12/12/2008
For the last three weeks your humble narrator has been travelling as a passenger on the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) primary ocean transport vessel, the Aurora Australis. Voyage two for the summer Antarctic season.
Life aboard the ship quickly developed into a routine built around the three meals of the day. Food was abundant and it was as if they were trying to fatten us all up, either to later cook, or to assist in developing an extra layer of insulation from the cold. The gym was a popular spot for regular training sessions to combat the best efforts of the chef and the sauna was a new luxury which brought back reminisces of time spent in the top end. The pages of books turned and turned and the keypad got a working over with emails home and in completing long put off work tasks. Participation was also shown in random silly games, work presentations, movie nights, field training, table tennis, bbq and beers on the trawl deck, trivia night, ice berg surveys and the induction of newcomers to King Neptune’s domain as we crossed the 60 degree line of latitude. I also got some time to catch up with some old friends.
The best part of a week was spent unloading cargo and performing helicopter operations around station. I was permitted off the ship for one day to complete some simple work tasks on station and have a brief look around. I nutted out my way around station and the nuances of station life quickly returned. It was good to set foot on the Antarctic continent once again and pleasing to have now visited all three Australian Antarctic stations.
Poor weather towards the end of the Casey re-supply saw the ship out of the bay and into the open ocean to avoid getting into trouble. Time was spent on the bridge assisting in the whale survey program, spotting plumes from killer whales as pods passed around the ship and sometimes breached above the water surface to show off. All sorts of Antarctic wildlife were spotted throughout the voyage. The wandering albatross and smaller shearwaters followed the ship across the open ocean, then the ship was guided along by Antarctic and snow petrels who seemed curious of the ship or were trying to figure out the best way they could eat it. When travelling through the ice, crab-eater seals often waved us on and penguins generally waited until the last moment to flee from ice flows in the ships path. 
Another week was then spent travelling west around the coast of Antarctica, after collecting 20 of the last years Casey wintering party. The voyage west towards Davis was more of a slog as the ship pushed through moderate pack ice and the weather was a bit grey and dreary. The excitement of the adventure waned in the last week of the voyage. Everyone just wanted to get there and get stuck into the season. Enough thinking and talking about it, let’s get busy. One day out from Davis I put my hand up, along with four others, to shave my head to raise money for camp quality (kids with cancer). We raised just over $3500. So I have lost my locks, but it doesn’t seem to have impacted my strength. I am clean shaven and I feel (and look) reborn. Full of energy and raring to get off this piece of junk, orange ship and back on Antarctica.
For the last three weeks your humble narrator has been travelling as a passenger on the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) primary ocean transport vessel, the Aurora Australis. Voyage two for the summer Antarctic season.
Life aboard the ship quickly developed into a routine built around the three meals of the day. Food was abundant and it was as if they were trying to fatten us all up, either to later cook, or to assist in developing an extra layer of insulation from the cold. The gym was a popular spot for regular training sessions to combat the best efforts of the chef and the sauna was a new luxury which brought back reminisces of time spent in the top end. The pages of books turned and turned and the keypad got a working over with emails home and in completing long put off work tasks. Participation was also shown in random silly games, work presentations, movie nights, field training, table tennis, bbq and beers on the trawl deck, trivia night, ice berg surveys and the induction of newcomers to King Neptune’s domain as we crossed the 60 degree line of latitude. I also got some time to catch up with some old friends. In the first week we travelled across the Southern Ocean from Hobart to Casey station in Wilkes Land region of Antarctica. The ocean was remarkably calm and hospitable. To be heading south on an ocean which resembled glass was unbelievable.
This made the voyage particularly comfortable, but also meant that all the passengers were out of bed and active. I secretly hoped for an increase in the swell to turn the more delicate passengers green and get them out of the dinner que. The first ice berg was spotted two days out of Casey and then it was on as the ship travelled through ice berg alley to drop off 60 expeditioners and 30 tonne of cargo at Australia’s Eastern most Antarctic base.
The best part of a week was spent unloading cargo and performing helicopter operations around station. I was permitted off the ship for one day to complete some simple work tasks on station and have a brief look around. I nutted out my way around station and the nuances of station life quickly returned. It was good to set foot on the Antarctic continent once again and pleasing to have now visited all three Australian Antarctic stations. Poor weather towards the end of the Casey re-supply saw the ship out of the bay and into the open ocean to avoid getting into trouble. Time was spent on the bridge assisting in the whale survey program, spotting plumes from killer whales as pods passed around the ship and sometimes breached above the water surface to show off. All sorts of Antarctic wildlife were spotted throughout the voyage. The wandering albatross and smaller shearwaters followed the ship across the open ocean, then the ship was guided along by Antarctic and snow petrels who seemed curious of the ship or were trying to figure out the best way they could eat it. When travelling through the ice, crab-eater seals often waved us on and penguins generally waited until the last moment to flee from ice flows in the ships path. Another week was then spent travelling west around the coast of Antarctica, after collecting 20 of the last years Casey wintering party. The voyage west towards Davis was more of a slog as the ship pushed through moderate pack ice and the weather was a bit grey and dreary. The excitement of the adventure waned in the last week of the voyage. Everyone just wanted to get there and get stuck into the season. Enough thinking and talking about it, let’s get busy. One day out from Davis I put my hand up, along with four others, to shave my head to raise money for camp quality (kids with cancer). We raised just over $3500. So I have lost my locks, but it doesn’t seem to have impacted my strength. I am clean shaven and I feel (and look) reborn. Full of energy and raring to get off this piece of junk, orange ship and back on Antarctica.
