FIDS Gallery -    Signy Relief 2

A well earned break during relief (around November '86 if I recall correctly).

A break between scow (a scow is a cargo carrying boat hull that is towed by a powered boat) loads of cargo. The cargo scows at other bases were loaded with cranes so we were reliably informed, they were also unloaded by crane and even with the use of vehicles!

At Signy, it was all done the in the traditional manner with teams of FIDS working together to lift things out of the boats and then manhandle them along the jetty to where they belong around base or pile them on the plan for the time being.

Relief was a very physical process, it usually started early in the morning when the ship arrived (5 or 6 o'clock) and each scow load was like a work-out in the gym - several times a day! Still we were young, fit and knew no better!