Out to the Amery and the Land of the Never Ending Sunset

Yesterday was a ripper but had a bit of a slow start as my day was due to start at 17:00 with a helicopter flight out to Zhong Shan the Chinese base to drop off some BBQ gas fittings, Sansom Island where there is an Australian Melon Shelter and fuel depot, on to the Amery where the AMISOR drilling project was running to drop off cheese, newspapers, extra sleeping bags and a bannana cake! Really we were there to go and survey the next drill site with a couple of the team members. After the all clear it was back to the base finising by 02:00 for a late dinner.

Although I did go out on the sea ice monitoring program to have a look at the progress of the deteriorating conditions. Here is one of the guys pulling out the 2 meter long drill bit. You can see some water coming out with it. Funilly enough there are also krill coming out in this spout of salty water. It does stop and settle down but looks good when it first happens.

My Room in Antartica (This is really for George!)

Well it is not much and most likened to a dog box office and bed combo for two! Thank goodness there are not two in there as that would be the pits. Not much but it is my mess. At the moment I have just got back from one trip and about to go on another. The door does not open all the way as that is where my dirty jocks and socks are! I have only just done my first load of washing this evening so it does open a bit more but there are heaps of things hanging on the back of the door to restrict this too! I really use the floor as a low shelf and that seems to work for me but I occassionally regret having multiple ice axes on the floor.

Beached As in the Antarctic

Well it has been a busy few days here in the cold! Started trianing of the expeditioners three days ago and didn't stop until now. It was quad/ survival due to time constraints the first day with a half day quadding trip looking at navigation and travel then half day walk and bivviy out on an Antarctic beach. Yes Beach that is 51 meters below sea level, so the lowest and saltiest in the Southern Hemisphere and maybe the World. Anyway there were some Adele Penguins there on holidays from the ocean. I guess it is like the ocean to them as it is far saltier than the water of the southern ocean and will not freeze until -18 degrees or something ridiculous like that! You can see the petrified seal that really didn't taste very good but softened up after an hour in your mouth! Changeover at lunchtime then another 24hr trip for familiarisation for crew that had come from Mawson and Casey. Plenty of things to see and do and heaps of really cool rocks. That is really all there is to look at other than a few dead things and the ocassional penguin. No I lie there were a few Wilson's Storm Petrels which nest under rocks and make a very odd noise if you are near the nest. No such luck as to spot one on a nest as they are well hidden. They were heard on the way up Mt Lied at 126m above sea level you go from the ice straight up and have panoramic 360 degree views out to the icebergs and to the plateau which extends 4000km to the pole and beyond.