Off the Island and onto Mather Peninsula

 Above is the view from where the helicopter droped us off and below is the spectacular lunch spot just near a moss bed.

 Here is the best moss bed that we had found to date and the life in their was just amazing! There was heaps of glopitty glu and sloopity slop. It was a jackpot of life. Below is some hairy looking lichen that was also a first.

 Below I thought I should just let you all know that I have found a pram and getting in some practice for when the baby comes! I am ready for it but is the baby ready?

Death Squad on Survivor Hop Island

As we neared the pond we heard the familiar noise of fast flying birds diving in for attack, those bloody Skua’s. They were being very persistent and we were aware that they may be protecting one of their babies but they were very close to having a trowel put directly in their path of swoop. After dealing with the onslaught of several angry Skua’s we had made it through their perimeter guard line and could move on to the lake.

 One of the infamous swoopers! Below a Skua hangs over the colony like a shadow of death waiting for the next little bundle of fluff to destroy!

 Skua chicks are usually the reason that you get swooped but often you do not see them untill it is too late! How many can you see in this photo?

 The Grim Reapers of the island go through part of their devil worshipping processes and make a fearful sound while they do it!

 Our first stop was at a site that we have likened to a Roman bath house. In this case for the Skua’s who bathe in the fresh water to get the blood of their penguin prey off their feathers after a good feed of baby fluffy, cuddly and cute penguin chick. Apparently the adults are too tough and you need to organise a side salad of seaweed! Back to the Roman bath that we had sampled the day before. On arrival we had noticed a dead Skua that had not been there the day before so an official autopsy was required!

No obvious signs of a struggle or abuse other than the fact that its eyes were missing! From here we could only hypothesise about the nature of its death and present condition! Why do you think it died?

Survivor Hop Island Continues

 Above a nice freshwater lake that we were sampling and below the black waters of the 'Pond of Death'

  Yes from a distance it looked like a luscious green pond surrounded by the multitudes of baby Adele’s who are only concerned with where there next meal comes from. On closer inspection it was not a mirage but a ‘Pond of Death’ (In a deep voice to make it all the scarier) which was black with the rancid filth of goodness knows what in it. There were more penguin carcases than you could imagine and all in different states of decomposition. This in itself is unusual as there are no bacteria or decomposers in Antarctica but they seemed to be breaking down. The ‘Pond of Death’ may just lure its prey down from the rookery or they may attempt to get rid of their dead or all those who touch it ultimately die!

 To top off the day I went for a little pre bed stroll that just took my breath away! Sitting at the Fulmar colony not too far from the Smartie I was able to watch in peace as they all went about their business. Some of the older chicks were unattended but far from helpless as they would sound the alert as fast and loud as they could. Their parents returning from time to time to feed them and see what all the fuss was about, Cape Petrels are also mixed into the cacophony of sounds that are the northern sea cliffs of Hop Island. Their chicks seem to be the ones that are at times unattended so I can only assume that they are older than the Fulmar chicks. Of course no bit of wildlife ever goes undetected and care free. The Skua’s are also there with their spawn of the undertakers never far from the action.

 Up early for a radio sched to get us out of this god forsaken island! It feels like I am on a survivor series. Survivor Hop Island although in this case I have to make sure that everyone makes it out the other side of the adventure. Back to the radio, we found that in fact the game had only just started as we were effectively left on the island to fend for ourselves for the next two to three days. Primarily due to the helicopter demands being very high at the moment with the AMISOR crew getting their stuff off the Amery Ice Shelf, assisting the Russians in the Vest folds and slinging dirt out of the fuel spill site. Well what were we to do but go out and explore some more!

 Fortunately for us the island started to show off all of its hidden beauties such as more previously not sampled lakes that could expand the research being done, seals, penguins and a sleeping Leopard Seal. This was of course after we had seen a few other little gems such as a Weddell Seal trapped by drifting pieces of ice and the multitudes of funny little penguinni’s.

