13/02/2009
All the distant field work is complete and we are now working within the Vestfold Hills until the ship arrives. Too much time has been spent on station so we are making up reasons to be away. Not too hard when there is always something that could do with some surveying. The routine of station life is enticing, but we want to make the most of the field time we have in Antarctica. No fly days due to poor weather can prevent expeditions but we try and sneak in trips in weather windows and find other ways to get out in the hills.
A brief visit was made to the old wallow, where the elephant seals wallow? We did a quick survey of core samples some biologists had taken through the layers of filth. There were about fifteen seals laying all over each other, dozing, burping, farting, snorting and generally enjoying lapping it up in their own mess.
With a few weeks left to go we have completed several survey tasks on station and have moved on to surveys in the surrounding hills to monitor lake levels. To make it more fun and overcome no fly days we are doing the brunt of the work on foot, stationing ourselves at a hut and walking to the surrounding lakes. Others are grasping the opportunity and tagging along for a jolly, helping us carry equipment between lakes and enjoying the sights of the less explored locations in the hills. Our first trip was to Ace lake apple, north of Davis, on Long Peninsula for two days. We surveyed four lakes and spent some time on the coast watching and listening to icebergs crashing against each other and breaking off chunks into the sea. We also stopped by an adelie penguin rookery one evening as the sun set and got amongst the hundreds of penguins. Lots of puff ball adolescents grumpy as they were beginning to drop their fur, chasing the adults around after a feed. For our second trip we walked out to Brookes Hut, east of Davis. The snow would have prevented helicopter flying, but it didn’t stop us pushing out through the frosting of snow to survey ten lakes along Broad Peninsula. The weather gradually improved as we navigated our way between lakes over three days before returning to station as the sky turned white again. We have a few more trips planned and are just keeping ourselves busy in these last few weeks.
With the build up of snow blizz tails, I have incorporated saunas into my station life. An hour of sauna with short breaks every fifteen minutes to dash out into the snow to wash off the sweat and make a few snow angels. The body doesn’t know what is going on. My sauna mate and I get a few odd looks from others heading off to bed as we crash about in the snow in our jocks.
I am keeping myself amused with plenty of reading, exercise, movie watching, getting to know others and helping out around station. The ship is due in a few weeks and I look forward to heading home, visiting Macquarie Island along the way.
