Davis Winterers, 2007

Top row (L-R): Luigi, Dave, Trevor, Glenn R, me, Paul, Colin, Barry, Matt
Bottom: Annette, Tony, Glenn M, Jason, Yogi, Cookie, Denise, Glen H, Didier

We took our group photo recently to go on the wall in the Living Quarters alongside all the previous wintering groups. The decision was made to take the photo down on the old station for a two main reasons - we are the 50th wintering party and the first group's photo was taken there, and this is the last season the old station will be here as it it being removed this year.

On a different subject we had a blizzard here on Friday night. We set a new record for the highest wind recorded at Davis - 97 knots which is 180km/h. I went outside at 90 knots (167km/h) to experience it and it was bloody hard work just standing up. Unfortunately for Paul and Barry there was a problem at the powerhouse which needed to be rectified just as the wind was at it's peak (around 0100 Saturday morning) and they came back exhausted, but safe, after fixing the problem.

Roadside Assistance

Last week a group of 7 headed off to the Rauer group of islands for a bit of an extended jolly. As the trip involved crossing the glacier and the time it would take to get back a fair bit of organising was involved. After getting approval from head office they headed out on Wednesday morning singing "We're all going on a summer holiday". A little optimistic, but there you go. They were leaving at 0600 come hell or high water and anyone not in the Haggs would be left behind, so they left at closer to 0630. A well organised bunch except for one or two minor problems. At approximately 1230 we got a radio call saying they had a problem with one of the Haggs and were heading back to station. About half an hour later we got another call requesting a new track be brought out to them. This caused a bit of a concern for us as we had only recently put a new track on one of the Haggs in the workshop and it took 6 of us some time (and some interesting words that I have never heard before) to get it on. Now we were going to try one in the field?

Due to fire team coverage and the need to have at least one of each trade on station at all times Matt and I were the ones who volunteered (or were asked) to go. While some of the guys loaded the Hagg with what we needed (a new track, a new road wheel, tools, come-alongs, slings, shackles, chains, sledgehammers, fuel and a dictionary with bad words in it), Tony organised some food for us as we had no idea how long we would be. Matt and I got our personal survival gear together and headed off into the wilderness in what we dubbed "Thunderbird 4" due to it's colour.

When we met up with the group about an hour and a half later they had the stricken red Hagg jacked up and ready to strip the old track off. We gave them the saw to cut it off and it was off before we had the new track on the ground for them.

Yogi and Glen H (under the Hagg)Matt and I unloading the new track

There were enough motivated people in their group to hook in and get the job done so Matt and I loaded the old track and supplied tools and gear as required. The new track went on very easily compared to the last one we did and in just over an hour after the old track was cut off the new one was in position. Everyone was very surprised and the dictionary wasn't required. We all packed our gear up and very soon the travellers were back on their way and Thunderbird 4 was heading back home after the mission was declared a complete success. We were back on station just before 1900.

Ready to roll

Happy campers back on the road thanks to the skill and determination of the rescue team.

Mount Boulder

Earlier this week Annette, Yogi and I headed up to Watts Hut for the night. The big plan was to climb Mount Boulder, the largest in all of the Vestfolds. After dropping off some of our gear at the hut we continued on up Lake Druzhby and over the Tierney river crossing to Crooked Lake. Boulder is located at the far end of Crooked Lake.

Mount Boulder in all it's glory

After a harrowing climb in brilliant sunshine and almost no wind, we finally made it to the top. But Boulder wasn't about to give up it's summit that easily. At the last ridge we had to scramble over the top to safety.

It's lucky someone left a camera up here to capture this

And of course, once on top of the world it is obligatory to have your "hero shot" taken.

We returned to Watts after having a bit of a longer look around Crooked Lake. Behind the hut is a bridge that crossed where Lake Druzhby flows into Ellis Fjord. In previous summers this has flow very strongly but when I crossed the bridge during field training it was frozen. And as you can see below, it is pretty well frozen in at the moment too.

Yogi on the bridge behind Watts Hut

The plan for the next day was to head back to station in no real rush, cruising around the islands at the end of the fjord looking for some wildlife. We didn't have to look very hard as the adelie penguins are back now in their thousands, and the Weddell seals are everywhere too.

One of the many seals around the place

One of the reasons that we are getting so many seals so close to station is that the ice is starting to break out. Large tide cracks are starting to appear as the Sorsdal Glacier forces it's way into the sea ice. The ice breaks and moves, and then starts to re-freeze. The seals use these cracks to get onto "solid" ground to rest, and in some cases give birth. The picture below shows a recent tide crack, and you can see a hole where a seal had just come out of the water. When we were there another seal was using this as a breathing hole, helping to keep it open. The ice that I am sitting on is about a meter thick, but in the crack itself the ice is thickest where my feet are and is strong enough to stand on, but tapering down to nothing in the middle.

Sitting on a tide crack

Pretending I'm a seal

Further back towards station we came across another seal, but this one was with a new pup. This one was thought to be no older than 2 weeks.

Mum and pup

Seal pup nuzzling into the snow

The animals are back

Over the last week or so the seals and penguins have started making their way back to the local area. A few seal pups have already been seen, with plenty more still on their way. The adelie penguins have started arriving at the local rookeries.

Today Barry and I went to Watts Hut and also to Marine Plain and Crooked Lake apples to check on the fire extinguishers and also for a bit of electrical work to be done at Watts. The trip was supposed to be only a few hours, but we encountered some mechanical problems just before we reached Marine Plain. Whilst investigating a sudden loss of power (found to be a broken accelerator link, fixed with a bit of string) we found the number two injector leaking fuel back into the engine tunnel. Whilst not causing us any major concerns, the only real alternative was to head back to Davis to swap over Haggs. Because of the delay we were going to be back later than first thought so we decided to cancel the rest of the day and drive around Gardiner Island to check out some of the wildlife. I've only got one picture below, but there will be more soon as Yogi, Annette and I are heading out tomorrow to stay at Watts Hut for the night so we will be finding a few more. Also on the trip is an attempt on the summit of Mount Boulder - the highest in all the Vestfold Hills.

Adelies on Gardiner Island

There has been some more snow around the place lately, leaving us with quite a clean-up job. Roads have to be cleared and we also have to clear around the areas where the summer crew will be working or as it all melts they will be working in slush and water. It's good fun driving the loaders around for a few hours, until you happen to get one bogged. Luckily I haven't done that yet. In fact, the only person who has is Glen H, our Plant Inspector (which is the head diesel mechanic). Luckily we were there to "help".

Glen showing off his handy work

Matt giving Glen some helpful free advice on how to use a shovel

The idea was right, it's just the power of the recovery gear that was the problem...

We have also been giving the place a bit of a clean up in readiness for the incoming crew. Over the last few weeks I have re-discovered some long lost talents: floor stripping and polishing. Oh, the memories it brought back for me (and most of them weren't good!)