Further News of Operation Zest to rebuild Tristan da Cunha's Calshot Harbour

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News of Operation Zest Part Two

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Follow the progress of the final stage of Operation Zest and also further details of Operation Zest on : Operation Zest Part 1 news of the team's time ashore on Tristan's Zest Invasion Page; background to the re-building on our Harbour News Page ~ Calshot Harbour Page in the Settlement Section and of the Lyme Bay's journey on the Shipping News Page.
This is a top to bottom page : for the latest news click ~ Latest News Bulletin ....or scan from the top....

Operation Zest Day 13
Tuesday 11th March

Left :
Joint Task Force Commander Navy Captain Paddy McAlpine doing his bit.

Right :
Exhausted sappers take a short break

Steel frame on quayside

Welding the frame

Another exhausted sapper
seeks more zest before continuing the hard work

Day 11 - 13 pictures from David Morley

Operation Zest - Day 14
Wednesday 12th March

Left :
Crest Slab on Western Arm

Right :
Improving East Beach adjacent
to the harbour

Left :
Form work on nib corner

Right :
Wave wall nearing completion

Photos from
David Morley

Operation Zest - Day 15
Thursday 13th March

Right :
West Harbour Wave Wall
complete

Left :
Tired Sapper continues Working

Operation Zest - Day 16
Friday 14th March

Left : Corporal Mortimer
filling the void (he is in orange gear
mainly underwater!)
Right : Corporal Mortimer emerges having taken on water (but still managing to smile)!

Below :
Left : LCVP arrives
Centre : The Chain Gang
Right : Peering into the Wave wall

Operation Zest - Day 17
Saturday 15th March

Left : Filling the Nib Ledge

Right : Inside the Nib

Operation Zest - Day 18
Sunday 16th March

Left:
MEXE leaving

Right :
Quayside form work

Operation Zest - Day 19
Monday 17th March

Left: West harbour arm showing wave wall above and quay nearing completion.
It is this west arm that bears the brunt of erosion caused by the prevailing north-west winds.

Right : Pouring Concrete

Operation Zest - Day 20
Tuesday 18th March

Left: The west harbour Arm looking
far more solid

Right: Work continuing on the west quay wall

Left :
Rainbow over the 1961 lava flow
looking towards Big Point
from the harbour

Right:
Administrator David Morley
being briefed on progress by
on the left :
JTFC Captain Paddy McAlpine RN
on the right:
Major Mike Forster RE

Left :
Old Concrete being removed
from the nib

Right:
Sapper Arnie working on the quay

Left:
Sapper at attention showing height of the west harbour arm blocks

Right:
Gabions ready for the quay

Operation Zest - Day 21
Wednesday 19th March

Left:
Sapper Sutcliffe in a nifty pose

Right:
You can't hide in that concrete mixer all day Sapper Shinner!

Left:
Final west harbour wall block in place

Right:
Gathering to celebrate the end
of the west wall construction

Operation Zest Day 24
Saturday 22nd March

Finishing Off

Left : Last load of concrete

Right : Rear of harbour cleared

Left: Completing the crest slab ramp

Right: Completing the crest slab

Left: Nib formwork complete

Right: Crest Slab on west wall almost complete

Operation Zest Day 25
Easter Sunday
Sunday 23rd March

Left:
The completed nib uncovered
Right :
Smooth surface of the west arm slab

A day off to reflect and take photographs (but the Sappers gave up their day to help clear the factory site
see Factory Fire page)

Operation Zest Day 26 Queen's Day Monday 24th March
See Queen's Day Page for the festivities.
Administrator David Morley also carried out a pre-handover inspection of the harbour works

Operation Zest Day 27 ~ Tuesday 25th March

The Panther logo returning to RFA Lyme Bay

Medics clearing away

Finals snags being sorted

Operation Zest Day 28 ~ Wednesday 26th March
A farewell reception, hosted by Chief Islander Conrad Glass, was held for the Task Force in the afternoon. The Task Force was packing up during the morning and had planned to return to RFA Lyme Bay after the reception, but poor weather intervened and disrupted embarkation.

Operation Zest Day 29 ~ Thursday 27th March
Island Councillors Inspect completed harbour works

Operation Zest Day 30 ~ Friday 28th March
The Task Force's planned departure was postponed as the re-built harbour was closed due to high seas.

Operation Zest Day 31 ~ Saturday 29th March
Final thanks are farewell to The Operation Zest Task Force

Administrator David Morley
and Chief Islander Conrad Glass
say final thanks and farewell
to the Task Force commanders

Left :
Conrad Glass with the
Lyme Bay behind

Right : Royal Engineers
loading to depart

Departing from
Calshot Harbour

Left:
Final group departs

Right:
The Lyme Bay preparing
to depart

RFA Lyme Bay departed from the Tristan anchorage at 13.30 heading for for Cape Town, ETA Wednesday 2 April.
Bon Voyage and thanks for a brilliant job
which has demonstrated the capability of the modern UK services to support
Britain's most isolated overseas territory in a time of need.

Tributes to the Task Force

Administrator David Morley said of the Task Force's efforts:

"The work that the Joint Task Force has carried out has saved our harbour and we are incredibly grateful. Not only have they worked long and hard hours without a complaint they have created a real bond with the community who have taken them to their heart. Tristan Islanders have long memories and the wonderful relationship created between them and the Op ZEST Joint Task Force will remain for years."

During his Queen's Day Reception the Administrator presented the three Task Force commanders with model Tristan longboats as a memento of their visit. He also presented all members of the Task Force with their certificates bestowing upon them the Freedom of Tristan, and formally congratulated and thanked them for their outstanding work. David Morley said that, apart from securing Calshot Harbour, the islanders would always remember the visitors with affection for the efforts they had made to become part of the community.

Chief Islander Conrad Glass hosted a farewell Reception for the Task Force on 26 March. Connie spoke in emotional terms about the fondness of the community for the Task Force, and issued an open invitation for any of the members to return to Tristan in the future, when they would be assured of a warm welcome.

Captain Paddy McAlpine, the Joint Task Force Commander said:

"Op ZEST has been a complete success. It was a small, unique, classically joint operation. Five comparatively disparate groupings (a squadron of Royal Engineers, a brand new Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, medics from across the Armed Forces (Regular and Reservists), a 17 Port & Maritime Detachment and a command team from FLEET) quickly gelled into a cohesive team that worked effectively together to complete the mission in 11 weeks.

"It has been a very rare privilege to work with and live alongside the Tristanians and our memories of their hospitality and their island will linger long in our memories."

RFA Lyme Bay called in to
the anchorage at Jamestown
St Helena on 14th April

Photographs show :

Above left : The Lyme Bay looking towards Jamestown

Above Right:
St Helena Governor Andrew Gurr
being briefed on the bridge by Captain Peter Farmer on the success of
Operation Zest

Left and Right ;
Two views from the hillside below Saddle Battery looking down to Jamestown
showing left Ladder Hill and
beyond RFA Lyme Bay in James Bay

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