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Another quiet day on board the Aurora. Our new arrivals from Macquarie have settled in to the ship's rhythm and added to our extracurricular activities by way of a quiz. The XBT project, coordinated by Jeff continues, and the final administrative aspects of the voyage, such as performance reviews and reports are being written up. Tasmania itself is not far over the horizon.
Today, for variety we hear from the outgoing station leader from Macquarie Island, Ms Kat Panjari.
'The 2019 winter season at Macquarie Island was a great team effort between the seven women and seven men employed by the AAD, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Meteorology, on one remarkable island.
As the winter season drew to a close we eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Aurora Australis (AA) to bring in the summer team and to take four outgoing winter expeditioners home.
On the day of our end of winter celebration, we were notified that the AA would be detouring to Antarctica to avoid a low pressure weather system approaching Macca and to resupply the French program at Dumont D'Urville. It was a classic "hurry up and wait" moment in the sub-Antarctic, which gave the four outgoing expeditioners more time to enjoy the wildlife and scenery of Macquarie Island (and to get back to work!).
The decision to detour was wise, as a low pressure storm lashed the island for 48 hours. We witnessed 5-6 metre waves crash on to the east coast, changing the profile of the shoreline at Landing Beach. The easterly swells were a most unusual sight at Macca, and we were pleased that the AA was not in our waters.
When a promising weather window approached, jobs were delegated to each of our 14 wintering expeditioners to support the arrival of the AA.
A team of boat catchers was set up to handle the transfer of passengers and priority cargo to the island. Others were required to deliver and store the generous boxes of fresh food into the green store; or to induct the new arrivals to their summer home.
On a rare Macca day of low wind, low swell and even glimpses of sunshine, we welcomed the AA to the island. Within a short five hour window we successfully swapped out the expeditioners, transferred the cargo, and handed the island over the incoming summer team.
VMI was yet another example of a great team effort to set the summer Macca work program into action, and to get four of us home to our loved ones for Christmas.
Many thanks to every single person who did their bit to make that happen. Now back to the fresh fruit bowl.'
Thanks Kat.
Regards,
James & Leanne.
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.