Entry 1 Day 4 16 October 2024 49°13'12"N, 5°55'48"W Travelled: 438.27 Nautical miles
49°13'12"N, 5°55'48"W Travelled: 438.27 Nautical miles
And we’re off!
We’ve waved goodbye to our friends and family and are full steam ahead. Destination: Antarctica.
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth – but also one of the most beautiful!
The time capsule is now on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough. It’s made out of the head of a hot water ice-coring drill – a piece of equipment that burrows deep through floating ice shelves in Antarctica to help us uncover the science secrets below.
When the ship reaches Antarctica, the Captain will hand the time capsule over to the Station Leader at Rothera Research Station. When our brand new Discovery Building opens, the time capsule (filled with thousands of your names) will be displayed in there for years to come.
Here’s the moment that British Antarctic Survey Director, Professor Dame Jane Francis, handed over the time capsule to Captain Ralph Stevens.
Before departure, the ship gets checked by a bio-security dog, like this very good girl called Gem! Gem has a very special story – watch this video to find out how Gem went from a lost puppy to defender of biodiversity!
Watch the video – opens in new tab
Passport please!
So, you’re on board, you’ve dropped your bag off in your cabin – what next? Getting your passport stamped by Rich, the ship’s Purser, of course!
The Purser is a bit like a hotel manager. They’re the member of the crew who is responsible for looking after everyone on board – making sure they have cabins and food – as well as lots of important paperwork.
Let’s go and find him, and experience what it’s like to board the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
Boarding the RRS Sir David Attenborough
Meet the researchers
Before we reach Antarctica, we’ve got to make a couple of stops. First up, we’ll be anchoring up off the coast of Madeira to drop off some scientists who are doing some cool research on board over the next week or so.
For some of these scientists, it’s the first time they’ve ever sailed on board RRS Sir David Attenborough. We asked them what they’re most looking forward to…
We’re lucky enough to get experienced British Antarctic Survey scientists giving us hands-on training using the ships bespoke scientific instruments and laboratories. I’m also very excited to look out for wildlife whilst we’re at sea!
Lucy Stephenson, a Scientific Data Coordinator British Antarctic Survey
I’m looking forward to experiencing the rhythm of work on the ship, where how busy we are depends a lot on when we can use different scientific instruments. It’s also going to be really exciting to share the completely new experience of life at sea with an international group of other scientists for whom it’s also all new!
James Lucas, an early-career researcher
I study zooplankton and krill – tiny animals at the base of the food chain and the building blocks for the entire ecosystem. We usually use nets to catch and study these tiny creatures but this time we are trialling new imaging techniques that will open up exciting new avenues for plankton research. I’m thrilled to be joining the SDA as she sets off towards Antarctica and can’t wait to see the beautiful images of plankton we hope to capture as the ship passes through different regions on her journey south.
Cecilia Liszka, Marine Ecologist at British Antarctic Survey
Bon voyage!
The ship left the port in Harwich, UK bright and early on Sunday 13 October. It made a quick stop in Portsmouth to get fuel for the journey before beginning the epic journey South.
The ship is using a more eco-friendly fuel called HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) to get to the Falkland Islands. This special fuel could reduce carbon emissions by up to 94% compared to regular diesel! Want to know more? You can read about how we tested this fuel last summer.
Here’s the moment the ship set sail from Harwich – as experienced by PhD students Ellie Honan and Andrew McDonald…
The RRS Sir David Attenborough departs Harwich port
Meet a cadet
On board RRS Sir David Attenborough, we’re lucky enough to have a cracking team of cadets on board who are completing their training to become fully-qualified crew members.
We asked Claudia Adams and Ella Smith, who are both Deck Cadets on the ship, what they’re most looking forward to about their big sail, and what it’s like living and working on board our big red ship!
How did you end up being a cadet here? Why did you want to do your training on this ship?
Ella: I had heard from previous cadets about their experiences on the RRS Sir David Attenborough – this sparked my interest in joining the ship and experiencing it for myself. I’d done some research into the work carried out on board and felt like it was a great opportunity to be involved in.
Claudia: I actually contacted British Antarctic Survey and asked for an opportunity to sail on board the RRS Sir David Attenborough. My goal is to work on research vessels once I qualify, so this was a great opportunity to complete part of my training as a cadet on board.
Ella: There’s definitely a prestigious air surrounding the ship, and the quality of training they offer on board for cadets is unmatched. British Antarctic Survey’s focus on scientific exploration definitely added another interesting aspect to the experiences I imagined I’d gain here.
What does your job involve, and what does a typical day look like?
Claudia: As an Officer in training, my job involves shadowing qualified officers and completing various tasks as part of my training.
So far, the days have been quite varied. While sailing, a typical day for me would be watches (what’s a watch on a ship? Check out this great explanation). I was doing the 12-4 shift, shadowing the 2nd Officer.
While the ship was in port for maintenance and to load cargo for the season, I’ve spent a lot of time on deck loading and securing cargo in place.
Ella: I joined the ship just over a month ago and in that time we’ve been in port for maintenance (something called refit). This has been my first experience of refit and has opened my eyes to all the behind-the-scenes tasks that need to be carried out by officers on board.
Now we’re on the way South, I’ll be shadowing the qualified Officers on different watches. This includes safely navigating the ship, monitoring activities and – of course – admiring the views from the Bridge!
What’s the best part of your job?
Ella: Learning and furthering my knowledge from everyone I’ve met on board. Of course this includes navigating and watch keeping, with the help of the Officers, but also the days on deck learning a multitude of skills and appreciating the hard work it takes to carry them out.
The opportunity to travel to amazing places, and being part of the team that makes it happen definitely has to be a highlight as well.
Claudia: Definitely the chance to sail and discover new places! I also really enjoy the variety of each day. One of the reasons I decided to be a seafarer was because I could never envision myself in an office doing the same things every day!
Any not-so-good parts?
Claudia: Sometimes it can be difficult being away from home for long periods.
Ella: A cliché answer but it has to be being away from home for longer periods of time. Even though it gets easier over time, it is still an aspect of seafarer life. However, the crew on board become your family and everyone looks out for each other.
How does it feel knowing you’re about to make the epic journey across the ocean?
Claudia: It’s an amazing feeling, knowing I’m about to set off on such a big journey – there’s a real sense of excitement.
Each trip brings its own challenges and adventures, and I love the unpredictability of it all. Being out there on the open water, surrounded by nature, is something special.
Ella: I’m extremely excited to make the journey down to Montevideo – its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be heading South on such an amazing ship.
I know I’m going to feel so proud when I return home and can tell all the stories to my family and friends of the journey I was part of! It will also be the first time I cross the equator!
What next?
What’s it like to be in charge of a ship on the high seas? We’re putting Captain Ralph in the hot seat – and you’re asking the questions!
Submit your questions here by Wednesday 23 October and we’ll ask him as possible by video in the postcard on Wednesday 30 October.
