The atmosphere at the East Pier, Cape Town Harbour is always filled with joy, laughter and excitement when the ship returns. Expedition members that overwintered are always eager to get off the ship, to see that family member, that wife, husband, fiancé, girlfriend or boyfriend they have not seen for over a year. Similarly, the hearts of the people standing on the pier are overflowing with love and eagerness to see those loved ones they have not seen for so long.
Yesterday morning was no exception, when the anticipation of the researchers, pilots, crew and especially the team returning after a year of isolation, could almost be seen and touched in the sky. When all aboard the ‘red taxi’ (as researchers travelling with the S.A. Agulhas II, call her) rose from their bunk beds, they were lying just outside the harbour, waiting for the tugboat to push her in. A number of Tristan Islanders was also aboard this cruise. They will be visiting family and friends in South Africa. Among them were the Administrator of Tristan da Cunha, Mr Alex Mitham and his wife, Hasene Mitham.
At 8 o’clock, the harbour opened for business and the red taxi was accompanied to her old spot at the Department of Environmental Affairs, East Pier. Once all the anchoring ropes were thrown to the mainland and fastened, their arrival was celebrated with music. Chuma Phamoli (Deputy Director, Southern Oceans & Antarctic Support, Department of Environmental Affairs) welcomed the operational team as well as the overwintering team by inviting them down to the ceremony podium. The overwintering team was thanked for their dedication and hard work towards science and meteorological studies.
The voyage was managed by Mr. Adriaan Dreyer, Departmental Coordinator of Environmental Affairs. During such a voyage where the ship is sent down to bring back the old overwintering team and take the new team, there is a chance for scientists to conduct animal research. Seal monitoring during this voyage was conducted on Gough Island as well as on Tristan da Cunha. Experts such as Prof Marthán Bester of the Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, investigated the foraging behaviour of seals on Tristan da Cunha.
We wish the team members of Gough 61 all the best for the future and hope that their year on the island was fruitful.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 07 October 2016