Farewell to our summer team...
Our summer building and science programs have come to an end – this week the wintering team have started to say goodbye to those who spent the summer with us. We've seen over 135 science, trades, and operational staff visit Casey this summer, some staying as little as a week and others staying for four months. Our population peaked at 96 and has now dropped back to 40 as we say goodbye to the last of the teams before they fly home. Next week we expect the last flight of the season to take the remaining summer team home… we'll be down to a team of 23 for the winter period.
To our many friends who spent the summer period with us – thank you for your hard work and great friendship, we wish you all the best and hope to see you again next summer (please bring some fresh fruit with you).
 The summer team |
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 Narelle, John and Amy |
|  Charlie, Cliff, Bob and Keenan |
|  Brett and Noel |
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 Farewell dinner |
|  Admiral Ken is presented with his hat |
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 Our friendly pilots and engineers – Skytraders |
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Sadly we say goodbye to our good friends doc Clive, plumber Barry, chef Rocket and dieso Troy who have spent the past 12 to 16 months at Casey. All the best guys, we hope to see you again next year.
 Clive, Barry, Rocket and Troy |
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Casey ins and outs
This week's ins and outs is proudly brought to you by Skytraders, the delightful people movers.
Our first flight this week after multiple, multiple delays due to melts was on Saturday 12 Feb. The leavers were all greeted with one of the most beautiful sunrises one could possibly hope to see anywhere in the world. We were all transfixed on the horizon to the east as the sky was painted by one of the best artists in the world.
This flight held half the station wanting to go home, well ok not quite half, but it sure felt like it when I came back to a quieter station. We saw Lyn, Tom, Sandra and Peter finally finish their visit after a huge welcome across East Antarctica and a huge following in Casey. Their assistance in the kitchen was greatly appreciated, especially the multiple bucket-loads of carrots that Lyn, ever-so-happily peeled for the chef.
The scientists bid us farewell after a very successful season with the minke team, the 'D' girls and Tim and the ice core team after a successful drill to 120 metres, providing a lovely 150-year-old sample for testing.
We also saw Vicki and Jane depart from their ever-continuing GSA roles. These two ladies put a spark in the place and will be sorely missed from life on station. Many thanks to the two of you from Casey station.
The 'ins' for this flight were a small band of six, and included some more scientists here for a three-day stay to do their project work, plus a representative of BoM and our two replacement GSAs, Marie Keane and Dave Watts. Only being here for a short stint didn't deter their spirits and they all looked forward to a lovely stay at Casey.
Flight 17 Feb 10
The day started out dark, very dark and once again we saw a large exodus from Casey with 17 summer expeditioners who have spent varying amounts of time on station. We lost some AGSO staff, some FTOs, scientists, tradies and Bob the plumber, all returning home after a successful summer.
The 'ins' for the flight were, in one word, tiny. Welcome Tom and enjoy your winter with a fine bunch of people.
Flight 18 Feb 10
The day was once again dark, reminding us that we are at the end of summer and can look forward to winter settling in over Casey. We sent home 13 expeditioners on today's flight, the last of the non-essential crews required to see out the summer here. The last winterer Rod, scientists John and Dave and the last of the summer tradies departed, which now leaves the Skytraders engineers and CASA 212 pilots, along with Narelle (Comms), Jenn (AGSO), Marty (FTO), Martin (OPS) and myself (bus driver and storeman).
The Casey 'ins' were a very short list, with Priscilla (Queen of the White Desert) making her lonely drive back to the station. Only one more trip for her this year and then she will be put to bed.
This will be my last 'ins and outs' for this year, and I thank all those at Casey for a wonderful summer and hope the winter expeditioners enjoy the solitude and quiet without messy summerers around. Keep up the good work and hope to see you all again next year.
And please pass on to the incoming driver that they should keep up this record of ins and outs.
Mick Clarke,
Retiring summer storeperson and bus driver
It's a three hour drive from Casey station to Wilkins Aerodrome and good 'ol Priscilla can be trusted to get everyone to Wilkins for their flight back to Hobart.
 Priscilla our bus |
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 Wednesday's team departs Casey |
|  Thursday's team – more leave Casey |
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Although we've seen over 60 expeditioners depart Casey during the last few weeks, we're also welcoming a few to our winter team… Charlie, Rob and Tom.
 Tom sees Antarctica for the first time |
|  Sunrise at the Antarctic Circle |
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SAR (search and rescue) exercise
This week, the winter team practiced up on their SAR skills. Lead by SAR leader Major Matt, the team did an excellent job locating Mick and Dave our lost and slightly hurt summer expeditioners. The exercise to locate and retrieve Mick and Dave took under five hours which was a great effort. And a big thanks to our volunteers Mick and Dave for participating.
 Mick being rescued |
|  Dave, it's just a mere scratch!! |
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More Bergs and a few penguins
During the week 13 lucky Casey expeditioners were able to take some time out on the water to enjoy a berg cruise – here are a few fabulous shots of what they saw.
 Marty, Tom, Andrew and Troy enjoying the sights |
|  Scenic cruising |
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 Casey bergs |
|  Some of the local wildlife |
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 Inquisitive Adelie penguins |
|  A skua picking on a leopard seal |
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