THIS, apparently, is ‘leaving winter behind’ according to the men and women of RFA Largs Bay.

The amphibious support ship headed into ten-metre seas and was knocked about by gusts in excess of 50 knots as she made her way for Haiti.

Still at least the days are getting longer…

Largs is delivering millions of pounds worth of aid – donated either by the British government or by Britons through various charitable appeals – in the wake of the January 12 earthquake which devastated an already-impoverished nation.

The vessel’s loading dock and Mexeflotes – powered rafts – means she can offload stores and deposit them on a beach when there is no port, or when dock facilities have been wrecked.

“The plight of Haiti has clearly caught the sympathy of the entire world with millions of pounds of aid being donated,” said 3/O Dave Mann.

“It’s a matter of pride that my ship, my colleagues and I have been selected to deliver some of it and assist in the rebuilding.”

The ship’s normal RFA crew of 70 has been bolstered by 40 troops from 17 Port and Maritime Regiment (who especially enjoyed the rough seas, we’re told) and 15 or so RN and RM personnel for this humanitarian mission.

Weather permitting, Largs is due to complete her 4,300-mile journey from Southampton to Haiti next week.

The rough weather has rather stifled the crew’s efforts to row to the Caribbean faster than the ship (courtesy of the impressive gym suite).

Meanwhile, there’s already a British Forces team on the ground in Haiti, led by Royal Marine Maj Steve Melbourne.

The team was dispatched by Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood as part of the international relief effort.

It is laying the groundwork for Largs Bay’s arrivals, although there are vast problems to overcome before the RFA arrives.

A large number of cargo ships are expected to arrive off Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, in the coming days – and the port facilities were severely damaged by the quake.

Those difficulties are compounded by congestion and the country’s poor infrastructure.

On the plus side, the airfield is now so busy that the noise of aircraft is keeping personnel awake (as well as their adopted tarantula, Terry…).

“The aid is getting out to the people and the general feeling is that the population are in a far better situation than they were a week ago,” said Maj Melbourne.

“Haiti is returning to some sort of normality – street vendors sell everything from the latest ‘Addidos’ backpacks to fresh fruit and veg. The roads are up and running with vehicles on both sides – not always in the correct direction.”

RFA Largs Bay ploughs through the steep Atlantick as she heads west for Haiti. Picture: LA(Phot) Pete Smith, FRPU East