Newly Qualified Deck Officer

[Captain Kong]

The British Antarctic Survey ships are a different type of ship, but very very interesting type of job.
The Antarctic is the most Beautiful and the Harshest place on earth. I have been in the Antarctic and would love to go back but at 80 a little difficult. They usually go South around end of September to November, I had a Late friend who worked on them for years and would not go anywhere else. They have two ships and at the moment there are 14 jobs vacant,
That is where I would go. a place like no where else on earth.

Cheers
Brian

From Wikipedia..............
.Research Stations[edit]

Research Stations in Antarctica[edit]





Rothera Research Station




Halley V on Brunt Ice Shelf
The BAS operates five permanent research stations in the British Antarctic Territory:[16]
Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island
Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf
Signy Research Station on Signy Island
Fossil Bluff Logistics Facility on Alexander Island
Sky Blu Logistics Facility in Ellsworth Land

Of these Research Stations, only Rothera and Halley are manned throughout the year.[17] The remaining bases are manned only during the Antarctic summer.

Research Stations on South Georgia[edit]

The BAS also operates two permanent bases on South Georgia:[16]
King Edward Point Research Station at King Edward Point
Bird Island Research Station on Bird Island

Both South Georgia bases are manned throughout the year.

Other sites[edit]





BAS headquarters
The headquarters of the BAS are in the United Kingdom, in the university city of Cambridge, on Madingley Road. This facility provides offices, laboratories and workshops to support the scientific and logistic activities in the Antarctic.[18]

The BAS also operates the Ny-Ålesund Research Station on behalf of the NERC. This is an Arctic research base located at Ny-Ålesund on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.[19]

Equipment[edit]

Ships[edit]





RRS James Clark Ross at the wharf at Rothera base photo,
BAS operates two ships in support of its Antarctic research programme. Whilst both vessels have research and supply capabilities, the RRS James Clark Ross is primarily an oceanographic research ship, whilst the RRS Ernest Shackleton is primarily a logistics ship used for the resupply of scientific stations.[20] James Clark Ross replaced RRS John Biscoe in 1991 and the Ernest Shackleton was the successor to RRS Bransfield in 1999.[21]

Both vessels depart from the United Kingdom in September or October of each year, and return to the United Kingdom in the following May or June. Both vessels undergo refit and drydock during the Antarctic winter, but are also used elsewhere during this period. The James Clark Ross often undertakes scientific research on behalf of other organisations in the Arctic, whilst Ernest Shackleton is chartered into commercial survey work.[20]

The two civilian ships operated by the BAS are complemented by the capabilities of the Royal Navy's ice patrol vessel that operates in the same waters. Until 2008 this was HMS Endurance, a Class 1A1 icebreaker. Endurance's two Lynx helicopters enabled BAS staff to get to remote field sites that BAS aircraft could not access.[22] However, a catastrophic accident left Endurance badly damaged, with a replacement only being procured in 2011. This ship, HMS Protector, first deployed to the Antarctic in November 2011.[23]

In April 2014 the Government authorised the procurement by BAS of a new large Antarctic research vessel at an estimated cost of £200 million, expected to be in service in 2019.[24]

Aircraft[edit]





The BAS Dash-7 at Port Stanley Airport on the Falkland Islands.
BAS operates five aircraft in support of its research program in Antarctica. The aircraft used are all products of de Havilland Canada and comprise four Twin Otters and one Dash 7. The planes are maintained by Rocky Mountain Aircraft out of Springbank Alberta Canada. During the Antarctic summer the aircraft are based at the Rothera base, which has a 900 metre gravel runway. During the Antarctic winter, conditions preclude flying and the aircraft return to Canada.[25]

The larger Dash 7 undertakes regular shuttle flights between either Port Stanley Airport on the Falkland Islands, or Punta Arenas in Chile, and Rothera. It also operates to and from the ice runway at the Sky Blu base. The smaller Twin Otters are equipped with skis for landing on snow and ice in remote areas, and operate out of the bases at Rothera, Fossil Bluff, Halley and Sky Blu.[25]

