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I first worked there in 1990 as the sole civilian living with the military garrison. My role was to begin to re-establish civilian management of shipping and fisheries.  I have returned many times for fisheries research and management work but also increasingly on private mountaineering expeditions often in the company of Skip Novak with his specialist antarctic sailing vessels Pelagic and Pelagic Australis. We are again being transported and supported by the Pelagic team now comprising  Miles and Laura West. They have a charter of enthusiasts who plan to cruise around the island visiting many of its magical locations and wildlife spectacles.

They will drop us off at the start of their visit and retrieve us before they leave again to return us all to the Falkland Islands.

My team-mate is Richard Spillett, an old climbing friend whose calm technocratic exterior masks a determined and adventurous soul. Whilst I occasionally masquerade as a house-husband Richards day-time job (or should I say after dark he comes out of his coffin!) was as a one time derivatives trader now turned risk manager in a sort of poacher -  game keeper gig. He is obviously lying low whilst financial Armageddon consumes Europe. As usual I expect to improve my education on the finer points of capitalism (an oxymoron if ever there was one) during this expedition whilst Richard will undoubtedly imbibe my unreformed Marxism. Its a well balanced team as you can imagine. We´ll try and keep you posted as flies on the wall of our tent.

We will join the Pelagic Australis in Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands for the 800 mile sail east to South Georgia. This will take about 4 days downwind and a few more on our return. We will be dropped off at the head of Cumberland Bay east where the Glacier comes into the sea. It will take us about three days to ski with sledges into the foot of the mountain before we start the technical climbing proper. We hope to establish our base camp a bit closer to the foot of the mountain than last time but away from any avalanche danger which forced a retreat last time when both our tent and snow cave became threatened after heavy snowfall in a prolonged storm.

Once established we will sit tight until we get a reasonable stretch of steady weather within which to make an attempt on the mountain. We will only have about a week for that because of all the time required in getting there and back

Follow Caradoc's progress using the SPOT GPS tracking provided by Ieuenctid Cambria Youth while he is in South Georgia. On the way there, the Pelagic has their own GPS tracker.