well its been an interesting week to say the least.....................but ill get to that a little later!
Lets talk about Robbos and what was the last field trip of the season. For some time the Fuel Remediation team had been talking about going out on a jollie together and finally we did it on Monday/Tuesday and we got a cracker of a night.
We arrived around 4pm and after bringing in all the bags we quickly settling in for a nice cup of tea out on the deck only to see an amazing sunset. I could be bias due to the location, ANTARCTICA, but it was one of the best sunsets i can remember.
Below is a short intro video that shows the hut, sunset and surrounding area.
Now for the pictures................
You'll notice the caves............
A close up of the same caves..............
The Vanderford Glacier with some very nice caves in it.............
A random Snow Petrel.............
After watching the sun go down Bec made a beutiful dinner and that where the night started to go downhill in a good way. Mind you there was much very important re hydration involved as it is so dry down here! There was Bec and me doing what could loosely be called dancing to start closely followed by Johan's rendition of the balloon dance.....................
Video: Rebecca McWatters
Margo snapped this little number when she walked in too...........not very nice i must say!!!!
Picture : Margo Rhys-Jones
In the past month it has been amazing the difference in weather compared to last season. Winter really is closing in and with this is the blizzards as Antarctica is the "Home of the Blizzard". That being said getting bogged is quite normal................................here is one of those moments for you!!
Video: Rebecca McWatters
Finishing up in the science building was one of the last jobs for the remediaton team that i was able to help with and here is a couple pictures of me looking pretty darn cool washing vials out for the RTA or return to Australia. These vials were a mixture of the ones used in the GC or Gas Cartography and those used for sampling the piles. Both needed to be rinsed and put into a bag to be disposed of correctly.
Now for the end of summer dinner and it was a doosey.............. Rodney "Rocket" Charles the wintering chef here made us a incredible meal and as it was a masquerade party many of us got dressed for the occasion. Not wanting to go in the normal mask i decided that something as simple as glasses would do it. But for the catch i went as Clark Kent and i even had the Superman suit on underneath.
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
I really should have tryed to hide my real identity shouldn't have I!!!!!
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Tom AKA Ned Kelly......
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Charlie decided to go as a VB box............think he could have chosen a better beer but ohhh well!!
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Don't ask.................Jason the wintering plumber serving us dinner.
Bec and Johan................Bec in more tradition attire and Johan in a self made bucked head!!
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Kate, Amber, Alison, Lance, Sharron and a couple others spent a lot of time making the cranes and little stars for table decorations...................
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
They also made penguins............
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Then Benton the wintering AGSO Aircraft Ground Support Officer which is basically a fancy name for a plant operator decided he was going to make a crane as well but he took it literally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Picture: Rebecca McWatters
Last little thing.................I mentioned in my last blog that I was here for another 10 sleeps. Well that wasn't actually quite accurate as soon after I wrote that blog the Aurora Australia or AA was steaming into and all went well for 10days while Davis going to pick up the summering expeditionars. Then there was a 6 day wait after they became stuck fast in the pack ice. So stuck and also in the middle of a blizzard that there was nothing to do but "Hurry up and wait", a saying you hear a fair bit down here.
Poor old Rowdy as much as I'm sure 1. he needed the detox and 2. Caught up on all his reading I'm sure he must have been close to be put into the padded room. However TODAY the ship offloaded all its passengers all 4 of them, picked up the 40 odd summerers from Davis and now has set sail for here. So all going well we should be out of here on Sunday.
Again emotion for me is running high as I'm sure it is thought most of the station as i am now very much looking forward in seeing family and my first coffee!! Hopefully Mum and Dad are going to be at the wharf on my arrival but as the ship had been delayed and their flights and accommodation already booked its going to be close!!!
AND also a special thanks to Louise for rubbing my nose in the nice coffee you had the other day.............YOULL KEEP!!!!
Last week I said that this week was going to be my last blog from the Ice this season this week ill just leave it OPEN.............
Be cool as im sure im not going to be when i get home!!!!!!!!!
Michael
P.S........................"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."
Colette
Colette
**All pictures not denoted with photographer are taken by me and all pictures are copyright to the author**
Sunday. Yeah, right.
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