The 2012 Macquarie Island team wish Antarctic and Sub Antarctic expeditioners all the best for midwinter. We hope you celebrate this special day (June 21st) in style.
To those who have been here before us, we will raise a glass in your honour and say thanks for protecting and preserving this place for others to enjoy.
Regards,
The 65th ANARE Macquarie Island team, 2012
The last number of week-back-out ground hunting was full of snow, bogs, rain, hail, a wee bit of sun, wind but most importantly no rabbit sign! So things are still looking good on the rabbit front, with no rabbits caught and no fresh rabbit sign seen since late November, but the team are still as diligent as ever at searching for them. I was based in the north block the past month so I had the luxury of coming home to a hot shower and lovely cooked meal every night. This next month I will be hunting in the next block south, staying out at Brothers Point and Bauer Bay huts, so there is plenty of rock stacks to explore, escarpment to scale, plateau to plod and coast line to investigate in the ever continuing search for the last of the Macquarie Island rabbits.
Total kilometres walked for the month was approximately 2800km.
Dana Boyte, Dog Handler/Hunter
In support of World Environment Day, commencing June 5th, Macquarie Island expeditioners assisted the Ranger in Charge (Richard) collect and record debris along the east and west coast of the island. The team were required to:
While this work is not a true scientific study, it’s a snapshot of the amount of rubbish which can accumulate along the coast and we know we are doing our bit to protect the environment and wildlife of Macca.
After a few weeks of miserable weather (strong winds and heavy snowfalls), the skies finally cleared to allow some of us to grab our cameras and head for the hills (to repair repeaters) or collect marine debris along the coast. Here are some of the spectacular shots taken during the past few days.
