Operation TAAF 

a progress report on what happened to a souvenir sheet that was broken into 5 parts

Episode I - Iles Éparses 

Episode II - Crozet

Episode III - Iles Australes - St. Paul et Amsterdam

Episode IV - Iles Australes -  Kerguelen - Cover received on 14September 2022

Four down, one to go!

The day after I entered the  St. Paul and Amsterdam entry into my blog, I received the cover that journeyed from  the Island of Grande Terre, the largest in the Kerguelen archipelago, another of the territories that integrate the TAAF.

The archipelago, discovered in 1777 by  a French Naval Officer, Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec, from whom they got their name, is located in the Indian Ocean more or less midway between Africa and  Australia and  I believe it to be France's second southernmost territory, right after Terre Adélie.

The islands are totally devoid of human presence, but for the  staff of  Port aux Français, a permanent scientific base  and a Satellite tracking station, close to it in Grande Terre., also known as Desolation island (a quite graphic toponym...) . throughout the year anything from 45 to 100 people might be stationed in Port aux Français, supplies being brought in by ship, given that there is no landing strip available.

Similarly to Crozet and St. Paul et Amsterdam, Kerguelen also has its very interesting blog full of inside information on the islands and the day to day aspects of life and work of the members of the Scientific missions that occupy the Port aux Français Base. 

 

Further to the "Official" Port Aux Français Postmark, and the usual Coodinates stamp, M. le Gérant Postal included two other beautiful stamps.

This one I believe is the seal of  the telecom team of Mission 72, their motto being Lavoisier's famed Law: Nothing is lost, Nothing is created, everything is transformed. The image of an albatross with a walkie-takie dangling from its head and a small rubber stamp are the only drawings I can understand although there are a couple more items in the seal. The seal is handsigned by the members of the team, MM. Boris (le Gérant Postal, whom I thank for his attention and care), Jean-Sébastien and Axel, according to a photo in the aforementioned Kerguelen blog.

The other seal is probably the seal of Mission 72, mimicking a playing card with a penguin, of which there must be plenty on the islands...

The small rectangular stamp wirh the coordinates reads: