Eastern SCOTT – the Survey Ship SCOTT, which is also the fifth largest vessel in the Royal Navy, is now deployed “East of Suez” having deployed, at night (23:15) just before Christmas 2012, fog having delayed the departure.    The SCOTT of course has recently served as a substitute Antarctic Patrol Ship when the ENDURANCE was unexpectedly incapacitated, deploying in October 2009 and again on November 2010 for a “season” down south.

During the early stages of the deployment the SCOTT meet up with the smaller Survey Ship ENTERPRISE surveying in the southern Red Sea, whilst the SCOTT was passing through to begin a three month spell survey work in the Gulf of Aden.   This is the first time in four years that the SCOTT has been “East of Suez” and the vessel is the only “deep water” Survey Ship in Royal Navy service.   The SCOTT is likely to resume a more traditional routine spending “summers” in the North Atlantic and “winters” in the calmer waters on the other side of the Suez Canal.