MV Nella Dan

Nella Dan enjoyed the dubious distinction of plunging her passengers into an unexpected seven-week stationary sojourn in the ice in 1985, the longest besetment (being surrounded by ice without helm control) ever experienced by any ANARE ship. She was eventually released from besetment by digging the ice away from the hull.[1] At that time, the Japanese icebreaker Shirase rushed to assist the trapped vessel. Nella Dan finally followed the trail of Shirase and got away from the iced-over ocean.

On her last fateful voyage on the evening of 3 December 1987, during resupply operations at Macquarie Island, bad weather blew up. Nella Dan dragged her anchor and was driven aground just metres off the island,[2] while transferring fuel from the ship to the sub-Antarctic station. Other cargo unloading had ceased because of strong winds and high seas. A definitive cause of the accident was never determined, it was reported that Nella Dan dragged her anchor in very heavy seas while at the normal anchorage point in Buckles Bay. The vessel was rapidly washed onto rocks close to the research station it was supplying. Damage to the vessel was immediate and serious, the ship's hull was holed in two places and water flooded the engine room. Most of the expedition staff were ashore at the time of the accident, but 17 expedition staff were aboard together with the crew.[2] There were no casualties or injuries to the crew or expedition personnel.[2]

Several members of the 35 Water Transport Squadron attached to ANARE sailed three LARC (Light Amphibious Resupply Craft) to evacuate the Antarctic expeditioners and ship's crew still on board. For these actions, soldiers Philip Wharton Clark, Kenneth Stanley Barrington, Dudley Raymond Crowe, Timothy Gay, Gregory Dale Kenny, and Alistair Andrew Scott were awarded a Group Bravery Citation by the Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce on 17 August 2009.[3][4]

The Macquarie Island station, normally designed to accommodate 32 expeditioners, had to accommodate over 100 people until their rescue. At the time of the accident, Icebird, another vessel chartered by the Australian Antarctic Division, was returning to Hobart from Davis Station in Antarctica. Icebird was immediately diverted to Macquarie Island to pick up the personnel and crew from Nella Dan. She arrived at Buckles Bay on 8 December 1987.[2]

Within four days of the accident, the owners of Nella Dan, the Danish Lauritzen company, had chartered an oil rig tender, Lady Lorraine, which left Victoria carrying company representatives as well as insurance assessors, a team of divers and salvage experts. To protect the ship from further damage while awaiting possible salvage, the vessel deliberately took on sea water as ballast. This was intended to add sufficient weight to the hull to hold it in position on the rocks and prevent further damage or movement back out to sea. Although having a list of about 11 degrees, the ship was kept in a stable position and was also secured with cables to the shore. When the storm abated all remaining expedition equipment was removed from the ship.[2]

Although plans were initially made to salvage the vessel, the decision was eventually made to scuttle her. At 5.42 pm on 24 December 1987, she was sunk in deep water off Macquarie Island.[1] To continue supporting the expedition program the Australian Antarctic Division chartered the Canadian vessel Lady Franklin, an ice-strengthened cargo vessel, for the remainder of the summer season.[2]