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Monday morning saw the Aurora Australis pitching and rolling moderately through high winds and wind-driven waves as a low pressure system made its way East over Davis Station while the vessel was using the time at sea to generate more fresh water.
While the conditioners were fairly wild, most expeditioners enjoyed the opportunity to see a different side to the Antarctic environment, with the scenery still maintaining a degree of beauty and mystery as large bergs drifted in and out of sight on the horizon in between snow showers and swell. Admiration was also reserved for the hardy creatures of this part of the world toughing it out in such conditions, with large groups of Adelie penguins seen huddling together on the edge of large ice floes, or the odd giant petrel or skua still sweeping past the vessel's bridge to check on us in the middle of a snow storm.
The Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring (ARM) project continues to run a series of tests and measurements using a complex array of equipment on the exposed deck above the ship's bridge. The equipment took a slight battering from the strong wind, sea spray and snow / sleet overnight, keeping the three-person ARM team and their assistants busy.
Around 1300 local time (1700 Hobart / AEST), the conditions began abating, and the vessel confirmed that wind and weather in the vicinity of the station were similarly adopting a calming trend. By 1600, the station sent out an IRB to the ship to assist transfer our barge crew from the vessel onto the barge deck, the water tank was lifted aboard the barge, and fresh water pumping again resumed. The vessel aims to deliver approximately 100,000L to station over the course of the next 12 hours, which will see station, ship and watercraft teams working overnight in rotating shifts. Luckily, here at Davis no 'true' night is experienced, so with the exception of a passing snow shower or two, conditions should remain fine for our operations to continue.
As this report is being written, a few small, flat ice floes are drifting past the vessel, with the odd sleepy-eyed penguin raising their head from the ice to give us a cursory glance – before returning to rest on their own mobile waterbed.
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.