BAS Knows Best (Donaldson & Sykes)
Deception Island was an unnerving place. A narrow gap between two
headlands of pincer like jaws of black rock revealed a large placid lagoon,
the crater of an old volcano. Steam rose from the beach, which was itself a
bleak expanse of dark grey ash and cinders. Rumblings came from
underground and there were regular earth tremors. The BAS base on the
shore of the lagoon looked desolate and very vulnerable with its backdrop
of a very menacing, steaming volcano! The volcano blew up dramatically in
1968. Fortunately, relief ships were quite close and all personnel were
safely rescued.
Set to the tune The Eton Boating Song.
"Now have a good year," said Sir Vivian,
As the ship lay at Southampton Quay,
"And always remember the motto,
"Whether on you're base or you're at sea,
"BAS knows best,
"There really is nothing to fear."
Though confusion may reign in the bases,
It doesn't affect us back here.
The first time that I saw Deception
There was steam rising out of the sand,
But Sir Vivian had told us its history,
It's as safe as your own native land.
And BAS knows best,
There really is nothing to fear,
But I've heard of Tristan de Cunha,
And its meaning is perfectly clear.
It's not very pleasant to look at,
The edge of the crater is round,
There's a ruddy great cloud hanging over it,
And it seems to come out of the ground.
But BAS knows best,
There really is nothing to fear,
It's safe to stay here for the winter,
It's safe for a thousand years.
We have earthquakes to wake us for breakfast,
The tremors go on through the day,
But they say that volcanoes are harmless,
As long as they grumble away.
But BAS knows best,
There really is nothing to fear,
But I'm not a ruddy seismologist,
And I'm glad the relief ship is near.
When the ashes and boulders start flying,
If things are as bad as it looks,
I'd rather have a good air raid shelter
Than a word from Sir Vivian Fuchs.
But BAS knows best,
The truth is beyond all recall,
And as we can trust old Sir Vivian,
It can't have erupted at all!