This week at Casey: 19 October 2012

Our first instalments of the Casey summer expeditioners are due to arrive next Friday. We are expecting to receive fifty four people who will travel from Hobart to McMurdo (United States Antarctic base) by A319 airbus and from there to Casey in two LC-130 Hercules flights. But wait, there’s more. We are also expecting a Basler DC3 and a Twin Otter to arrive from Canada via South Pole and Davis stations. All of these aircraft could be turning up on the same day, but we're hoping the weather allows us a little bit of separation between them.

Preparation of the Casey ski landing area is clearly a very important task at this time of year so that we can kick off the summer by receiving all of these aircraft and their passengers and crew. Preparation began on the 17^th Sept and we are now down to the final finishing touches. The entire Casey station population and numerous staff in Kingston have been involved. It has been an exciting project and we are looking forward to the safe arrival of our buddies old and new.

On Friday evening after dinner, Met Technical Engineer Mark G ran another one of his quiz nights. This time around the format was along the lines of Spicks and Specks: all about music. The three game show ‘buzzers’ that were found in a box at the back of the library during winter were dusted off and checked and tagged by our electricians Phill and Jeb.  Mark put together four rounds of questions, with audio and video support, and all that was left was to form ourselves into three teams.

Question rounds included 70’s and 80’s, ‘pop star or serial killer?’, ‘movie themes’, ‘nineties and noughties’ and a modified ‘Pictionary’ round that showed off the station’s (lack of) drawing skills. 

As usual, Mark had researched his material to within an inch of its life. The questions were varied, interesting and funny, the rules were detailed, the judge’s decision was final and we all had a great time!