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This afternoon, the ship has emerged out of the mist and overcast skies of the preceding days and into blue skies and following seas. We can only hope that the weather that greets us at Macquarie Island will be as benign. At one point today we turned to face the ocean swells to calibrate onboard sensors as part of an extended scope of works programme. Expeditioners and crew patiently sat through respective briefings and toolboxes on watercraft operations, helicopter operations and station helicopter protocols. Amidst station induction and helicopter safety videos there was an opportunity to take a guided tour around Heli-Resources 2 bright red B3 helicopters securely lashed down in the ship's hangar to gain familiarity on the machines and how to move around them, into and out of them safely.
The shipboard game of 'killer' is in its death throes as less than a day remains prior to the ship's arrival to the Island.
To our continuing ship's tour and once again back at the central stairwell we climb to Deck 6. 'Weather Deck'. Facing us out of the stairwell is the ship's reception. Looking much like a hotel's reception desk but for a sizeable bank of radios, it serves as the administrative office for the Chief Steward and as a reception point for passengers newly embarking. On either side of the reception running down both sides of the vessel are wide corridors, separating rows of passenger cabins on the outer Port and Starboard sides of the vessel from a series of compartments running midships comprising of a load centre room, laundry, cargo office, casing engine rooms and IT equipment rooms. Down aft is the helicopter passenger preparation room. As its name suggests this room will be the staging point for expeditioners travelling by those bright red helicopters off the ship to station tomorrow. Beyond this space, moving further aft is a kind of cul de sac of 9 more cabins. On the outers of Deck 6 are external companion ways that have become part of a staple walking circuit around the ship. Forward of the accommodation cabins is the Deck 6 component of the ships forward holds and beyond this.. the forecastle deck.
Additional to our ship's tour by instalments. Please find below our interview for the day c/o Elliot
1. Name: 'Elliot'
2. Job: 'Engineering Services Supervisor'
3. Where from: 'Gawler'
4. Where To: 'Macquarie Island'
5. Claim to Fame: 'First ESS to go into Macquarie Isl. In how long??!' [[Ed. Also V5 engine room tour coordinator extraordinaire]
6. Why did you become an expeditioner?: 'Because I wanted to do something completely different to what I've been doing in my careers so far'
7. Favourite thing about the RSV Nuyina: 'The food. Damo's beef cheeks were really nice the other night'
8. Favourite pastime on voyage: 'Taking photos of icebergs, eating and the gym'
9. Favourite piece of Antarctic kit: 'PICO Coffee Press'
10. Voyage / Antarctic experience in one word: 'Out of this world'
11. Favourite V5 moment: 'When we hit the ice as we got close to Davis and we saw penguins and the pink sunset hue on the pancake ice' [Ed. I could not agree more Elliot]
Regards,
James & Brendan
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.