW.

The effect of the Agulhas current was also felt with us having to apply 30° of set at times due to the current pushing us further south.

This morning the NW'ly wind is hammering us and the short steep swell is slowing our progress down quite significantly. Luckily we have some time in hand so this will not influence our ETA.

Have a good afternoon and see you in the morning.

Day 12 : 22 March 2011

Hello All

Well to be honest there is not much to be said of the previous 24 hours with the vessel steaming along very nicely with the wind from behind and a eddy pushing us along this morning to 13.5 knots.

We are starting to sea the effects of the Agulhas current now as the sea temperature shot up to 24°C, giving a very humid feel onboard.

The passengers are being kept busy by documentaries and presentations, but most are now just settling down to relax before the rush of day to day corporate life and the likes ashore.

Hopefully everyone ashore enjoyed there long weekend.

Have a good day.

Day 11 : 21 March 2011

Hello All

We have been sailing mostly in thick fog with very little wind ever since we left Marion. The going is very good....did we take the wrong turn off? :-)

Last night the fog lifted for a while, which allowed an almost full moon to lit up the sea as if it was twilight with the Southern Cross by its side.

We retarded clocks last night and are now on South African time again.

Enjoy your public holiday.

Day 10 : 20 March 2011

Hello All

When we left Marion yesterday we ran about 20 degrees off course to weather route and brought our course round this morning again as the wind veered to the north.

Conditions are good at the moment and we wish it to remain that way. The sea temperature has jumped about 3 degrees over night.

With a average speed of 11 knots so far we are holding thumbs to make our ETA for Cape Town at 08:00 SAST on the 24th of March 2011. Tonight we will bring our clocks back to South African time.

Have a relaxing Sunday.

Day 09 : 19 March 2011

Hello All

We completed another hours worth of cargo off loading and back loading during the afternoon yesterday and went back to anchor in Macaroni Bay afterwards.

The official handing over function took place on Marion Island yesterday evening and it was apparently a magnificent event.

This morning we wanted to start early with the flying back of passengers and cargo, but Marion Island weather had something else in mind again with winds gusting well over 40 knots.

At midday a break in the weather brought the winds down below 25 knots after which we completed all the passenger and cargo flights. We are heading back to Cape Town now and if all goes well will be able to make our required ETA of 08:00SAST on the 24th of March 2011.

Enjoy your Saturday.

Day 08 : 18 March 2011

Hello All

We remained at anchor for the preceding 24 hours with once again another front passing and the winds increasing over 40 knots with frequent rain.

The barometric pressure is rising continuously now and the weather moderating. We would start with cargo flying this afternoon and only be left with passenger flights tomorrow morning before heading back to Cape Town again.

Have a good Friday.

SA Agulhas SMIT Amandla Times contribution

The SA Agulhas returned to Cape Town from a gruelling SANAE voyage to Antarctica on the 16th of February 2011 after which preparations for her very important voyage to Marion Island started.

The vessel departed for Marion Island on the 10th of March 2011 with many dignitaries onboard, which included the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Me. Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, the Deputy Director General for Oceans and Coasts, Mr. Mondy Mayekiso and the Director for Antarctic and Islands, Mr Henry Valentine, to name only a view. The mission: To handover the finally completed, multi million rand, state of the art scientific base from the Department of Public Works to the Department of Environmental Affairs on the 18th of March 2011.

The construction of the base started back in August 2003 and all the construction material used to construct the base were carried onboard the SA Agulhas and flown off by helicopter to the Island. Only one voyage in 2007 was done without helicopters with boats and rafts used to transport NDPW construction personnel and the required construction material.

Many Officers and Crew onboard the ship has been involved with the loading and discharging of the new base material from the start and for them it is also a mission accomplished. The vessel will deliver a specially designed plaque that will be mounted in the base with the following words in addendum:

Marion Island Base Inauguration

18 March 2011

“A tribute from the SA Agulhas”

“Your each and every part was carried, through treacherous seas, in my belly and on my shoulders. You grew from a dream and through hope and perseverance, through blood and sweat; you were finally born an Icon. I will retire soon, but you will serve and protect many through the years to come. We wish you the best of luck” SA Agulhas Master and Crew

The vessel is scheduled to return to Cape Town on the 24th of March 2011 only to return 2 weeks later to Marion with the new year team, cargo, stores and fuel to sustain the island for another year. The next voyage will probably be the penultimate one for this ship to Marion with the new vessel due to arrive in Cape Town in April 2012.

