After all the training, evaluations and preparations, it was all systems go and off the ship went on its annual journey to the remote weather outposts in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
I can only imagine the amazing sight as the ship reached Gough Island, as well as the anticipation of having to spend a full-year on the island with only a few other chaps to keep you company.
It took about one month to offload supplies, receive orientation and training from the old team, and for the public works department to do routine maintenance.
Then the reality set in as the ship departed with a few goodbye horn blasts.
It dawned on them that they were are alone for a year, with limited contact with the outside world.
It was now time for the Gough 25 Team, as they were known, to buckle down to the tasks at hand.
Amenities on the island were comfortable, with each person having his own single room for the duration of their stay.
There is a shared kitchen and on Brent’s tour, everyone catered for themselves, except for Sundays, when each person got a turn to cook for the whole team.
On Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and winter solstice, there was an all-out feast in celebration of the event.
As far as medical care goes, there was one medic who had to see to all minor ailments and injuries.
In the case of an emergency, a ship must be sent to fetch the patient at an astronomical cost.
On SANAE, they always have a doctor as part of the team due to the station being so isolated.
At that time, the only luxury was a well-stocked pantry and bar.
On the downside, there are no fresh fruit and vegetables after the initial stock is used up.
As beer has a short shelf life (under six months) it becomes a scarce commodity later in the year.
Something that is readily traded with passing crayfish boats.
In those days, entertainment was mainly in the form of books.
There was also a limited supply of well-worn reel films, which were shown on a Saturday night.
The collections were swapped between the three bases on takeover.
The normal board games, as well as a snooker table and darts board were well used.
Some chaps had guitars and on occasion supplied entertainment.
Photography and hiking were the order of the day, weather permitting.
Many an hour was spent in the darkroom by members processing their films.
Those were the days before digital cameras.
One must remember that this is pristine fishing territory, so anybody that could hold a rod would have fresh fish for supper.
Hiking and fishing could be dangerous, as there were fatalities due to exposure during hiking and being washed off the rocks while fishing.
Stringent protocols were later put in place to prevent a reoccurrence.
Communication with the outside world and loved ones was limited to a nine-minute phone call on a Sunday via a radio link.
Writing letters was the better option, which was done via a telex machine, which transmitted the messages to Pretoria.
They at least had a radio to pick up on world news.
Nowadays, communication is instant via the satellite phones.
This is why the psychological evaluation beforehand is of utmost importance, as once on the island, the team members have limited contact with the outside world.
Brent claims that this isolation is the biggest strain on one’s psyche.
Add to that being cooped up in the base during bad weather, and cabin fever sets in, the perfect recipe for losing your cool which did occasionally happen, but luckily never got physical.
Then there was the work at hand, the real reason for being on these remote weather outposts, namely observing the weather.
Each team might have a different work regime, but the Gough 25 Team adopted a four day on, four days off, working in teams of two per shift.
At that stage everything was manual, so readings were done every three hours and two balloon ascents had to be done, one at midnight and one at midday GMT.
This was then coded and transmitted to Pretoria via radio telex.
Releasing those balloons during stormy conditions must have been a near impossible task.
Each day, charts were reduced into numeric format and then transferred onto large sheets in a monthly format to be captured on return to SA.
That has changed now with the advent of modern technology and automatic recording equipment.
Once a week, we would all clean the base to make it spick and span.
Recently, due to the shortage of fully trained weatherman volunteering for these expeditions, volunteers from the public are allowed to go as team members, after the proper training and evaluation.
So, if you are in the mood for an adventure, why not join the next expedition to Gough, Marion or SANAE.
It is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience.
This week in history:
1902: Salvaging of ships washed up on North End Beach continued after the Great Gale.
Dam levels:
65.05% slightly down from previous weeks 66.69 %
Impofu slightly down to under 49.15%.
Weather safety tips:
The safest place to be during a thunderstorm is indoors or in a motor vehicle.
Wait 30 minutes after the last thunderclap, before venturing outside.
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