British Fleet Arrives in Antarctica – A British Fleet has arrived in Antarctica lead by the Ice Patrol Ship PROTECTOR accompanied by the TERRA NOVA, AURORA, NIMROD and JAMES CAIRD IV.   These five vessels are actually all one, as the TERRA NOVA is a 8.5m Workboat carried on the PROTECTOR, which the AURORA and NIMROD are the names for the ship’s two RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) whilst the JAMES CAIRD IV is a Survey Motor Boat carried onboard. 

The PROTECTOR (and the embarked “Fleet”) will undertaken four distinct work periods this Austral Summer, the first being a Treaty Inspection Period which will be conducted by (British) Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British Antarctic Survey officials and their counterparts from Spain and the Netherlands.   Under the Treaty unannounced Base inspections are made with the first being the Comandente Ferraz Base (Brasil) and then they will move on to the Henryk Arckowski Base (Polish).   In February this year (2012) the PROTECTOR came to assistance of the Comandente Ferraz Base following quite severe fire.