The weather at Marion on arrival gave the passengers onboard the ship a glimpse of the hostile conditions the base was constructed in with winds gusting well over 60 knots and the squalls of rain at times including sleet and hail as two successive fronts made their way pass.

It is times like this that one can only be a proud South African."

Day 07 : 17 March 2011

Hello All

Yesterday the weather did not moderate and by 17:00 the afternoon flying operations were called off, with the next window only predicted for the next morning.

We had a early start this morning with the first passenger flight to the island leaving the ship at 07:30. By now many of the passengers are extremely anxious to step foot on Marion. The rest of the morning was taken up with the flying of the remainder of the cargo to the island. By lunch time we have completed most of the off loading and will continue again in the morning with some off loads and back loads.

For now the weather is good and we will probably be able to remain at anchor for the night.

Have a good Thursday.

Day 06 : 16 March 2011

Hello All

We waited in anticipation yesterday for the weather to moderate to a flyable state. This luckily occurred around 17:00 and we knew it was going to be a push to get the required passenger and cargo flights done before sun set, which was just before 19:00.

All in all a good days work with us getting done what was required. after which we anchored for the night in a favoured anchor position in Macaroni Bay.

This morning we were scheduled to do a round the island tour for the remaining delegates, but the swell out of the lee was considered to be to big for comfort and we stayed close inshore on the eastern side of the island, but still got to see some amazing wildlife.

We are now just stemming the strong north westerlies off the base waiting for the next front to pass before hopefully getting the very anxious delegates off to the new base.

Let us once more hold thumbs.

Day 05 : 15 March 2011

Hello All

We arrived last night shortly after midnight, surfing the Westerly swell into the protection of the Island.

This morning at first light we were close to the base, but conditions were nowhere close to being flyable with winds gusting over 60 knots and a view rain squalls bringing either rain or hail or both.

For now we are just heaving to the winds and bobbing up and down to the lee of the island playing cat and mouse with the Africana.

Have a good day.

Day 04 : 14 March 2011

Hello All

The temperature is dropping rapidly as we once again approach the Southerly latitudes of Marion Island. The front came through and even though we had a few prefrontal showers the wrath we were expecting was rather mild, perhaps the swell will still increase a little through the course of the afternoon.

We will be in Transvaal Cove by first light tomorrow and if all goes well the first flight to the island will be at shortly after breakfast.

Hold Thumbs for good weather.

Day 03 : 13 March 2011

Hello All

Yesterdays front was hardly felt on the ship as it went passed. The front passing later on today will be another story with its centre sitting at 968mb. The wind is gradually building from the north west and should persist while the front passes and later back to the south west.

Swell's of up to 7.5 meters are predicted for tomorrow afternoon, which might give the onboard media a better picture of what the roaring forties look like on a good day.

Bird life is increasing around the ship as we get closer to the Prince Edward Island group with our ETA remaining set for first light on the 15th of March 2011.

Have a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Day 02 : 12 March 2011

Hello All

Yesterday we really had a stunning day at sea with the outside temperature and sea water temperature matching at around 24°C with hardly a breath of air. A long, rather large swell built nicely after we finally left the Agulhas Bank with the current pushing the vessel south.

Several briefings kept all the passengers and media fully entertained with the required boot washing ceremony concluded this morning.

Our Noon average speed came in at a credible 12 knots, but tomorrow's average will probably differ due to the current dissipating and a rather fresh South Westerly building as the front is making his way passed.

Enjoy the Saturday and the Rugby.

Day 1 to Marion : 11 March 2011

Hello All

Here we are back at sea again after quite an exciting build up to this VIP/Construction voyage to Marion Island.

We are en route to Marion to finalise and officially inaugurate the new Marion Island research base, which has been under construction since 2003 and of which every part was carried onboard the SA Agulhas. It resembles quite a mile stone for the ship and for the SANAP program as a whole and we are privileged to be part of it.

Our tight onboard program and the program after arrival is packed with presentations and information from various fields while giving the onboard VIP's an overall look at the day to day activities of the ship and the island.

Our current ETA for Marion is AM on the 15th of March 2011.