At Davis this week we see the first Weddell seal pup, reflect on a year and celebrate a birthday.

Quad ride to the first seal pup

With clear skies and warmer temperatures it’s time to explore the icebergs and look for the wildlife slowly returning from a winter spent at the edge of the pack ice.

This week several groups set out across the sea ice to field huts, checking known areas for Weddell seals returning to the fjords of the Vestfold Hills to have their pups.

Luckily, Vas and Jen on quads, and Paul, Lesley and Dave in the red Hägg were returning to station from a night at Bandits Hut via Ace Lake apple and came across three very pregnant seals and one mother with a newborn pup.

As we kept our distance, Lesley captured some beautiful photos of the new pup with her giant camera lens.

Jen Proudfoot

An expeditioner with two quad bikes on the sea ice
A quad bike in thick snow on the sea ice around Davis
A picture of a blue iceberg, which are like snow flakes as no two are alike
A female Weddell seal on the ice with her pup near Ace Lake apple in Long Fjord
A close up picture of the newly born Weddell seal pup
Another view of a Weddell seal pup on the ice near Davis station

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Is it a year already?

With my year at Davis soon coming to an end with the arrival of V1 next month, I thought I’d share some photos of the year that was.

Paul Deverall

The Aurora Australis pulling away from the wharf in Hobart, Tasmania
A view looking to the stern of the Aurora Australis as the ship travels through the broken pack ice
The sun setting over open water during the summer at Davis
Three boats out on thee open water at Davis
A colourful February sunset at Davis.
A view of the Sørsdal glacier from a helicopter during summer
The Chinese ship the Xuelong in Prydz Bay during March
The expeditioner Paul Deverall on top of Boulder Hill with Crooked Lake in the background
A picture of the Davis dozer on the snow with the morning sun behind it
A large pipe which is part of the station site services, with ice and snow defrosting in the sun at Davis
The expeditioner Paul Deverall on the sea ice with the Sørsdal Glacier in thee background

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Station leaders birthday

This week we helped Ali our station leader celebrate a milestone birthday with lashings of tiramisu, fake tattoos and plenty of balloons.

There was even a pirate ship, although I am not sure how it came to be in the mess!

An inflatable rubber boat in the mess at Davis with several expeditioners dressed like pirates
A bunch of helium filled balloons tied to the station leaders office door
A tiramisu birthday cake courtesy of Davis chef Lesley
A birthday place setting at the table for Ali with pirate hat, pistol and eye patch
Ali Dean getting a fake tattoo of a parrot on her arm

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