Information
Comments
Yesterday we successfully discharged our final cargo destined for Davis. Early in the evening a collective sigh was heard from all as the front end loader left the barge and touched the ground at Davis. All the planning and waiting for the right conditions had paid dividends as the Gold Digger was safely delivered to the station.
The focus of everyone then turned to the task of delivering fuel to Davis. The Supervisor of the Refuelling Rats, who had driven the loader off the barge, remained ashore so that he would be present for the early morning deployment of the hose. By 08:00 this morning the layflat hose had been run to the ship from the shore by the small boats who then set the anchors which hold the fuel line in position against wind and currents. After tweaking the anchors to get the line in the required position it was time to the leak test the system. With the safety checks and tests complete, it was time for the Refuelling Rats to start pumping fuel. At 09:35 the first drop of Special Antarctic Blend (SAB) entered the line and made its way to Davis. The Refuelling Rat Team are being ably assisted in this task by watercraft operators and teams of expeditioners who monitor the fuel line on the water, pushing bergy bits away from the line. On the shore there are additional teams monitoring the connection point and dipping the fuel tanks to obtain a reading which is radioed back to the ship every 15 minutes.
Currently we are pumping fuel at a rate of 40 000L an hour and have delivered 300 000L of the 900 000L to Davis. We will stop pumping this evening at 2100 and retrieve the hose back to shore. Tomorrow the hose will be redeployed and pumping will be recommenced.
We hope to discharge enough fuel by 1600 to then pack up and depart for Mawson tomorrow afternoon.
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.