Another Week and More Experiences

Here out at Woop Woop I have spent the last three days in Isolation.
It is up on the Plateau and was reasonably difficult to get to and is the location of the summer skiway. The Groomer is a monster and there are lot of fuel drums and a hut

This is the infamous Sprunky Van named after its maker. It was very cosey when three of us were stuck in it during a blizzard. You can see the Hagglands Blizzed in to the right. It has a radar ontop of it and the skidoo is on its right.

Here I am after the blizzard in the true Antarctica which goes on for 4000 kilometers behind me, all exactly the same on the Plateau. You can also see what happens when blizz gets into your skidoo and what the task of getting it all out before starting work for the day must involve. A lot of hands in cold snow to get the Blizz out of the engine bay to start. We were all picked up after the day of the blizzard via helicopter and returned to the base in time for the Saturday Night Dinner!

It's Hard to Believe That I use a Helicopter to Get to Work!

This was the view over the Plateau from Woop Woop (This is where the two Casa aircraft will be based for the Summer operations. It will be their runway!). It is a long way away and I had to look at all of the terrain to take up the groomer and a Haggland. You'd spend hundreds and thousands doing what I have done in a week in Antarctica. love it!



Aerial views are a great way to suss out which way you are going to go. We just stopped in all the dangerous spots for the vehicles and went and walked it! Giving it a good probing makes everyone feel more confident!



Today was a real struggle as we had to use the Helicopter for the first time. This will be the main form of transport for me over the Summer when the Sea Ice breaks out. Well Choppa out and walk back! Don't worry about the tax payers as I am paying enough tax for a whole workplace to make up for it.

Day 3 Quading and drilling!

Penguin walk foir the Crew out to Gardiner Island. I finished work today at 10:00pm!

Standing outside Bandits Hut. This is one of the more remote locations and took most of the day to get there an back.

Quadding in Antarctica down the Long Fjord.

Helmet Cam! Slick ice in the bckground, even at speeds below 30km the quad can do all sorts of nasty things due to no traction.

This was early in the morning wile testing the sea ice for safety to support up to 20tonne vehicles. 80cm is good and less than 60cm would be questionable for the heavy trucks.

Day 1 & 2 - Antarctica

This was a long day! The flat green thin is the fuel line coming from the ship 3.6kms to the shore! I had to help set it all up in 200m sections then drive a quad up and down for the day to make sure there were no leaks.

Day 2 was being the "sllushy" or dishpig and there are no photos of that as you should know what someone washing lots of dishes looks like. Try doing it for 123 people and see if you want photo's of it!

Land Ho!

It had been a much anticipated vision to see the base and final destination. Although it was also frustrating as it would be another 3 days to get there through the thick fast ice which the boat had some difficulty with. Often becoming stuck or stopping to let the helicopters off.

It does look like the ship is not there yet but at 3.6km off the shoreline it is parked in at a distance but truly stuck! All of the heavy machinery can drive over the ice to get the 100's of tonnes of equipment and supplies off the ship! The ice is up to 1.75cm thick that is almost as tall as me and as hard as reinforced cement.

Natural Wonders from the Voyage

The birds are really for George but I hope everyone else likes them too.

Super dooper sunset that just kept on going and going!

Emperor penguins jumping into the water in front of the boat!

Leopard Seal with her Pup. A very rare sight indeed as the use the sea ice to raise there young away from any colonies. Very scary looking and antisocial although sometimes social I guess as that is a baby!

Weddell Seal -pronounced Wedd ell Seal is just seal siting on the ice and in the process of loosing fur! These guys were everywhere as we got closer to the continent.

Very hard to catch when surrounded by snow! These are Snow Petrels which are a lot smaller than the GT below



Fantastic Bow wave from the Bridge! This did happen a little too often in the open seas as the boat was chockers.

GT or Giant Petrel taken from the boat. They are amazing to watch as they can ride the wind uplifted from the waves just as eagles ride the thermals.

Another amazing night which I can not really explain!

All Hail King Neptune!

Initiation by the King! Yuk! Well a wise women (sister Naomai) asked me if I had crossed over to talking pirate. Funny as it seems me hearties she was right on the money. There had been a number of instances where the activities resembled the days of old. Where Parrot's were for your shoulders, hooks replaced your hand and a wooden stump made do for e peg leg!

Let it be known - That from the salty, salpy depths we stir.
Your ship makes good speed, but time is ours.
And all that cross the veil of South
Must stand before the Ocean's Law.

It is declared that Dave Atkins has paid humble and due honour to this passage and is o sound but watery character.That I, Australis King Neptune, Ruler of the Southern Ocean and its winds, shall take the right to cast an eye upon all those of sodden feet, who wish to cross this Southern realm, and land on icy shores.So, if pleases us that the holder of this certificate be now dubbed a South Polar Sea Dog, to take pride in the brine that will now course through their veins. And that the same South polar Sea Dog be seen to be a true and trusted salt, respecting all, and will know the snaggletooths and sea devils as friends.





This is probably the worst I have smelt for the entire trip and was after I had already cleaned up with some paper towel. The stench of the old fish guts, kitchen scrapes and juices, Vegemite and goodness only knows what else was enough to make some people vomit when the seas were almost calm!

You really cannot see the fish scales and all of the juices down the back of my neck in this photo. to cap it off the crew turned off the showers for a little while very, very funny!