One of the main events of this week was a visit to Casey by the Minister Josh Frydenberg, Minister for Environment.
With limited time on the ground due to unstable weather, he managed to fly by helicopter, from Wilkins runway down to Casey station, where he opened the new East Wing accommodation block.
A special plaque was sent down for the AAD for the occasion, and it was covered in an ice sheet, which the Minister was required to smash with a hammer to complete the opening ceremony.
Wilkins runway has been a hive of activity this week with several planes on the ground at one time, some taking off, some landing, others transferring passengers.
Flights on one day saw three planes on the ground at one time as people arrived from Hobart. Several people were transferred to Concordia by Basler, others transferred to Davis by Basler, and a group of 14 returned to Australia on the A319. The helicopters have been very busy flying all week, with both chopper crews camping out for several days, with their aircraft, in the field at Edgeworth David Camp in the Bunger Hills.
On the route inland to the Wilkins Runway, some bright wit from past years had added an amusing alteration, 50 kilometres inland, to the never-ending white surroundings.
Other station activities during this week have seen huge parachutes being dried in the Green Store after a successful airdrop by the RAAF, of forty 200 litre drums of fuel in the Bunger Hills.
The absolute highlight of the week was the first public performance, on Saturday night, by Casey’s own international rock group.
A formal dinner for 90 people started the entertainment at 6pm and then at 8:30pm, the band heated up the cool Antarctic night with an astounding rock show.
Groupies of all ages danced the night away to the music of by the Rolling Stones, Nirvana and Johnny Cash. Wow! What a group. Astonishing! Amazing! Damned-well great!
It’s been hectic in the Green Store this week with Mick and Mat, the two Casey supply officers, as they prepare cargo for return to Australia.
Mick and Mat focus on the container cargo, getting everything weighed and correctly measured, loaded and strapped down into containers, before completing documentation for return back to Australia on the Aurora Australis as part of their re–supply voyage.
At the same time they get cargo ready for A319 Airbus and RAAF C17, which takes quite a bit of time in cold conditions. As the week progresses, they find themselves busier than normal, with an Airbus, a C17 and the ship pulling in all in one week.
This week in the Kitchen at Casey is a busy one, as they all are! We have over 100 people on station at the moment, so between the three of us it keeps us on our toes.
Andrew and I (Jordan) cooked ‘formal dinner’ on Saturday night which was then followed by the premier of the Casey Rock Band “Dirty Curtains” with Andrew being one of the singers of the group. Teen Spirit by Nirvana was a big hit, with many people rocking out to it.
For the past two days Andrew has been out completing his field travel training, with the bluebird skies, the conditions were perfect. Dom was one of the unofficial photographers of Saturday night and enjoyed himself in moderation as he had to get up to cook all the revellers their brunch on Sunday morning. This being Dom’s first season in Antarctica, he has been trying to get out of the kitchen as much as possible to see the sights.
Survival training and trips to Reeves Hill and Shirley Island have been enjoyed immensely, although he cannot wait to do field travel training and go for an iceberg cruise.
I am on the morning shift this week and today I had a big baking day: 31 loaves of bread, 140 pies and 80 cookies, all before smoko! This being my second consecutive summer here at Casey I don’t have to do a lot of the training, however I have managed to get over to Shirley Island to visit the penguins a number of times and last week drove a Hägg to and from Wilkins to help with the Minister and media visit.
The three of us are very much looking forward to resupply, which, if everything is on schedule, should be starting this weekend! We have managed very well with the stock that was left for us by Donna (the 2016 winter chef — thanks Donna!) but we have run out of a few things and are getting very low on other things, so resupply can’t happen soon enough!
As soon as resupply is finished we will get stuck into the Christmas celebration feast prep and then enjoy the fruits of our labour with the rest of the station. We are also excited to have a day off together on Boxing Day (the only day all summer that all three chefs have off at the same time).
Casey Kitchen Team