 Well after an extra day on the island I feel as though I got that little bit more of it. It would have been a pity to leave this morning and not see what we did today. Although this does make it a bit harder for the scientists who are on a tight schedule to get things done before V3 gets in to take them away! A bit selfish of me but I am glad that it has worked out with a couple of extra days.

Day 3 Hop Island

 Bouldering Antarctica was something that I had not really imagined but when the opportunity presented itself it was taken on one of the most spectacular boulders I have ever seen. Obviously very old and not like any of the other boulders in the area it was striped black and white. Possible because of different layers of sediments building up over time and then eroding to form a vast array of contour lines that were solid as a rock so to speak. Just awesome and impossible to pass up as a detour!

 Just an awesome rock as far as I am concerned. A lot like a clam Naomi(my sister)!

 Fully sick sunsets!

Another amazing nite with pink sunsets and the sounds of the penguins as the sun sets and a ripper of a full moon to boot! You may ask where the moon is? I did only see that one when I got up to go for a pee without the camera and was not going back outside into the cold wind again! Sorry you will just have to come down!

Hop Island Day 2

Here I am with my Silva ADC weather station that Jimbo gave me getting wind speed and temperature to go with some of the invertebrate sampling that we were doing near the peguin colony. Very handy little gizmo!

 We initially gravitated towards the Adele Penguin colony which was just chockers with the fluffy little black chicks of downy goodness. All seemingly as big as their parent they stand in groups like children in a crèche. The crèches are minded by a couple of adults but have upwards of twenty chicks. Tens of thousands of the birds are spread along the length of an elongated piece of land that has multiple scattered groups. Overhead more skuas’ circle ever hopeful for a weak or unguarded chick to make a fatal mistake leading to lunch. The carcasses of those that have not made it scattered the ground and many of the birds now nest on the bones of their brothers and sisters. Many of them watch as the weak or the young that have made the mistakes are consumed within feet of where they were taken.

We did have an interesting conversation about the anatomy of the Weddell seal that we saw just before lunch. My science friends were adamant about a belly button looking thing that had a few scars nearby. It was about a third of the way up the seals belly and I pointed out that I thought it was a penis hole. Anyway to cut a long story short the debate lasted a few minutes while we watched the seal lazing in the sun. Penis, scar, penis, scar, penis, belly button, penis, belly button, penis before the seal proceeded to relieve itself right before our eyes revealing that it was in fact a penis! Ahah, “I told you so” and a great sense of satisfaction that comes from being right. Newly inflated all knowing status of biologist and all knowing FTO and experienced Antarctic expeditioner!

 The biggest most bed to date and sampling in a salt lake

Hop Island

Finally a break in the weather at about 14:30 and it was on. Get it all to the heli pad and get out while we could. This was complicated a little by the amount of equipment that we needed to take. After loading it all in it was found that there was too much for us and the gear so another flight was set to take us spread over two flights.  

 The rest of the day just got better and better as we walked along the northern coast of the island and found a number of the Fulmar (type of petrel that looks a little like a sea gull) colonies that were also surrounded by the nesting areas of Skua’s. Egg upon egg seemed to be scattered and open on the ground where the skua’s had cracked open the eggs of the Fulmar’s. The fulmar’s nest on the ground but also seem to be only on these northern facing cliffs of Hop Island. Skua’s wait eagerly for their chance to seize any and all opportunities to feed themselves from others misfortunes.

 Above are some of the Fulmar nests the closest one has a visible chick under her belly. Below is the Smartie the Apple of Hop Island and below that well I will just leave it to you!

Australia Day 2010

Fantastic Sunset for the day, a gret way to cap off the day. 

 This is one of the little obstacles that was just a part of the beach cricket. At about a tonne nobody was going to hit the ball near this little Elephant Seal!

 The swim was on and nearly everyone dared to enter the water. Above a disappointed surfer and the head of the marine science who was on beach safety. You may notice Nessy in the background and below is the last group of swimmers for the day and you can see why all were not too sure about it when the mankinni came out!Scary times!