New Year's at Jack's

We make the most of a reason to celebrate down here.  And New Year's was no exception.  The station held a dress up night, and I can only comment on this from hearsay... so won't go there.  What I can tell you is how I spent mine.



(Left - Right) Tim N, Brad, Amber, Tim B and Myself



Tim, Tim, Amber, Brad and I took the chance to shoot off for a couple of nights.  There was still one further hut that a few of us hadn't visited - Jack's.  So Jack's it was.

It's a humble little shack on the top of a rocky maraine.  However, it's from here that I've seen one of the most beautiful views since coming south.  It looks out over the sea (north east of Casey), to an area where the water becomes shallower, and becomes home to hundreds of icebergs.  The icebergs move about with the currents and the wind, and if large enough become stuck in the shallower waters.

As the code was "dress-ups" back on station, a few wigs, and headpieces got dragged out with the beers.  It became was a fantasic night of laughts and storytelling. 



24 seconds past midnight!  Who knows what I'm pointing at?



And I'm sure there is no finer place in the world to take a dump! (photo thanks to Tim B)


Our second night out was spent at Wilkes... previous blogs tell the story of this place.  Billy was generous enough to meet us for some Ice Climbing in the morning.  With a little coaching we all got to the top.

Berg crusing, and Christmas feasts...

Well it has been that time of year for us down here too.  Things go mad for a little while (over things unrelated to Christmas), then we try and relax and have a good time, eat heaps, and exercise little.

Resupply went like a dream compared to how it normally pans out - at least that is what I'm told.  It was pretty hyped up and I'd wondered for a while what we were in for.  It's a fairly time consuming process.  Starting with fuel, the line is layed out across the water and to the tank farms on land.  The line pressure tested, checks completed and fuel then starts to flow.  For about twenty hours straight fuel is pumped from the ship, while the fuel watchers swing valves and do their periodic walks up and down the line.  In the harbour there are a number of IRB's (inflatable rubber boat's - basically the same as the one we have at home) nudging small icebergs clear of the line, and ensuring there's no stress put on the pipe.  Fuel is then followed by cargo, some containerised, some on pallets, some odd loads such as a small excavator, machinery parts etc.  I spent the best part of my time driving the Skidder and the Loader.

As there was a bit of a lull in activities, a few of us shot off for a cruise about the bergs... 

 No matter how many penguins I place on my blog, I'm still asked for more.

Simon and Brad, merry... on Christmas day.

We found this interesting looking thing floating on the surface.  I picked it up to try and work out what it was.  Our best guess was that it might be a colony of some type of creature.  The slimy outer encased small white things the size of a mustard seed, presumably eggs.  I couldn't tell what it was by tasting it - only that it had come from the sea.

Stu was a good sport when I wrapped it about his neck.  We smelt it all the way home. 

Christmas Day

We actually celebrated Christmas a few days later than the 25th - as resupply needed to be sorted before other things could begin. The chefs started early with a small gang us plebs helping out, or at least doing our best to help.  I was assigned the job of folding salmon into small rose like bundles then spreading them out on serving trays.  There was certainly no shortage of food.  The happenings started at 11 with brunch, followed by carols and gift giving from 12 till early afternoon.  Dave filled the role of Santa, and we each in turn had the chance to sit on his knew, and receive our gift.  Lunch, or whatever a mid afternoon meal becomes, started at 3 and carried on till late.  Ed's table became the happening place to be, as he sang songs from home in the way beer drinking Irish seem so able.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable party.  I learnt in the morning I'd piked a tad too early.  I'd let it get down to what I thought were the last dwindling few then headed for the blankets, in the morning I had to regret not having been their for the table surfing.  From one end of the room to the other tables were lined up, lubricated, shirts torn off and then run from the end of the mess and jump...  There were bruises to prove it.

I must give credit to Tim B for some photos of the berg photos.  The little point and shoot I have just doesn't cut it from any distance.  The good photos are his.  Thanks Timmy.

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.

Wilkes

I'll keep my explanations breif, and allow the photos and the captions to tell the story of Wilkes and our overnighter spent there last week.  It was only a very short stop over, as we left Casey after work on Thursday, and were back in time for an eight am start on Friday.  If you're interested in a brief history of the place, check it out on Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkes_Station.

Wilkes is an abandoned US station only about 1/2 hr quad ride from Casey

The veiw of Casey Station - looking back towards to west on the way to Wilkes.

Beautifully basic.

Inside the Wilkes Hilton.  It's one of the most roomy huts about Casey.  Basically one big room, fire in the middle, bunks on either side, and a basic kitchen at the far end.  Great for a weekend get-away.

