April 21, 2003 – The ice-breaking hydrographic survey ship HMS Endurance is spending a week on St. Thomas en route home to the United Kingdom from the seas between Antarctica and the Falkland and South Georgia Islands.
The nearly 300-foot-long vessel annually spends the Southern Hemisphere summer (which is the Northern Hemisphere winter) "down under" and returns home to England for the Northern Hemisphere summer.
However, even the summer in Antarctica is brisk, according to navigation officer Tony Allen. "A nice day is sunshine, light winds and temperatures above 32 Fahrenheit," he said during a reception Sunday evening aboard the ship. "But the weather can change in a moment in that part of the world."
The Endurance was designed and built as a 1A1 Ice-Breaker capable of cutting through ice 5 feet thick. It's named after Sir Ernest Shackleton's vessel used in his famous expedition to the Antarctic in 1914. However, two Lynx helicopters on the modern Endurance have taken the place of sled dogs used by Shackleton.
An extensive information sheet lists the multitude of assignments given the Endurance and its accessory aircraft and boats. The helicopters support British Antarctic Survey field scientists in otherwise inaccessible locations. Two of the ship's boats are craft which carry out detailed surveys.
It's a priority of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office to survey areas where existing charts in many cases have no depth soundings or have not been updated since the early 1900s. This research has become more important as cruise ships have begun to push into the unspoiled Antarctic.
The Endurance's commanding officer, Capt. Ian Moncrieff, has been joined by his wife, Marion, and sons Andrew and James for the ship's St. Thomas stopover.
Marion Moncrieff explored both hotel options and sports activities online before the family left England. "I love the view from where we are staying," she said. "We can see the ship at anchor from our porch, and Andrew, 15, has completed his open-water diving certification with the company we contacted on the Web."
Several of the ship's crew planned to take advantage of the warm Caribbean waters to enjoy sailing and diving activities.
The red-hulled Endurance with number A171 on the side is scheduled to be anchored off Hassel Island until Saturday morning.
To read more about the mission of the modern-day Endurance and the exploits of the vessel for which it's named, check out the Endurance "Visit and Learn" Web site.
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