The polar patrol vessel L’ Astrolabe has begun a new mission to support Antarctic logistics (MSLA). After a stopover in Perth, then in Hobart to be refueled and to embark the 41 passengers assigned to the Dumont d’Urville (DDU) station in Adélie Land, the vessel set sail on November 11 for Antarctica.
This first rotation in Antarctica is generally the most complex due to the density of the ice still strongly present at the end of the austral summer.
After four days of sailing in increasingly icy waters, the crew crossed the infamous 40th and 50th parallels, nicknamed the “Roaring Forties” and the “Furious Fifties.” On November 18, the ship reached the ice zone, commonly known as “pack ice.” It took 120 hours to cross this icy expanse, with watch teams working tirelessly to navigate through the at times compact ice pack.
It was not until the morning of November 23rd that the Antarctic continent appeared on the horizon. However, the still substantial ice pack prevented a direct approach to the station.
To begin logistical operations, the ship performed a mooring maneuver on the ice floe, a unique skill within the French Navy that involves drilling into the ice and passing mooring lines through it. This operation allowed passengers to disembark and cargo to be unloaded, either by helicopter or via an ice floe raid. Organized by the French Polar Institute (IPEV), this raid, using a snow groomer and sleds, can only be conducted if L’Astrolabe is near the station.
This first of four annual rotations offered sailors the opportunity to observe exceptional wildlife and to set foot on the Antarctic ice pack, one of the most hostile regions on the planet.