cruisemapper.com
The 2020 annual Agulhas II relief voyage to Gough Island is set to depart from the South African coastline on Thursday, under strict Covid-19 health protocols.
Gough Island, some 2600 kilometres south-west of Cape Town, is strategic for South Africa’s weather observations and forecasting.
The weather data collected at the island is also important for the navigation of passing vessels, to warn South Africa of impending severe weather systems, while it further provides insight into climate change and is also key to improving the accuracy of our global and regional weather forecast models.
Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries spokesperson, Zolile Nqayi, said the schedule of the annual voyage was adjusted to accommodate a strict quarantine and coronavirus testing procedure before its departure.
He said the recruitment process also required expedition members to undergo psychometric testing which was finalised on the 24th of August 2020.
Nqayi said the team further undertook training in Cape Town, as most of them who already have some experience of life on Gough Island.
The significantly reduced team who will focus on the logistical functions necessary to keep the base operational all underwent a quarantine period of 10 days at an approved facility, this was followed by COVID-19 testing.
He said following the quarantine and testing period passengers were transferred to the Agulhas for a five-day waiting period to monitor that none of them develops symptoms.
The annual relief voyage transports scientists from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, various tertiary institutions and research agencies, with approved scientific projects and takes approximately four days to sail from Cape Town to Gough Island.
The SA Agulhas II is expected to return to Cape Town on the 16th of October 2020.
