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The Voyage South
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Goodbye Grimsby,
farewell Leicester Square
The night before I left for Antarctica I was sick with excitement - literally. The next morning, on October 17th my parents drove me to the docks at Grimsby to find the RRS Bransfield. We were due to leave some time in the early morning, so I said goodbye to my parents and then at 11pm (I'm sorry) I went to sleep! It was raining and dark - and I rather liked the idea of waking up en route to Antarctica.

Actually when I woke us we were heading north and in-land to test some engine thing but eventually we turned around and started heading South.

The British Antarctic Survey owns two ships. The Bransfield was about 30 years old when I sailed down on her and she was replaced by the RRS Shackleton a year later. The RRS James Clark Ross is younger and kitted out with more scientific equipment for scientific cruises.

I spent 9 weeks on the ship and it felt like home by the time we got to Halley just before Christmas.

 

 

Cures for sea-sickness

  • Ginger works - try ginger beer and ginger nut biscuits.
  • Pills are always great though they send you to sleep.
  • Find and stand in the centre of the ship - as low down as possible
  • Patches - like the pills by the drug goes through your skin

Any other suggestions?
The RRS Bransfield at South Georgia
RRS Bransfield moored at South Georgia

Sea State

In the olden days, before computers it was impossible to measure the wind speed on a moving ship. So instead sailors looked at the state of the sea.

Wind speed is described on the Beaufort scale which runs from 0 to 12, where 0 is calm and 12 is hurricane force.

When there is no wind the sea is like smooth like a mirror. By force 12 the swell is huge and the tops of the waves are being ripped off by the wind.

 
Copyright: Alexandra Gaffikin Last updated 12th July 2006