Findings[edit]





RRS Ernest Shackleton outward bound from Portsmouth, UK, 12 November 2008.photo..
In January 2008, a team of British Antarctic Survey scientists, led by Hugh Corr and David Vaughan, reported that 2,200 years ago a volcano erupted under Antarctica's ice sheet (based on airborne survey with radar images). The biggest eruption in the last 10,000 years, the volcanic ash was found deposited on the ice surface under the Hudson Mountains, close to Pine Island Glacier.[26] The British Antarctic Survey are also responsible for the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. The discovery was made in 1985 by a team of three BAS scientists named Joe Farman, Brian Gardiner and Jonathan Shanklin. Their work was confirmed by satellite data, and was met with world-wide concern.[27]

Polar Image Collection[edit]

The British Antarctic Survey BAS run an Image Collection, which includes imagery of BAS Scientific Research at the Poles, BAS logistics as well as images that show the continent and its wildlife. The BAS Image Collection is run by British cameraman and photographer Pete Bucktrout who has visited the Continent 11 times during his 24 years working for BAS. His work has been seen in TV News reports around the world and in most, if not all, international broadsheet newspapers. The collection can be accessed via the BAS Image Portal at www.photo.antarctica.ac.uk

[Red Lead Ted]

Welcome aboard Graham, The world is your oyster buddy, But if I were in your position I wouldn't rush into anything, During the last weekend with the Cunard celebrations here in Liverpool I met 2 young Engineers who where with P@O They where telling me as we compared notes so to speak how things have changed since I was away 40 odd years ago, One lad was ex R,N, He intended staying with P@O, I asked him how long he could be kept on Articles 4 months his reply we must get relieved after that, The other lad was hoping to head North to get a job on the rigs, Why don't you if the sea doesn't appeal to you I put to him. Its paying for the survival course he said, How things have changed most of the seaman on here signed 48 month Articles, When I put the wheel amidships in 1980 I had intentions of going aboard the rigs in the North sea now at the time the course although I had a boat ticket was £300 I think this lad mentioned £700 + Not a lot of money these days, Take your time before choosing, And I am sure as a qualified Officer you don't have to commit yourself to either a company or a ship, Take your time even if you come across some stumbling blocks, You are the one in demand Graham, Not the other way around. I wish you well in whatever you decide, For what its worth I think Brian { Capt Kong } Makes a very good case in his posts Best Regards Terry.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Think it was 24 months Articles Terry in our time,(yours and mine) with a maximum of 27 months if the vessel was UK bound after the 24th month was up, this meant if you were mid Pacific from Japan to load lumber in Vanvouver for the USA East Coast and thence coal from Norfolk to UK it was classed as homeward bound and that could certainly take care of that extra 3 months.

Maximum now 4 months, our trips had just started then, mind you our ships were slower!

[cappy]

in55 it was 2years plus 3 months homeward bound.....dont think i would have been so keen signing for 4 years abroad.......cappy

[Red Lead Ted]

Ivan, Cappy, I would like to hear the views of other crew members on this subject, Something in the back of my mind is reminding me of a seaman I sailed with who actually done a trip that lasted over 3 years. I may be wrong and concede if I am, Just something floating about in my head guys Regards Terry.

[Red Lead Ted]

Think it was 24 months Articles Terry in our time,(yours and mine) with a maximum of 27 months if the vessel was UK bound after the 24th month was up, this meant if you were mid Pacific from Japan to load lumber in Vanvouver for the USA East Coast and thence coal from Norfolk to UK it was classed as homeward bound and that could certainly take care of that extra 3 months.

Maximum now 4 months, our trips had just started then, mind you our ships were slower!

