25 February 2013
Last updated at 15:21
Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been forced to pull out of an expedition on foot across Antarctica because of severe frostbite. Beforehand, Blert, Hal and Bruke from the London Nautical School got the chance to meet the legendary explorer and tour the SA Agulhas, the boat that carried him to the start of his journey.
Once on board, students from the London Nautical School were briefed on what the expedition involved. Sir Ranulph and his team were due to spend six months crossing the Antarctic, where temperatures can drop as low as -90C. The other team members are continuing with the trek.
Sir Ranulph arrived and introduced himself to the reporters. He also gave them an overview of some of the risks the team face, like crevasses and extreme cold, and he showed them some photos of what severe frostbite looks like.
Then it was time for the big interview. The students asked Sir Ranulph about how he prepares for such a demanding trip, what he would miss when he was on the ice and if he would consider cannibalism if the team lost their food! Sir Ranulph replied that it is something explorers have to consider when undertaking risky expeditions.
After posing all their tough questions, the students presented Sir Ranulph with a gift on behalf of their school. They hoped he would be able to enjoy a warming cup of tea in a London Nautical School mug as he prepared for his "coldest journey".
The team then got to tour the SA Agulhas with the cadets who are manning the ship. They visited the bridge but were told that nobody gets to sit in the Captain's chair, except the Captain himself!
Students at the London Nautical School learn about seamanship as part of their education. But they were surprised to see a xylophone on the bridge of the ship! As they found out, a member of the crew directs a microphone at it and plays a few notes when it's time for dinner. That way, the crew know when to head to the mess.
Although much smaller than the dining room at school, the mess would have fed all the crew on their long journey to the Antarctic. Lunch was being prepared when the students visited but there was no time to stop for a snack!
Although the tour was over, the reporters still had work to do. Back up on the heli-deck, the team prepared their final pieces-to-camera and recorded a voiceover track for their video report. Then it was time to head back to school and get out of the cold!
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~24~RS~)
Student reports
