Clearing off volcanic ash became part of the mornings pre-survey activities.
Survey area, Tanna Island. Source: Main Image UK Hydrographic Office
In March of this year EGSi completed the first Vanuatu survey on behalf of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), for the UK Government-funded Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme.
A team mobilised at Port Vila, capital of Vanuatu, in late February, chartering a local catamaran as a live-aboard survey vessel due to the remoteness of the survey areas. They then sailed to the island of Tanna, where they set up geodetic and tide stations, before undertaking coastal bathymetric surveys of several key locations.
The team returned to the UK in late March with a full set of data along with stories of surveying near active volcanoes and unusual encounters with sea snakes. The data was duly processed with the ‘Report of Survey’ passed on to the UKHO, who in turn presented it to the Deputy Prime Minister of Vanuatu at a ceremony on the islands in June.
The project capped off a successful year for EGSi and the team are looking forward to the next island location under the new UKHO framework agreement.
More details of the purposes of the survey information can be found here:
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