The Antarctic experience of the hydrographers of the Navy on board the icebreaker "Almirante Oscar Viel" of the Chilean Navy, engaged in the hydrographic survey for the determination of the Antarctic continental shelf, has been concluded for about a week.
Thanks to a collaboration project between the Chilean and Italian Navy, the vessel Lieutenant Luigi Carnevale (Hydrographic Institute of the Navy) and the 1 Marshal Alberto Niccolini (ship Arethusa) studied the working techniques of the Chilean colleagues most accustomed to the climatic-environmental conditions of the Antarctic area, acquiring familiarity with the maritime, navigation and logistic operations in notoriously hostile areas, comparing operating methods and tools used.
Departed from Punta Arenas, a port located in the 12th region, in the middle of the Strait of Magellan, the expedition sailed over Cape Horn in the dreaded Drake Channel - one of the most stormy seas on the planet - reaching, after three days, the Antarctic peninsula.
The ship, after having supplied materials, equipment and provisions to the Chilean Antarctic bases, headed south, well beyond the Antarctic Polar Circle, for the construction of a high-sea hydrographic survey, which lasted 24 days.
The Italian staff, together with the Chilean one, worked for the realization of hydrographic surveys and technical interventions on the oceanographic instrumentation.
On 9 April, after 35 days of activity at sea and approximately 5.300 miles traveled, the two Italian soldiers landed at the Baia Fieldes base from where they reached the "Eduardo Frei" Antarctic air base to begin the return journey to Italy.
