Easter and other excitement

A highlight this week was a delightful brunch on Easter Saturday. Bronwen prepared and served scrambled eggs and bacon, prosciutto, tarts, salmon, a cheese platter, fruit and hot cross buns. A special treat were the personalised Easter eggs made by Bronwen using a metal mould designed by Wayne. In the evening the mechanics and Trades Team hosted a barbecue in their workshop.

The temperatures recorded all week have consistently ranged from a maximum temperature of -9°C to a minimum of -18°C. The sea-ice is freezing and a party of Malcolm, Mel and Michael drilled in many different locations in the harbour, reporting thicknesses over 500m. At this thickness the ice is safe to walk, skate and ski on and to operate quads.

The skaters were first onto the ice and by week's end they had removed the snow from the ice and smoothed out a small section for skating. Darren (Hendo) is clearly our best skater and boss of the rink. Beginners have found it pretty easy skating with the wind at their backs, although they appear rather awkward going into the wind.

There are many extra and voluntary jobs on station as sea-ice monitors, brewers, people working in hydroponics, Electoral Returning Officers etc, but I was keen to have a haircut. I asked who the hairdressers were and I was politely told that everyone not in the Leadership Team was a hairdresser. The first to brave two of the firing squad, namely Paul and Anders, was Mel (what do you think of the result?).

This week we have been spoilt by some beautiful sunsets, including a solar pillar on Monday, an ice cold full moon rising over the plateau on Friday, and nice sunrises including a wonderful display on Thursday. On several days the wind has been blowing the snow off the ice cliffs in East Bay and the effect has been captured by Kelvin in two photos.