As Midwinter has now rolled passed as a blur of incredible gift giving, chilly ocean swims, an igloo sleepout and a couple big nights of celebration at Splinters Bar, the five Wilkins Aerodrome crew members now have our sights firmly set towards our start up date in approximately six weeks time. This of course is pending weather conditions, as prior and present Antarctic wintering expeditioners know all too well.
Ahead of our team is no small feat, opening, manning and maintaining a remote field camp in cold and windy August just when Antarctica's weather is starting to flex her muscles and give us what for. As I recall in a previous Wilkins startup the weather was a chilly -31°c and an unforcasted 30 knot wind cropped up causing windchill temperatures to plummet well into the -40°c and below range - chilly stuff I tell ya! Thankfully our team is an experienced one, I have four absolutely fantastic colleagues and friends to work alongside, so here's the inside scoop on the people that make up the 2025 Wilkins Crew:
'Skinny Brad' Brad - An absolute stellar bloke, always armed with a 'can do attitude' and the 'know how' to ensure it gets done right the first time - you will most likely find him pacing around the dinner table if a blizzard keeps us locked inside the main camp building for too long and he's run out of odd jobs to complete or there's no sport worth watching on the telly inside. Skinny is a veteran of multiple seasons in the Antarctic both at Davis and Casey as an AGSO (Aircraft Ground Support Officer) and a previous winter at Casey / Wilkins as a Aerodrome Plant Operator. I gotta say he's a pretty swish blade hand on a dozer, a legend that will tell it straight and make our crew better for it.
'Smasha' Asher - Probably the 'coolest cat' and genuinely nicest person I have been blessed to call a mate - You'll find Ash doing something creative, either some of her phenomenal linoleum carved inkpress artwork, cooking up a storm in the kitchen or brewing up a cuppa tea and having a yarn. Ash is seasoned professional with a season at Casey as an AGSO under her belt, then followed by a Winter at Casey / Wilkins as an Aerodrome plant operator in '22/'23 alongside yours truely, somehow that has only fuelled Ash's fire in the belly to crush another Antarctic winter season. Ash is a gun operator but also most definitely the most culinary gifted member on the team, especially after my very salty attempt at baking bread one fateful day after misreading Ash's instructions. Let's just say no one needed electrolytes for a week or two...
'T-Dawg' Tyler - Organised, cool, calm and collected is my way of describing Tyler, always ready with a smile, laugh and quick witted response to whatever chirpy nonsense I just sent his way. He always has a solution for our mechanical problems, which is probably a pretty good attribute for the Wilkins Diesel Mechanic to have. But all jokes aside Tyler is one of the busiest blokes in Antarctica and has a massive task, supporting 24/7 breakdown repair and providing daily / weekly / monthly / annual servicing to the Wilkins mechanical fleet is no small matter. Our lives are truely in his hands with ensuring vehicles, plant and equipment are in safe working order, our power generators keep our buildings lights on, within a habitatable temperature and that we can continue to melt snow to then drink and shower with. We couldn't have a more diligent and honest fella to install our trust in, we are extremely lucky to have 'T-dawg' in our Wilkins team for his first season on the continent. He even suffered through the salty bread incident with no complaint.
'Jacko' Jack - Me old mate Jacko is an 'alright' bloke... Nah! Jack is a fantastic bloke, ever thoughtful and extremely generous, a natural leader. Jacko seems to have amazing good luck when it comes to the ANZAC day 'Two Up', a flair for the extravagant when making Mi-Goreng Noodles and some pretty impressive woodworking skills. Dieso by trade, Jack is running the show this winter as the Wilkins Aerodrome Manager, and also leading the traverse program on the ground here in Antarctica, that makes him an extremely busy chap but you'll find Jack always has the time to check in with the people around him, build them up all the while being empathetic towards our triumphs and tribulations of the day. This is Jack's second winter with the first being alongside Asher and myself back in 2023, he has previously completed two overland traverses and is adapting well to the beast that is Antarctic aviation. We may rib him relentlessly as mates do, but he is definitely as rock solid as they come... except that one time when I stuck him bareback on a horse back home... a story for another time.
'Tommy' Tom - 'Thommo', 'Sausage-Moth', 'Beer-can', 'Big fella', I've been called a few things down here but just don't call me late for dinner! I am the fifth Wilkins member for this winter, returning back to Antarctica with old friends from previous seasons has been such a pleasure, almost as much as getting to know all the new faces at Wilkins and Casey this season. With a winter in Antarctica comes a little gnawing of doubt, will I get along with these new people, am I going to make new friends, what if I do something weird? The answer to all those questions was yes, but there is such an accepting crew of men and women down here at the bottom of the world, you are taken for who you are, like minded people from different walks of life make for the most interesting of conversation and new friendships are born, fostered and explored.
As we Wilkins crew move away from station in the coming weeks these friendships are more and more important, between station personnel and ourselves. I have found previously there is a profound sense of isolation when you're only one of five people within hundreds of square kilometres of hostile Antarctic environment. Having a solid network of friends is the key to a great mindset and successful season in this fiercely wild place we get to call home for a little while.
Even with the isolation there is something quite addictive about living and working at Wilkins Aerodrome. The vast open spaces, the comradeship, the constant challenges. As a team we are all chomping at the bit to sink our teeth into the never ending task of opening and maintaining one of Antarctica's few blue ice runways. There is still a lot still yet to be completed before we can return to the Aerodrome, food stores to be organised, final annual servicing on plant and equipment, repairs to tractors, refresher training for our crew, contaminated fuel transfer tanks need cleaning, electrical leads and equipment needs testing etc.
We shall miss the people and comforts of Casey station, for Wilkins the real work we are here for is rampimg up and about to begin, let's 'git 'er dun'.
Tommy Gersbach – Wilkins Aerodrome Plant Operator and all round good bloke.
