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Late yesterday afternoon some happiness was sent ashore in the form of the highly valued mail bags. All on board and ashore are very grateful to the Everest crew who, upon request from Voyage Management, located the bags. After 15 months on the ice this is the first mail the team at Davis has received.
This morning we were greeted To blue skies and sunshine, the kind of weather you would expect from an area that is called the Riviera of the South. Today's weather has provided us with ideal boating conditions for what has been coined the Davis Regatta Day. This morning the Bill Budd Barge and small boats from the ship and station were launched on the water, seven boats in all. The purpose of the regatta Day is to train Mawson and Davis expeditioners to assist in the refuel operation. Our highest priority this morning was to get 8 personnel ashore who would form the wharf team for cargo operations. While this was occurred a further 9 expeditioners were transferred to the small boats to commence on water training.
Whilst the small boats zipped around the water in training mode, the barge after transferring the personnel the wharf in the morning, began cargo operations. The first cargo run of the day was the refuelling equipment. This was met ashore by the refuelling team that had come ashore earlier in the day. The refuelling team will now spend the remainder of the day setting up the shore side in readiness for a weather window to open to allow the transfer. Tonight on station, the refuelling supervisor will brief the expeditioners in readiness for when we undertake the refuelling operation. As this is being written we are now in the swing of cargo operations. The ship's 250 tonne starboard crane is lowering ½ height containers of aviation fuel to the barge which are then taken ashore to the Davis team.
Tomorrow the plan is to continue the second of the watercraft training for expeditioners and to send 2021 Wintering Davis expeditioners in to their new home.
REGARDS: Andy, Jenn and Lauren
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.