Information
Comments
OPERATIONAL SUMMARY:
* Vessel arrived at anchorage off Davis Station around 1520 local time after transit from Mawson.
* 42 returning expeditioners transferred from station to the ship;
* Priority cargo delivered to station.
By mid-morning today, the Aurora Australis was sailing steadily across the clear waters of Prydz bay, after an evening watching stunningly large and beautifully sculpted icebergs pass the vessel as we moved to the North and West of Cape Darnley. The skies cleared as we drew closer to Davis station, making for a very impressive entrance via another 'iceberg alley' as the vessel navigated the last approach to our intended anchorage, around 1 nautical mile from Davis station. At one point, the vessel passed a smaller berg around the size of a two-storey house, which was shaped a little like a pointed mushroom. The berg stood out from the other, larger and otherwise more impressive icebergs - as a large group of Adelie penguins had decided to make the berg their own private slippery-slide, appearing to climb towards the top of the berg before sliding and skipping back down its face as the vessel approached.
The vessel quickly anchored and straight away prepared the jet barge for discharge over the ship's side, opened the bunker door (the large utility door used for passenger transfers when not adjacent to a wharf, situated around halfway along the ship's side and 3 - 4 metres from the water line) and broke-out the Aurora's largest 25 tonne crane. As soon as the barge was in the water, an IRB from station met the vessel and assisted with the transfer of the barge crew aboard.
The barge then proceeded directly to the station wharf, where a large group of the summering expeditioners had already gathered ready to be sent out to the vessel for their ride home. The barge brought the returning expeditioners to the ship in two groups of around twenty, each group filing aboard by climbing the vessel's pilot-ladder from the barge deck, and then making their way inside to their cabins.
The evening meal was being served aboard as the last of the expeditioners arrived from station, with many new and just as many old, familiar faces joining the line to select a meal and catch up with expedition mates and colleagues from the ship and from Mawson station, adding to the already lively atmosphere of the mess. While the new expeditioners were settling in, the barge and station wharf teams continued cargo operations, retrieving expeditioner cabin baggage and sending ashore priority refrigerated goods, chemicals for the station's Reverse Osmosis plant (the machinery which generates fresh water from saline), essential spare parts, structural steel, various gases and the station's water tank. The Aurora had been forced to depart Davis around three weeks ago with one of the station's water tanks which had been used to transfer water from the ship's supplies to the station to supplement its own reserves due to bad weather preventing us sending back ashore in time.
Much to the relief of all on station and aboard the vessel, no further water transfers were required upon our arrival back at Davis today, as the station had managed to repair their Reverse Osmosis plant and had since generated a significant amount of fresh water in our absence at Mawson.
Tomorrow, the vessel will continue to retrieve essential cargo returning to Australia, before embarking the last of the summer expeditioners and two helicopters and then making our way finally back to sea, and to our home port of Hobart. Weather conditions remained favourable throughout the day, and those aboard the vessel enjoyed a picturesque sunset which reflected the nearby icebergs beautifully in the calm evening waters off Davis.
Cheers
Mark & Fred
Map
A map showing Australia and Antarctica. The map shows the journey of one voyage that has occured in the season, with each route highlighted in a distinct colour.