As our time draws inexorably nearer to an end here at Mawson, I can’t help myself but feel a little reflective. For me, Mawson has been icing on the Antarctic cake. I spent an amazing summer and winter at Davis; towards the end of our season I got the call-up to fly over to Mawson to cover one of the out-going expeditioners. For me this was a great opportunity to see another of Australia’s Antarctic Stations and to explore the famed Framnes Mountains.
I've had what can only be described as an Awesome Mawson Summer, and I've had the chance to photograph a lot of it!
We've climbed mountains, camped out in tents, visited the Auster Emperor Rookery, climbed more mountains, roped-up and wandered through crevasse country, and even had time to do some work. One of the best bits however was having the privilege of celebrating my second birthday in a row down here in Antarctica, where, you guessed it, we went and climbed another few mountains!
The camaraderie and mateship of the crew on station is what makes our time here special. I’d like to thank each and every one of the Mawson crew for making our summer such a success.
And yes, reflecting back over the past 15 months that I’ve been on the continent, I’ve had a ball. Not surprisingly for my family and friends back home, I have signed up to join the ranks of repeat offenders, and it’s no wonder with experiences like these.
What follows are some of my favourite photos from the short summer season.
(I would have put in 40, but Cookie would not have been happy with that!)
By Richard Youd
