Last weekend and this week we have enjoyed an unusual sequential run of light wind days at Macca. This has, in fact, been the lightest weather we have experienced since our arrival in late March. When we arrived on the L'Astrolabe for the annual resupply and changeover, we didn’t have the usual helicopters — normally on the Aurora Australis - to achieve the resupply of our field huts and collection of rubbish from the huts for return to Australia. As a result, we have been progressively moving materials to and from the coastal huts by our zodiac inflatable rubber boats (IRBs) as opportunities present, and this has been progressing quite well to date. We only boat here when the wind is less than 20 knots, a rarity, and the sea state is pretty calm.
The exception to this has been the west coast hut at Bauer Bay, the only west coast hut. As the west coast is our weather coast 90% of the time and normally has rough seas, the sea state on the west coast very rarely permits IRB movement on that side of the island. Consequently, the supply of some materials, particularly heating gas, had become quite short. We were looking at having to restrict use of Bauer Bay hut to essential operational use only during the coming summer as the next opportunity to helicopter in any large gas cylinders would not be until next resupply in April 2015. When the weather forecast for Monday looked as good for west coast boating as it would be likely to ever get, our boating officer/diesel mechanic Pete and coxswains ranger Chris and field training officer Ian began planning a boat trip to Bauer Bay. It was the first time boating on the west coast for all, so was shaping up as something a bit different.
We launched from the west side of the isthmus, again a first for us, and the coxswains and crews managed two return trips with three boats down to Bauer Bay, which is about a quarter of the way down the west coast from station. They also fitted in a small scenic diversion to see some of the spectacular west coast to the south of Bauer Bay. More importantly, we moved four large gas cylinders and a sizeable quantity of essential food items down, so the day was very successful. To cap off a good day, the boat crews had close encounters with a pod of orcas and a black browed albatross on the way home!
Well done and thanks to Pete, Ian, Chris and crews.