Some of the junk left behind by the Yanks.  Curry powder looking good, the cold keeps it looking good.  The story goes that the waste from Wilkes was simply pushed onto the sea ice in the winter and let foat out to sea as the ice breakes up and disperses in the thawing summer months.  It's said that the bottom of the bay is littered with tonnes of rubbish accumulated over the time Wiles was operational.  The above photo shows top of the main living quarters and other buildings - buried almost in their entirety. 

Photo of the same area in 1957 (soursed from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkes_Station).  I suspect this is looking in almost the opposite direction to the last of my pics above.

This little fella approached us.  He came within about a meter and a half. 

We hung about with him for a while, as he checked us out.

Drifting by...

Wonderful lines left by years of wind and snow.  There are plenty of examples of this about Wilkes in the abandoned oregon cladding boards, it would have been good to gather some up and create a little something.



Browning Peninsula and Peterson Island

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend away from the station, at the Browning Peninsular.  We left after work on the Friday (26^th November) and headed out in one of the Hagglunds.  It’s a three and a half hour ride in the Hag, a noisy, and constantly bumpy track across the snow and ice.  I was actually a little surprised as to how uncomfortable the vehicle was to travel in.  I always imagined they’d ride the bumps a little better.  For those who are interested, it’s not actually a “skid steer”.  It’s an articulated vehicle, relying on a couple of hydraulic rams between the units.  So while it looks like cab and trailer, one can’t work without the other.  (The AAD are currently in the process of changing out all the old Merc motors, and replacing these with Cummins diesels.  Thought you’d be interested Dad.)

Looking North from Peterson Channel

Motherway Island in the background - at this stage still joined to the mainland by sea ice.  Herring Island and the other Windmill Islands in the background.

The Americans planted their flag on Peterson island in the late 40's.  There's some interesting stories of the time.  The Americans had some belief in there being a German base in Antarctica.  They sent two consignments south to seek them out...  The Windmill Hills, and the High Jump operations.  The bits and pieces I browsed read like some science fiction/conspiracy theory.  Flying saucers, underground bunkers, suicides, mental asylums.

It's hard to see too much, but the small black specks are the penguins coming down to enter the water.

Adeli Penguins - you can see the small rock mounds they form as nests.  The one to the left of screen is turning the eggs she's sitting upon.

Peterson "Mellon".  See the straight, red bit in the middle, the "Apple's" don't have these - hence a "Mellon" for this one.

Looking out to sea towards Motherway Islands and the other Windmill Islands in the background.

The Vanderfold Glacier meets the sea.  At a guess these cliffs would be about 40-50 meters high.  But like I said earlier, heights and distances are so deceiving down here.

Southern end of Peterson Island in the background.  Fel demanded I put at least one photo of me up.

Vanderford Glacier once more.

And another - you could look at it all day.

Browning hut is a neat, purpose built cabin which can sleep six.  Four is squashy, so six would only be realistic in the case of an emergency.  Bunks are at one end, the kitchen in the middle, a short table and bench seats, and a cold porch (air lock) at the other end.  You’ll notice it’s designed as a tow behind sled – as most off station buildings tend to be.  An interesting side comment…  The AAD, as with most organisations with buildings in the Antarctic, spend a great deal of energy and time clearing bliz tails (the build up of snow on the lea side of a building) from buildings.  When a building is elevated up off the ground the wind passes beneath the structure, and there is no resulting bliz tail.  I don’t understand why, but the bulk of new construction continues to be on the ground.  Possibly due to the structural considerations needed for elevating building.  However, New Zealand have elevated almost their entire camp, and I’m told have little problem with snow build-up round station.

Browning Hut

Sea Ice Breaking Away

The landscape on the way down to Browning Peninsula is pretty featureless.  At some points along the way the white plains spread as far as the eye can see.  You reach a high point of just over 500m before starting the gradual decent back down to sea level.  The view to the south is amazing.  The first glimpses of the Vanderford Glacier are deceptive.  Surface definition, even at the best of times is deceptive.  You begin to imagine how far away a feature is, only to then be able to put it into context with another - often blowing  your estimate out of the water.

Saturday night was spent at the Peterson Island Melon.  (You’ll see this on map three of five – approx . 781.301, this should be accessible from the AAD website, and will try for a link in the coming few days)  There are many colonies of Adeli Penguins about Peterson Island.  We were hoping also to see some seals, but it is still a little early for the Elephant seals.  We did hear one though. 

We walked from the Browning Peninsular across to Peterson Island.  While sea ice travel has now been closed by management, some channels are still open.  The ice was still well over a meter deep, and appeared to be well locked in between the two bodies of land.  It’s amazing how much can change over such a short period though.  We sat and watched penguins diving from the sea ice in the evening, only to return to the same spot in the morning and find the ice had broken back another 100m or so.  Between the tides, swell and currents, the ice can change rapidly.