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The vessel spent today around 16 nautical miles from Mawson Station, trundling slowly through the dense sea ice pack as we awaited the blizzard moving through the region to subside. When expeditioners and crew awoke this morning, the winds were already gusting into the mid 40 knot range, and snow was being driven against the Aurora's bridge windows, with visibility reduced significantly.
The winds had been predicted to increase overnight, so after departing Mawson yesterday, the vessel quickly moved into the sea ice, to ride out the stronger weather system, the extensive field of floes dampening the effects of any swell or waves which would likely be encountered in open waters. To assist the vessel's safe navigation amongst the sea ice, where smaller bergs are periodically encountered, large, powerful spotlights positioned above the bridge on both Port and Starboard sides – are trained a few hundred metres ahead of the vessel's course to enable the officers on watch to pick the best route amongst the larger floes and avoid any of the more significant ice bergs. Before the wind had picked up and when the skies were still relatively clear, the two large rings of bright blue-white light playing across the ice fields sometimes make for an eerie scene, those ice floes falling outside of their gaze quickly fading from our view.
Throughout the day today, the vessel's crew continued working, making the most of the break in cargo operations to conduct drills and test systems. The vessel's Master and Chief Mate also reviewed planning arrangements and cargo with the Australian Antarctic Division's voyage management team, to assist us to schedule key tasks and cargo priorities for the remainder of our time support Mawson Station's resupply.
Some of the expeditioners and crew also took the opportunity in-between work shifts, cabin cleaning or other operational preparations to check their equipment, assist in the vessel's galley, read books, watch movies or go to the gym. Keeping fit onboard a vessel at sea can sometimes be difficult, particularly in heavy seas or around busy operational periods. The Aurora is equipped with a gym and aerobic exercise space, situated lower in the vessel to minimise the effect of swell or other movement. Although small compared to commercial gyms, the facilities are well used by crew and expeditioners alike, to maintain their aerobic fitness and strength – or even just as a form of recreation after a long day at work.
While the blizzard and high winds kept most of us within the confines of the Aurora's heated cabins and communal areas for the day, the longer-term Antarctic residents appeared largely indifferent to the conditions. At one point this afternoon, when the vessel was paused amongst several large ice floes, expeditioners in the main mess making themselves a cup of tea or coffee were surprised to see two large crabeater seals lazing on a flow less than thirty metres from the portholes. The two seals appeared happy in each other's company, rolling about and vocalising playfully – even 'nuzzling muzzles' every now and then.
Later in the day, the vessel nosed-up gently against a larger flat-topped ice floe, the sides of which rose vertically from the water to a height almost equal to that of the ship's bow. The opportunity to see such a large piece of ice so closely wasn't lost on the expeditioners and crew, with many people throwing on warmer clothes and walking to the bow to take photos and inspect the surface up close. At its base, the water had slowly undercut the cliff-like ice face, giving the appearance of a shallow cave running the length of the floe. Large but delicate-looking icicles hung from the edge above the water, with the submerged portion of the floe appearing a light-green through the still sea water.
Cape and snow petrels flew along the floe's edge and over the Aurora's bow, the smaller and pure-white snow petrels all but disappearing as they passed in front of the ice, perfectly camouflaged against the all-white background. These amazing and beautiful little birds can sometimes travel hundreds of kilometres inland to make their nests high on the cliff faces of the rocky nunataks, far from the reach of most predators. Perhaps with the exception of a few inland emperor penguin rookeries, including some close to Mawson Station, it's hard to imagine a more isolated – but stunning – location for such small creatures to make a home and rear their young.
As the afternoon progressed, the winds remained quite strong, but the skies around the vessel cleared – permitting us to see the continent once again. This time however, the glinting beauty of the ice plateau was nowhere to be seen, obscured by the strong winds driving snow storms along the coastline, with only the craggy peaks of the region's nunataks visible amidst the grey gloom of the blizzard.
Tomorrow the vessel will return to Mawson to continue the discharge of cargo for the station, and may also have an opportunity to arrange for essential samples and equipment to be back loaded to the vessel to return with us to Australia.
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.