CLYDE on Patrol – The Falkland Guardship CLYDE includes the territories of the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands in its routines and in March (2012) made one of many visits.    There is no permanent human population on South Georgia only two (2) Government Officers (and their spouses), up to twenty five (25) British Antarctic Survey personnel at two (2) research stations and up to four (4) Museum staff in the summer months.   Also aboard the CLYDE was a padre who held a well attended Sunday morning service during the visit in the church at Grytviken, the islands principle settlement.    The  CLYDE having been around the Island for a few days came alongside the Kep Jetty for a three (3) day visit bringing the South Georgia Desk Officer at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who was on a familiarisation visit and a three man Joint Services Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to deal with ordnance finds.

Visits were made (by harbour launch) to see the environmental problems caused by the reindeer at Sorling Valley, and see the fast retreating Neumayer Glacier, and examine the wrecks of the fishing vessels LYN and MORESKO  which went onto rocks at the entrance to Moraine Fjord on the same night in 2003.    In the week before the visit the LYN had been broken into three sections by large swells.    This opened up a freezer hold and a large amount of insulating foam was released into the water, much of it washing up on nearby beaches.   With extra hands available, boats and personnel from Kep and the CLYDE set to to clean the shoreline and some fifteen large bags of waste were recovered.    The Joint Services Explosive Ordnance Disposal team stayed ashore and dealt with multiple ordnance finds in the area and searched the lower slopes of Mount Hodges where a number of dangerous live rifle grenades have recently been found.

The CLYDE needed some important spare parts during the visit and a supply drop was arranged by the HERCULES from Mount Pleasant (Falkland Island), a thousand miles away (850 to be more precise), with the aircraft supported by a VC-10 tanker aircraft.    During the visit the Junior Rates Mess on the CLYDE hosted a talent contest on the aft deck of the vessel with an icy wind kept off by awnings and a barbeque.  The entertainment included a brave performance by the Captain of the CLYDE singing and accompanying himself on a ukulele.