Shirley Island take two, and gearing up for re-supply

Dear All

Thanks for taking an interest in what I'm up to down south.  It's been encouraging to know people back home have been watching the blog for updates, and intrigued as to what I'm filling my days with.

Shirley Island, which I wrote briefly about once before, is a small island about a half hours walk from Casey Station.  I'd visited early on when the Adeli penguins were forming their little nest mounds and had commenced laying.  The first of the chicks were sighted earlier this week, so I thought I'd head across again and see what I could find.  Below are a few photos taken from various spots about Shirley Island.  I did manage to see three small chicks, but only very briefly.  My small point and shoot camera didn't quite capture things.  I'll track down a shot that someone with a bit of zoom has managed to grab.

Probably the most beautiful sight, and again difficult to catch, were the swimming penguins.  The second short movie shows a bunch of penguins coming in to land.

The channel between the "mainland" and Shirley island is starting to reform, as more and more ice disappears out to see.  The width of the channel can be grasped in a way from the above photo, the creases in the snow/ice in the foreground is the near side.

Cheeky little critters.  They'll come to within a meter or so, just to take a closer look at you.

The Aurora is due in tonight at about six, so by the time I put this post up it should be here.  This means that the next week or so will be hectic.  The first priority is unloading the fuel.  This will take about twenty hours once the line is set-up, which I understand takes about eight hours in it's self to complete.  I'll be on shifts checking the line on the land, and changing valves in the fuel farm as things progress.  We will then move onto cargo being shifted on and off the ship.  I've been assigned two rolls during resupply.  The first is Beach Master - Ken will be teaching me the ropes, he's a guy who's done it all a number of times before.  The role involves checking all incoming cargo, and assigning it to a driver, and lay-down area.  I gather it means a lot of time spent just directing traffic and talking over the radio.  Should be good fun.  My second roll will be driving a skidder with either the 20 foot or 40 foot container trailer.  A little daunting, but should be fine.  I did my best to spend some time in the beast during the week, so am confident I can get things right.

This picture is taken on the road leading down to the wharf - it's the rear end of a loader if you were wondering what else you were looking at.  You'll see the high sides either side of the machine, about eight meter high in some spots.  The road has been cut through the accumulation of snow down to the rock base beneath.  Over the coming summer months, much of this ice and snow will melt away.

Poor photo of the skidder i know, but I couldn't find it when I just went out to get a better pic of it.  Not sure how you can hide a machine like this, but down here I'm learning anything is possible.  I'm sure you get the idea if you weren't sure.

Anyway, until next time hope you have a merry Christmas, and happy new year.  Will blog again soon.