MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

HMS Endurance leaves Friday for Valparaiso

Ice patrol HMS Endurance is currently in Punta Arenas loading supplies and fuel plus enjoying a short rest period for the crew before leaving next Friday for Valparaíso and then back to Portsmouth, reports La Prensa Austral.

In a brief interview with Punta Arenas press, following a tour of the vessel, Captain Tom Karsten said he was impressed with the port facilities of Punta Arenas as Antarctic supplier and praised the Chilean Navy for the professionalism and courage shown during the recent rescue of stranded Canadian yacht "Darwin's Passage".

Last late February to the south of King George Island and east of Chilean base Arturo Prat, exceptionally strong winds almost pushed the Canadian yacht onto a rocky point.

"The pilots of the Chilean Navy icebreaker Almirante Viel two helicopters dared weather conditions and sighted the yacht. We managed to establish radio contact and some of our divers helped them disentangle the anchor cord from the propeller. It was a joint and very successful operation", said Captain Karsten.

The following day "Darwin Passage" with its crew of four was able to continue with its Antarctic cruise.

Captain Karsten also informed about some of HMS Endurance diplomatic and logistic activities during this last five weeks tour in Antarctica which included transporting a team from the Foreign Office and from other Antarctic Treaty members, Peru and Australia, to visit BAS bases and stations.

Drafting nautical charts, sea bottom surveys and supporting Britain's Antarctic scientific programs were some of the regular tasks displayed by Ice and South Atlantic patrol HMS Endurance added Captain Karsten who highlighted his fascination with Antarctica and Patagonia.

"I love Antarctic scenery and I was fascinated with the Patagonian channels".