Walking to Hurd Point can be painful, especially when you're too ambitious! We prepare for our imminent station resupply and changeover in a few weeks by refreshing our emergency training. The famous Macca photo album contains a worm cake. Wait, what?

Pat and Keon walk to Hurd Point

Last week, summer carpenter Pat returned from a week long work trip walking to Hurd Point hut at the southern end of the island, and calling in at the other coastal huts en route to carry out various building maintenance tasks. Last weekend, Keon also returned from a very quick two day walking trip to Hurd Point (one day there and one back). Most people walk the 35 kilometre trip to Hurd Point over two days (each way). That distance may not sound hugely imposing for a keen walker to do in a day, but the going is challenging with plenty of hilly and boggy terrain, and generally very windy weather. Consequently, few people try the one way trip in one day.

Doing the return trip in two days, instead of four, is a severe challenge. We are still not sure exactly why Keon set himself this challenge. Neither, it seems, is Keon. It may have had something to do with extravagant claims made at the bar one night. Regardless, Keon is happy to state that he will never do it again. His feet have blisters in places where most people’s feet don’t have places.

Keon and Pat share some photos.

Preparations for resupply and changeover

Our resupply and station crew changeover is rapidly drawing closer, due to commence in early April. Amongst the station preparations we are undertaking, we are conducting training for our various emergency teams. With the station to be refuelled with a floating hose from the Aurora Australis, we have brushed up on our fuel spill training with plant inspector Pete and station environment officer Evelyn.

With the extra population, a heightened level of busy activity and an elevated risk of medical emergencies, we have also conducted several sessions of refresher training for our lay surgical team to assist station doctor Mal. Bureau of Meteorology staff Evelyn and Sean are Mal’s anaesthetics assistants, and electrician Paul and station leader Ivor are theatre assistants. These expeditioners received two weeks of intensive training at Royal Hobart Hospital during pre-departure training. Robert joined us for the training session as our exercise patient, to undergo a mock procedure.

Macca photo album

Images from around Macquarie Island.

Read Ingrid’s worm story from last week (see worm cake pics below).

 

on