This week at Macquarie Island: 27 July 2012

The MIPEP team arrived back on station on the 27^th July. They will spend the next six days phoning home, catching up with partners, family and friends, attending a monthly pest eradication meeting to talk about their experiences, and participating in a half day search and rescue training session. Of course some rest and social time will be part of the mix as well. The quiet township of Macquarie Island doubles in population at the end of each month, a time we all look forward to.  

Richard, Macquarie Island’s Ranger in Charge, was in the field this week conducting marine debris survey with the help of Robby, Matt and Colin. A summary of what they found washed up on the beach is as follows :

• 10 fragments of glass
• 184 plastic fragments
• 16 timber
• 485 fishing twine

The monthly bird counts was also conducted during the week. All six wandering albatross chicks are going well and new grey petrel remote breeding sites have been discovered. A minor reroute of the Jessie Nichol track has been undertaken to avoid a recent landslip and a royal penguin breeding colony.

On the work front, the team continue to complete their weekly and monthly tasks and also attend to the unexpected. This week it was the steriliser in the kitchen to break down and it wasn’t long before Ray, our resident electrician, resolved the problem: a new element. Thanks goodness, there are two items you don’t want out of action for too long, particularly when we know our population is about to double:

1. the dishwasher; and
2. the coffee machine

Maria, our chef, is also busy preparing ahead for the arrival of the hunters. There’s nothing more the team want after spending a month in the field than a professionally cooked meal.

It was discovered late last Friday night the disco lights weren’t performing as they should be so Maria and Mango were on the job first thing the next morning. We’re pleased to advise the lights are now working and will be switched on this weekend for the special theme night.

Other activities during the week include darts (and yes Tom, a fine score), a few movies on the big screen and many discussion on what to wear to this week’s fancy dress party.

July 1975

• Misty rainy day got two fish and one star fish in our net today.
• Wind increasing end of hospital roof lifted and cracked, Chippy and the boys roped it down to save further damage till wind abates.
• Joch putting down a brew as they drank the rest while brewery has been out of action. While Allan was working in there some people can’t get through the day unless they are partly stung. Water running again, tank full.

July, 1999

• Last night Dan continued on to Bauer he was spotlighting and managed to shoot and catch another two cats. The last one that he got was actually on the side of a hill and was standing around with two other cats! Dan was understandably over the moon.
• Bob came back onto base all bouncy and happy. He had managed to snare the elusive “Hell Bay” cat. This brings the tally to 77 so far.