Easter Sunday was supposed to be a normal working day for the mad ratters temporarily established on the permanently uninhabited island of South Georgia.
Instead the weather gods decided we would have yet another day free of aircraft operations. Almost teasingly the day developed a brilliant blue sky with hardly a cloud in sight. The wind however was very strong.
After a breakfast made disappointing by the dawning of yet another unworkable baiting day, a few of us settled down round a laptop screen to watch the only film we had that made any reference to Easter.
Monty Pythons 'Life of Brian'
Lunch helped us celebrate in a more traditional way. We each had one fresh egg, fried, to go with the tinned produce; baked beans, tomatoes and mushrooms.
The afternoon bought no abatement to the biting icy wind but with a glorious and inviting blue sky, most people headed out in various directions to walk in the hills around our camp.
I set off solo up the Karrakatta valley, just to the west of our base. This valley climbs up about 1000ft, to a pass westwards into Fortuna Bay. Near the top is a magnificent waterfall. It is a short steep walk with a little scrambling over loose scree in some places. I climbed past the waterfall and crossed to the west side of the valley to descend on a different route, out of the wind and bathed in sunshine.
On the way down I found the beautiful views began to stimulate many thoughts as I looked out and down across Stromness Bay to the rippling, saw-tooth Jason Ridge, across the azure blue, ice cold waters.
I had to stop every few steps simply in order to enjoy and take in the stunning vista. Massive blocks of soft colour reminded me of those giant Rothko paintings and the guidance presented in those compositions to help focus the minds eye, in order to perceive the route to infinity.
All contained in just one panoramic gaze were huge monochrome sections of mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, mossy moorland, cliffs and sea, each a particular colour.
A simple two-hour walk had turned into a spiritual reconnection to the natural world, an enjoyable and uplifting outdoor experience.
This Island is no God forsaken place and I found there was no need to escape and fly to some higher plane this Easter Sunday in order to touch the face of the Almighty.
Back down to earth I walk in to the camp at 4pm, just in time for tea, to discover the chef had just baked 'Hot Cross Buns', as he forgot to make them on 'Good Friday".
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