The vibe on station thus far has been nothing short of harmonious and without lack of entertainment…

“A team that laughs together lasts together” 

Well, to say it’s been an interesting transition from home soil to the icy continent of Antarctica would be an understatement!

Although the handover from the 77th Anare winter plumbers has been slick and smooth, there has been a lot to digest and I feel that after being here for just on three weeks, our group of personable winter plumbers Adrian Lockley, Michael Railley, Lachlan Jefferys and myself have assumed the position exceedingly well. Time will tell! It has also been incredibly helpful to have two other summer plumbers, Neil Brown and Scott Plummer, both returnees to Antarctica who have a plethora of knowledge for us newbies to draw from.

Personally, the timing of this opportunity for me couldn’t have been better! Having been born and bred in Perth, Western Australia, I felt that I needed something more than the daily grind as a tradesman in the sunny, warm paradise I’ve called home for the past 40 odd years. My idea of adventure probably doesn’t look the same as the average Joe. Discomfort, by way of elective suffering has been a great teacher, and like most of the other expeditioners here, we all must have a few screws loose to want to be subjected to sub-zero temps, 50 kn plus winds and isolation from our loved ones for such extended periods of time. In saying that, the community of amazing individuals, extraordinary landscapes and tantalizingly tasty food seem to suffice sufficiently. 

Some of the daily duties that the on-call plumbers are responsible for include; pumping fresh potable water from the melt lake to top up our tanks, checking the spa Ph and alkalinity levels and ensuring our waste water treatment plant is operating correctly. Other tasks that happen behind the scenes include anything from the disposal of our burnable waste in the incinerator – Neal, to weekly servicing of the all-important coffee machine. Whilst these tasks are super important to keep the station and its merry band of troops running efficiently, it’s only one layer of the complexity cake that so many others contribute to make station life so comfortable. Even in one of the most remote and extreme environments on the planet.  

The vibe on station thus far has been nothing short of harmonious and without lack of entertainment. It’s been incredible to be a part of something bigger than oneself. The friendly faces, helping heroes and smiling assassins on Casey station are but one team. Each a collaborative cog in the ever-advancing machine that is the Australian Antarctic Program, all in the name of scientific research so that we can learn more about how to look after this wonderful world we all live in.

“A team that laughs together lasts together” 

Sebastian Fuller – 78th Anare winter plumber

Four people walk in a line abrest away from the camera. The individuals are wearing fire fighting suits with their jackets thrown over their shoulder. The ground is concrete with fire hoses scattered across the mid-ground. The sky is blue with clouds. A fire truck can be partially seen in the mid-ground.
Image of seven expeditioners in survival clothing learning to drill the sea ice. Survival Packs are scattered in the foreground. Small rocky hills are seen in the background.
Image features the sea ice breaking away from the edges of the land. Hills covered in snow line the horizon in the background. The sky is grey and moody. The image feels cold.
Field Training Officer kneels on tarp with sea ice drill demonstrating its use. Expeditioners in survival gear watch on for the demonstration. The background is grey sky with snow covering the ground.
Eight expeditioners in yellow survival gear pose for a photo. The background features the ocean and ice bergs.
Two tractors with cranes extended. Flags hung between them simulating an archway. Sunrise on the horizon. Snow on the ground. Red shed to the right of the image. Four people stand under the archway. Resembles a closing scene to a movie.
Five Adelie penguins in the centre of the image walking away. The Casey directions sign to the right with the Australian flagpole adjacent. Snow covers the ground. A grey low vis day fills the background.
Image of plumbers in high vis gear working in the foreground on broken pipework. Snow covers the ground and site services in the foreground. The background features Newcomb Bay and the antarctic landscape.
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