All At Sea

Throughout my travels, I have met some wonderful people from a wide variety of backgrounds! The above link takes you to a short movie, made by Pascale Otis. This was filmed during the summer season of 2010, soon after our arrival in Perserverance Harbour of Campbell Island.

The Sub Antarctic Islands are very isolated! These storm-swept isles were home to many shipwreck survivors through recent history, where they would have to subsist on megaherbs (Stilbocarpa polaris reportedly tastes similar to celery!) and albatross.
I have travelled across the Southern Ocean in between Campbell Island and New Zealand in three different ships:

• Heritage Expeditions on the Spirit of Enderby (72 m, ice strengthened, can travel up to 12 knots)
• The Tiama (15.15 m, retractable keel and rudder, built by Henk Haazen)
• The HMNZS Otago (New Zealand Royal Navy, 85 m, top speed of 22 knots)

View from the Tiama on the second day at sea....

First view of Campbell Island! It appears, a dark shape, hazy in the distance

Each of these boats have their pros and cons. I did enjoy the three days spent bobbing up, and down... up... and down... with the Tiama and her crew. It seemed a fitting way to arrive into the harbour, relieved that the sea was no longer heaving beneath us, watching for albatross in the sky and sealions in the water. Well worth the trip.

Such calm sea after three days fighting to keep lunch down! Incredibly relieving, and worth the 'perserverance'. You can just make out the old Met Service buildings, to the left of Beeman Hill.