This week at Mawson: 16 November 2018

Well, that couldn’t have gone better even if we did have weather gods to pray to! 7 Twin Otter flights in 5 days moved 20 incoming expeditioners and two outgoing, as well as approximately two tonnes of cargo, so the summer season at Mawson could begin. Sunshine all the time with hardly any wind for almost a week, as well as a fantastic effort from all here and support from all at Davis, on the AA and the KBA crew, made it all possible.

After weeks on the ship waiting to get here, our new expeditioners have hit the ground running. Both blue Hagg and the broken ute are in the workshop and will hopefully be back in service soon after a huge effort from Team Dieso (Nate, Peter and Amy).

Work on the Balloon building has begun for Trent and Chris and should take most of the summer to complete. Keiran is getting busy in the stores and Tom is fixing our broken Red Shed window. We have a larger than normal trades team here this summer and they have a full dance card of work to complete during their brief season.

Project teams also arrived, some for longer than others. Year Round Access and Tide Gauge teams are here only for a week or so before returning to Davis for the remainder of summer. The Bird team of Anna and Marcus have started their field work out at the Rookery Islands today with the Adélies, and Arts Fellows Jane and Jesse are acclimatising and getting the lay of the land.

To celebrate all arrivals and welcome the new faces a “Welcome to Summer” BBQ was held on Monday evening after the last flight, with extra-special new resident Stay as guest of honour, and the weather mild enough for hanging on the blizz tail and playing badminton. Yes, we had that little wind we could play badminton! 

Resupply is a dangerous time. We've all heard the warnings. Been inducted into the SOPs. Walked the fuel line in the wee small hours. But for one highly esteemed expeditioner, nay expeditioner royalty, resupply proved a time of great liberation. Released into the light and air at last from her hiding place in the ducting at Davis, and cunningly disguised in a fuel spill kit by the enterprising stealth team of Curly and Tom (with back up from Davo), Stay herself put it best when she remarked:  GRRRR… WOOF.

Taking advantage of the total lack of attention paid by Antarctic newbies, Tom and Curly escorted Stay up the gangway and into the short term safety of the Aurora Australis — rumours that her base and legs could be seen sticking out of the spill kit only prove that you get anything past a newbie.

Jason Ahrens, Davis SL, obviously regretting the SHAMEFUL way in which his station had hosted Stay’s stay, betrayed all his compatriots by actually himself delivering Stay (disguised now in personal luggage) into the safe hands of Tom and the twin otter.

Since landing at Mawson, Stay has been regaling all at the bar with stories of how she kept her sanity during her dark days at Davis. Forever indebted to her brave liberators, Stay had the final word on the whole escapade: GRRRRRRRRRROOOFFFF!

Jesse Blackadder 

So we've solved the problem of how to get a winterers’ photo where we all look our best: over winter, Matt 3D printed penguin versions of us all, and made the most of the weather to take a pic. Way better!