well its been a big week all round here and lets start of with what i finished with last week the Qantas flyover. To digress for a moment, but it never ceases to amazing me with the amount of people that have been looking at my blog. 2790 over 24 blogs and although many of you remain silent there is on occasion i do get some emails or messages that are really nice. There is one email that caught me a little off guard to say the least.
Back to the story i last left you with this pic................
So...............after posting that blog never in a million years did i EVER expect to happen what did happen. The next day being Monday i finished work to find a message waiting for me on Facebook. A passenger on the plane had arrived back in Australia and googled - Casey Station Qantas flyover - and guess what my blog popped up. Never in a million years did i think that something as small as a picture could connect two people, it really is a very small world. So in come Edward Hodgson sent me a pic of me probably taken a pic of him. You cant see me but i am there you'll just have to take my word on it..........
You may think the story stops there but no it doesn't. We have a station newsletter that gets read by past, present and the wider Antarctic community. Icy News and last week they put in Edwards picture that he sent me, well from that a scientist sent me an email asking if she could contact Edward in relation to his picture as it highlights the mosses and lichens that she is studying. The mosses and lichens in this area are of great significance as there is only a couple places that they grow and Casey is one of them. Behind the red shed you can see the lichens and at the end of the buildings there is ASPA 135 which is to protect this very important area. More info on the mosses and lichens on the Divisions web site .
While we are on the subject of planes we had our first departures and arrivals of the season last week with the departure of 6 expeditionars and arrivals of the same. So firstly lets say goodbye to the outgoing..........
Here is Tye one of our electricians and Billy one of our FTO's (field training officer)...............Tye wasn't going unfortunately but Billy was.........
Myself and Al........
Most of the "Dirty Crew" minus Bec and the addition of a Kiwi mouth organist Timmy..............
More of the crew.................
The entire station well "Merry Xmass"........thanks Kate
Narelle getting ready to get into the Hagg and get the hell out of here.............
Bye!
Think Dave was a little shocked that they had finally gone!!
Rowdy made it up the hill to the skiway to welcome the new passengers and take some nice pictures for my blog..............at least he remembered the memory card this time!
What a view from the skiway too huh.............
Pic: Cliff (Rowdy) Simpson Davis
Ken Borek Air Ltd Basler............Ken Borek is the main Aircraft operators here in Antarctica. The Basler is a DC3 which has had its engines converted from normally aspirated to turbo prop more info can be found HERE.
Just a random shot of our ex fearless leader Narelle getting ready for a "Racking"..............Ive been racked and one of the rules of being "Racked" is not to tell what is involved in a one so in short of you want to know ill preform the ceremony when i get home..............think the Que is going to be long!!
Another random one of me and Kate taking our ping pong all serious like...........
This picture I've been waiting for for about 3 months as Amber is a little slack with giving out her pics...............anyway she calls it "tongue and grove"
Pic: Amber Martyn
Saturday i was rostered on as a Slushi which is a fancy word kitchen hand. Its good fun working in a kitchen serving food to customers that i know every single one. Not only that but the next restaurant is 500km away and not that easy to get bookings at!
So Saturday night we had a theme night which was "fur or feathers" night with the exception of a fue the entire station turned out.....................
Sunday was a easy day with the exception that one of the more colourful members of our team AKA Dr Kate Mary Christmas fancy pants had been given news that she would be on Basler 2 to Mcmurdo. Me and the other Dirty Crew members thought we would make a little something something for her and this is how we did it......
And this is how she received it.................
5am yep 5 i cant believe it either but i was up at that time to say my last goodbyes to all the outgoing peoples. So its now 930pm and its been another busy day of science.
I sometimes get so wound up in life down here it is hard to remember life keep on going on back home. Like in the instance of the birth of one of my best friends first and i am again missing out. Lou i hope you are doing well and i am looking forward in catching up with both you Hayden and Sacha.
Take care and until next week,
Michael
P.S......................................"I'd rather be a failure in something that I love than a success in something that I hate."
George Burns
George Burns
No comments:
Post a Comment