This week at Mawson we climb mountains and farewell two of our number out to Bechervaise Island.

Two days — two summits

Well another great week of weather here at Mawson (people keep saying it’s a windy place — I think it’s to deter people wanting to work at the best AAD station on the continent!)

With a bit of work behind us for the week a crew of four of us headed to the Framnes Mountains for bit of climbing. Part of my job here as the field trainer is to take people climbing on more of the technical peaks in the Framnes mountains. Gav, Hilly, Dan and myself headed away for two days.

Our first ‘warm up’ climb was Mt Henderson — a pleasant one rope length pitch. Only a 45 minutes–1 hour walk from Henderson Hut.

The second day saw us based at Rumdoodle Hut to climb Rumdoodle peak –three rope pitches and a nice one hour approach walk.

It was a fantastic few days off station. The views were stunning and company great. Very lucky to be working in such a beautiful environment (job applications are now open!)

Heidi Godfrey 

Man-hauling to Beche

Matt and Lisa, our penguin researchers, are now safely ensconced on Béchervaise Island, approximately three kilometres off the coast from Mawson station. This is where they will be spending the next 9 to 10 weeks studying the Adélie penguin colonies there. 

On Saturday afternoon a team of five (Gav, Dan, Ben, Danny and Heidi) escorted them and the last of their equipment and essentials on sleds out to the island, Heidi finding a path over the fast deteriorating sea ice to the island. There the team helped them unload and then departed with the empty sleds back to station.

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