The icebreaker ARA “Almirante Irízar”, after having carried out logistical tasks at the Joint Antarctic Base Orkadas, continued its course and arrived at Caleta Potter, where it anchored in front of the Carlini Antarctic Research Base. Once there, by means of personnel and vehicle transport vessels, it began with the unloading of Antarctic diesel (GOA), dry, fresh and refrigerated food; propane gas pipes and 2 diesel generator engines.
Once the unloading was completed and as usual, the withdrawal of part of the Antarctic waste generated so far also began. In the evening, the unit sailed to Rada Petrel, where it arrived on Tuesday 9, to continue with the supply tasks. At the Petrel Joint Antarctic Base (BAC), which became permanent again after 50 years, in addition to fuel, food and materials, the replacement of the crew that will carry out the wintering for 2023/24 was carried out.
To collaborate with the unloading and receive from the icebreaker the transfer of cargoes for the temporary bases Brown and Deception, on Tuesday morning the ARA “Bahía Pleasant” advisory, dependent on the Maritime Patrol Division based at the Mar del Plata Naval Base, was sponsored. The unit, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Martín Ignacio Villalba, is one of the participating units of this 2023/24 Summer Antarctic Campaign.
On Wednesday afternoon, the work was delayed due to hydrometeorological reasons and an extreme drop in the tide, so the effort was focused on the transfer of loads to the ARA “Pleasant Bay” warning, which included a Unimog vehicle, which will be deployed at Esperanza Antarctic Base. During the early hours of the morning, the planned discharges continued in the EDPV.
Once the logistical support at the BAC Petrel is completed in the coming days, the unit plans to go to the Esperanza Antarctic Base, the only Argentine base where military personnel live with their families, to carry out the tasks of resupply and deployment of the members of the incoming staff; in this first stage without their families, who will arrive during the end of the Antarctic Summer Campaign.