Life should be like an healthy ECG trace; full of ups and downs.

So it's the first of May and no update since the 15th of April. What's going on?

We have been having a mad ratters spree on South Georgia but unlike the poor soldiers 'way down South' in Billy Braggs "Island of No Return", we are coming home.

Only not all together.

It's been a roller-coaster ride of unexpected directions for me. On 15th April I found out I was to start the exodus from the Island, sailing from King Edward Point on the 20th April.
 
The ratting task was not completed. The weather was falling into winter after 10 days of a mad 'Indian Summer' in South Georgia. The bait pods of the NW zone, that we slung ashore in February, were still  untapped. With 3 expert Kiwi baiting pilots and only one zone to go, I was becoming an expensive 'spare' pilot. So a berth on the good ship 'Pharos' was decreed the logical place for me.

In one way it was a relief, as having a UK orientated Flight Safety Officer on a helicopter venture in South Georgia was like using an English trained, vegetarian food inspector as health advisor to a tropical open air meat market!

South Georgia is a remote roller-coaster of an island in topography, weather and emotions.

Can the remaining Team Rat complete the task set for this year? I've heard that, so far, due bad weather only 9 of the remaining 90 bait pods have been flown and spread. Just 4 days with 3 helicopters and 7 hours of flying would complete the task. They are in the hands of the Southern weather gods.

The aircraft have been unbelievably strong. The team are stronger still but the fickle weather sprites are the strongest and that's not including the 100 mph South Georgia katabatic winds!

An amazing amount was achieved in the short weather window in April. The 3 Kiwi pilots; Peter, Dave and Tony, each flew 50 hours, low-level, hands on in just 10 days. More hours that most utility helicopter pilots in the UK would fly in 3 months.

There is still time to finish the last zone- but will the Team be thrown a window of calm opportunity? It seems unlikely; even I had to face a wintery 24 hours of 80 mph+ winds and 45 ft waves during my 6 day crossing back to the Falkands.A different sort of roller-coaster ride!

I've left behind an island that grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and showed me what remote, raw nature is like.

I've also left behind an inspired selection of Mankinds best who are still there working, trying to unravel a little of Mankinds worst rodent pollution.

I couldn't help but feel a little like a rat myself; this time crawling up the anchor chain, reversing back to the ship. I wish the remaining team the best of luck.

To all Mad Ratters and Eco warriors and roller-coaster riders of life; adieu and bon voyage! 

“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland