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This page created October 2008

Thanks to George Mortimer for these photos taken on a trip to South Georgia on the RFA 'Sir Lancelot' in 1987.

Contact George Mortimer

More info on 'Sir Lancelot' on Wikipedia

More info on 'Operation Icepick'

More info on Russian survey ship 'Professor Zubov' ?? Does anyone have any links
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This info courtesy George Mortimer
'Professor Zubov' was an Akademic Kuchatov class weather reporting ship of 6986 tons. Powered by two MAN diesels on two shafts giving 18 knots. Crew 80 + 74 mission staff. Built East Germany 1966. Now under Ukrainian control and laid up in reserve'.

Gallery of Images

Taken at Prince Olaf Harbour and whaling station in 1987

'While I was serving as Chief Officer in RFA Sir Lancelot we made three trips from East Cove in the Falklands to South Georgia - in February, March and April 1987. Before I joined her, in 1986, she had taken a team of Royal Engineers and the equipment to build the jetty at King Edward Point.
On the first trip we took a battalion of the Royal Irish Rangers for 'Operation Icepick' which involved putting them ashore somewhere near Leith and picking them up later at King Edward Point after they had marched there (one of them remarked that he had never been so glad to see a boat in all his life).
We left them there as the South Georgia Garrison and returned in March to pick them up. This time our stay included March 17th which was a big day for the Rangers. All sorts of sports including a football match against a Russian survey ship 'Professor Dubov' and presentation of shamrocks to the Battalion.
In April, on our way back to the UK, we called in with mail and stores for the garrison and then did a tour to Leith and Prince Olav Sund.
We arrived back in Marchwood in June after a call at Gibraltar and I left the ship to go on leave in July'.

Prince Olaf Sund 1987. Hay Peak dominates the skyline.


Part of the whaling station at Prince Olaf Sund with 'Sir Lancelot' at anchor. The whaling station was abandoned in 1930.


Unknown graves at Prince Olaf


Wreck of the 'Brutus' More here


Another photo of 'Brutus'


Whaling had commenced at POH in 1911-12 using the factory ship 'Restitution'. Building of the shore based whaling station commenced in the 1916-17 season.


Fur seals among the derelict buildings


'Sir Lancelot' at King Edward Point

General South Georgia photos


The old whaling station at Leith


Nordenskjold Glacier at Cumberland East Bay


Grytviken 1987


Whaler 'Petrel' at Grytviken


King Edward Point near Grytviken


King Edward Point near Grytviken


Mail delivery by Hercules at King Edward Point


British survey ship RRS 'Bransfield' alongside at Grytviken

Royal Irish Rangers - Russian survey ship 'Professor Zubov'


Royal Irish Rangers parading near 'Sir Lancelot' at King Edward Point


Royal Irish Rangers


Royal Irish Rangers at the Grytviken Church


Royal Irish Rangers in the Grytviken Church


'Professor Zubov' leaving Grytviken


Russian crew ladies from 'Professor Zubov' at Grytviken


Soccer teams from the Royal Irish Rangers and the 'Professor Zubov'


Sports Day


Sports Day