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OPERATIONAL SUMMARY:
* Vessel completed resupply at Mawson Station;
* All expeditioners returning to Australia embarked;
* Scattering of the ashes ceremony for a former Officer In Charge (OIC) of Mawson Station conducted.
Today, more than two weeks after the Aurora Australis arrived within the vicinity of Mawson station, the annual resupply was finally completed. Despite the frustrations presented by the wind, weather and the persistence of the sea ice within Horseshoe Harbour the crew of the Aurora, together with the watercraft, refuelling, communications and technical teams aboard, as well as all those personnel based ashore who supported ongoing cargo and personnel transfers should be proud of running a very successful and safe operation.
When the Aurora first made her entry into Kista Strait this morning around 0800 Mawson local time (1400 Hobart time / AEST), the clear skies and already calm wind conditions pointed towards a productive day for cargo, with two IRBs and the jet barge already undertaking operations from the ship's side by 0930. Unlike the previous few days, the winds continued to ease throughout the morning, and by the early afternoon wind speeds were less than 5 knots, and the waters around the Aurora had become glassy. The last several loads were varied, from empty gas cylinders and personal effects of the expeditioners, to refrigerated stores, scientific samples, outgoing mail, a large trailer and an 11 tonne alternator from a wind turbine.
The few remaining summer expeditioners were also brought aboard in small groups by the IRB, including the five person team who've been undertaking a hydrographic survey program on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy's Hydrographic Office focussed on the coastal waters around Mawson station. Work which although delayed was finally made possible once the Aurora Australis was able to dislodge the sea ice in the harbour.
Just prior to the final cargo loads and personnel being brought aboard this evening, and when the late afternoon conditions in Kista strait and within the harbour adjacent to Mawson station were at their most serene, a small ceremony was held in honour of Mr Peter James Martin.
Born in Westport, New Zealand, in 1927, Peter Martin first went south in 1958 on behalf of New Zealand's Antarctic Department, spending nine months on sub-Antarctic Campbell Island (within similar latitudes to Tasmania's Macquarie island), as Officer-in-Charge of the New Zealand's research station. Peter's focus on Campbell island included work on the ionosonde programme for the International Geophysical Year.
Then, in 1961, he spent the winter at Hallet Station, a joint New Zealand / American Antarctic facility at Cape Hallet in Antarctica as New Zealand's Chief Scientist. In this capacity he oversaw the auroral physics programme as part of "Operation Deep Freeze". Finally, in 1964, Peter joined Australia's Antarctic programme and was appointed by the government as Officer-in-Charge of Mawson Station for the Australian Antarctic Division. During the winter of 1964 he oversaw the traverse to the Amery Ice Shelf to investigate ice movement dynamics and other characteristics of the shelf. This project was then recorded in the film 'Operation Ice Shelf'.
In recognition of Peter's contributions to the pursuit of Antarctic scientific research, and honouring his leadership roles on the continent, two Antarctic topographical features named after him. The features recognise his service at Hallett and Mawson stations respectively:
* Martin Hill, at the West side of Whitehall Glacier in the Victory Mountains of Victoria Land; and
* Martin Massif, in the Porthos Range of the Prince Charles Mountains.
The jet barge was sent from the Aurora into the harbour accompanied by an IRB, with crew and expeditioners watching on from the ship and from station. The watercraft entered the harbour around 1745, carefully making their way around small ice floes and slabs of sea ice which had drifted back into the harbour from a nearby passage between islands to the North of Mawson after breaking free from the coastline. The jet barge, under the control of senior coxswain Ollie Hentschel, proceeded to the centre of the harbour, and completed a full circle in an anti-clockwise direction around one of the more prominent ice floes. This manoeuvre is intended to signify 'turning back the hands of time'.
Upon completion, the barge came to a standstill, the IRB was brought alongside, and the voyage leader read out a short statement of Peter's career achievements and his significant contributions to Antarctic science, broadcast to those watching on a common radio channel. Mr Angus Black, the youngest crew member aboard the Aurora Australis, then moved to the edge of the barge, and scattered Peter's ashes into the still waters of Horseshoe Harbour, as Peter had wished. The poem 'Death of a Bird' by Australian poet A.D. Hope was then read out, and on completion, Angus rang the Aurora's ship's bell, which had been positioned on a davit above the deck of the barge. The bell was rung 8 times, symbolising 'the end of the watch' (watch in this instance referring to a working shift at sea). The barge then restarted its engines, and completed another circle of the same ice floe, assisting Peter's ashes to be circulated through the waters of the harbour, symbolising that time and life goes on.
The Aurora then proceeded with the final cargo movements, the last expeditioners were retrieved from station and the barge loaded aboard. The departing expeditioners lined the Aurora's upper decks as the vessel slowly turned away from the station to commence its passage North and East out of the Mawson region - headed for Davis station, the vessel sounding its loud horn in farewell. A few small figures appeared at the high point on West Arm on the outer edge of Horseshoe Harbour, and as the Aurora moved steadily through Kista strait towards open waters, those station personnel lit flares to send us off.
From the crew and expeditioners aboard the Aurora Australis, wishing the Mawson team all the best for the Winter months ahead, and we'll look forward to seeing you all again in 12 months' time.
Cheers
Mark and 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.