South Georgia Visitors – the Ice Patrol Ship PROTECTOR has made a first ever visit to South Georgia during which surveyors from the vessel were put ashore to install tide gauges both at KEP and on the to assist with survey work in the area.     Surveys were carried out in the Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay areas using the specifically designed 10.5m survey jet boat JAMES CAIRD IV which is similar to the two boats used by Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands as harbour launches at King Edward Point (KEP) (the main difference outwardly is the “wrap around” windows of the survey vessel).   The PROTECTOR used its dynamic positioning capability to hold position in KE Cove instead of anchoring. Captain Rhett Hatcher only joined the PROTECTOR as Commander in the Falklands before the ship sailed to South Georgia, but has previous experience in the South Atlantic as he was Flight Commander on the Type 22 Frigate BRAZEN when the vessel was on South Atlantic patrol.    One of the many tasks performed by the PROTECTOR during the ship’s visit was to collect empty fuel drums from Husvik and transporting them round to KEP for the rat eradication project.

The German Research Vessel POLARSTERN arrived in Cumberland Bay in late March 2013 and undertook science work in the bay overnight before dropping off a science field party at Jason Harbour. The vessel will be in the South Georgia and South Sandwich region for a few weeks.   In March 2013 six cruise ships visited Grytviken but only two more tourist vessels are due this season, in early April 2013.    The other traffic was made up of one trawler (fishing for icefish) at the beginning of the March calling in at Cumberland Bay to drop off scientific samples and equipment before heading for Punta Arenas, (Chile).    In the South Sandwich Islands longline fishing (for toothfish) has started and by the end of the month two longliners had been inspected and licensed in Cumberland Bay before sailing for the fishing grounds.    Catches so far have been variable but both vessels have completed their Total Allowable Catch in the Northern area and are now fishing in the Southern area.