Ivan, I had to come onto the subject with these two lads regarding Elf @Safety I believe you cant go above six foot in old money or 2 metres off the deck is that right, Yes they said correct but if your in Singapore or a few other ports in that area, It doesn't apply I am not going to google this I will take there word for it. But I am sure someone aboard can shed some light on it Terry.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Terry I cannot tell you what the rules and regulations are these days, but remember sseing a programme not too long ago about a training ship where-on the deck crew were not allowed to go above 2 metres without a harness and even under 2 metres had to have an attendant, also in the same programme was not allowed to change a masthead light whilst at sea and in port was harnessed up with with full harness, safety helmet, goggles etc heaved up in a bosun's chair with attendant and ch officer on site. A long cry from my days when summoned to the bridge in a gale and told 'cadet change that bulb on the mainmast' no harnesses then, up the mast ladder, up onto the mast table whose access was designed by a masochist and then up the tatty rope ladder to the light, whilst erstwhile vessel was doing its best to roll and pitch you into the briny some 70 feet below. No one in attendance, no one to give a sh*te and they only knew you hadn't gone over the wall is when the indicator light came on on the bridge bulkhead indicator, you then had to go to the bridge to tell them it was working, which they could very well see from the bridge wing, I suppose it was just to ensure you hadn't gone over the wall on the way down, eh, but we loved it, a job well done, but never a bloody thankyou

[j.sabourn]

#15... Was 2 year Articles during our time Terry, unless you had a special contract with some company. 4 years for an apprentice, no leave stipulated. Know one bloke who now lives in Canada was away 5 years. Finished his time in the Far East, were fairly new Articles signed and they didn't run out had to wait until the ship arrived back on the continent. The survival course mentioned is now incorporated in with the HUET cert. and everyone working offshore has to have otherwise not allowed on helicopters. There used to be a slight waver to this to allow office staff to visit the rig or platform and were allowed 3 trips a year. Trust office workers to get around it. However if a company wants you they will pay for this. There are other certs. required for offshore work, Helicopter Landing Officer being another, FRC, and advanced First aid being just a couple more, plus all the well known ones Fire Fighting etc etc. As said if the Company want you they will pay for as they should. Cheers JWS

- - - Updated - - -

#17... Thank you Ivan,,, JWS

[j.sabourn]

#17... The thank you Ivan was for not falling overboard and causing a lot of extra paperwork.JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

#17... The thank you Ivan was for not falling overboard and causing a lot of extra paperwork.JS

My pleasure John. I really did enjoy the challenge of things like that, being small and lightweight (then!) I was always nominated for going aloft as I liked climbing the stays etc, most hairy moment in that sphere was being sent aloft with a messenger when the jumbo broke loose at #2 and the ship doing her usual gyration in bad weather. Got the messenger through a masthead connector with the mast table quivering and shaking like a wet dog everytime the jumbo jigged from port to starboard and back again, fortunately the jumbo stayed in its near upright position , hate to think what would have happened if it had been at 45 degrees or lower, probably not be here, certainly made a change from chipping and painting! (somehow the masthead clamp had parted, naturally there were other wire lashings on it, but with 20/25 tonnes own weight of jumbo moving back and forward they soon became slack and trying to tighten them up there on the mast table with the bottle screws the derrick would have crushed you, so a wire followed the messenger and we were able to bring it under control by reeving the wire onto the winch barrel, as drum end was deemed too dangerous, all this in the dark, in a storm with rain and spray and the only way the vessel would lay comfortable was with the rollers about 40/45 degrees on the bow and the seas breaking over the end of the foc'le at fore end of #1, so we all got a little bit wet even though we were nearly hove-to. All of this coming flooding back because of your remark about paperwork and overboard, funny what triggers things off. Method was I rove a messenger through a port side derrick head connector the EDH with me rove a messenger through the Stbd side connector, these were lowered to the deck with heavy shackle attached, the messengers joined together at deck level (impossible for us to do on mast table as no way of getting it past a swinging jumbo), then the port one was slackened the stb'd hove in which brought the messenger across the front of the jumbo, when this had been accomplished (a long job as it kept snagging) the wire was attached to the messenger and we then guided the wire through our respective mast table connectors (again a long job, as anyone working with wires will know), down to the deck, then both ends of wires attached to the winches and hove in, backed up by chain stoppers and tomming off the barrels to stop them running back. Happy days!