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A Class 1 Icebreaker she was originally built in Norway in 1990 as MV Polar Circle. The RN chartered her in 1991 before she commissioned as HMS Polar Circle on 21 Nov 91. She was subsequently renamed HMS Endurance. Her Mission is "To patrol and survey the Antarctic and South Atlantic, maintaining Sovereign Presence with Defence Diplomacy and supporting the global community of Antarctica". This involves close links with the Foreign Office, United Kingdom Hydrographic Office and the British Antarctic Survey. She deploys annually to the Antarctic, her operating area for 7 months of the year. Her base port is Portsmouth, which is also the ship's affiliated town. The Ship's motto is " Fortitudine Vincimus" ~ 'By Endurance We Conquer' The motto originates from that of the great Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton who made history in his ship, 'Endurance' in his expedition south in 1914-15. (Crown Copyright - MOD)
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HMS Endurance alongside |
Up the stairs (Companionway) |
Up the mast |
Down the foredeck |
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Another picture alongside |
Incoming Lynx helicopter |
View of the Helideck |
Down the jetty |
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Under the bonnet - canoe power! |
The bridge of HMS Endurance |
Twilight on HMS Endurance |
Berthing at Mare Harbour |
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Dolphins off the starboard bow |
The front - Bow! |
The back - Stern! |
The starboard shoulder |
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The face of HMS Endurance |
Sunsets at sea are always the best |
Joanna's Watercolour of HMS Endurance |
The starboard quarter |
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Joanna on the HMS Endurance Helideck |
Farewell at Mare Harbour. |
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Joanna and I are grateful to Captain Lambert RN for allowing her to join ships company for a short while, thus providing her with the experience of a lifetime. The Endurance holds a special position in the memories of our family as it was once my ambition to serve aboard her too, however I was faced with a choice; have a daughter or a ship, and I am glad now that I chose the former. I think that our family ambitions have been finally fulfilled by Joanna so I actually ended up with both.
I send my grateful thanks and Seasons Greetings to Captain Lambert RN and the crew, especially as its Christmas Eve 2006 as I write this. I thank him also for the "souvenirs" which have arrived safely back in the UK and I am pleased to know that the watercolour of HMS Endurance presented to him by Commander British Forces was painted by Joanna (see above). So we all ended up with Christmas presents! For those of you "out of the know", this is Captain Lamberts last voyage on HMS Endurance, when he returns to the UK next year he is looking forward to promotion to Commodore and new challenges. We all wish him well.
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