Surveying work may be a major part of her deployment, but HMS Endurance also manages to fit in a regular programme of training exercises which are particularly suited to the far south – including ice-cliff winching and diving.

During her third work period in and around South Georgia the ice patrol ship’s company have also found time for a closer look at the wildlife.

Small groups got ashore by boat or helicopter to visit the derelict whaling stations at Leith, Stromness and St Andrews Bay – the latter was found to be home to 130,000 breeding pairs of king penguins in the space of just a few hundred square metres.

Stromness is remembered as the sanctuary Shackleton and two of his colleagues found after their epic small-boat voyage from Elephant Island and hike over the mountains and glaciers of South Georgia.

Observers say that there are more fur seals there now than ever before, due to lack of competition from whales and the abundance of food in the ocean.

A spokesman on board Endurance told Navy News: “This is easy to believe, as many areas, including the old whaling settlements, now abound with thousands of them.

“Fur seals can look adorable, but have grown a reputation on board for ferociousness.

“This is not altogether misguided, as a seal bite can quickly turn septic and make you ill. Also, fur seals seem to have the temperament of dogs. They growl a deep rumbling snarl and often run at any who disturb them.

“Most people soon discover that their bark is worse than their bite. If one crouched or sat down amongst them, then they would approach out of curiosity, sniff, prod, maybe take a nip at a boot or ankle.

“If they continue to run at you, then a clapping of hands and standing your ground normally scares them off.

“In one of the buildings at Stromness we saw three huge elephant seals lying top to tail. These lumbering giants, with horribly running noses, were making rude noises from both ends and had obviously been there for a couple of days, judging by the smell.

“These seals were so massive that nobody could see how they entered the building. The doorway was only about three feet wide and they were five feet wide if they were an inch.”

The Endurance met up with Castle-class offshore patrol vessel HMS Leeds Castle during the last week of the work period last month.

She had the Governor of the Falkland Islands Howard Pearce embarked to make his own examination of South Georgia – of which he is also Commissioner – and its conservation issues.

Later she returned through rough and icy seas to the Falklands with Mr Pearce – who threw himself into the spirit of a training serial by being winched off the deck in an RAF Sea King helicopter.