Meet one of the Davis plumbers.

Dan… the man, the myth, the plumber

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce Dan Gough. One of the hardest working plumbers on station, Fire Chief, valued member of the Search and Rescue team (TechSAR), absolute beast on the climbing wall and all round legend to hang with.

Dan is the quiet achiever that just gets in and gets it done… plus a little more… every time. Which is why I sat down for a chat with Dan, so you too can get to know the smiling assassin behind that impressive beard.

What is your job here at Davis station, Dan?

I’m employed as a Plumber at Davis station. I’m one of two plumbers on station that keeps the toilets flushing and the showers hot.

What are three of your favourite things about working in Antarctica?

  1. The daily commute to work. It’s non-existent… a brisk 45-second walk and I’m there!
  2. Unreal views of the ocean and icebergs.
  3. The people. We have the best crew here at Davis… sorry Casey, Mawson and Macca, don’t hate us.

If you could only drink Pepsi Max or Diet Coke for the rest of your life what would you choose?

Tough question, haha. Well I don’t drink either (boring), so I’m going to have to go with Pepsi Max, purely for the fact that the Diet Coke didn’t get touched all summer on the post-mix machine… must be a sign.

What is your favourite thing to do when you aren’t fixing pipes and crouching under benchtops with your plumber’s crack on display?

Back home I enjoy surfing. I love being in and around the ocean. If I’m not at the beach I’ll be in the shed working on the old car and bike I own.

What is the coolest think you have done in Antarctica so far?

Being involved in the TechSAR team has been unreal. Taking a helicopter ride out to Trajer Ridge and abseiling down an ice cliff with the rest of the crew was amazing.

Please describe yourself in three words.

Smiling, happy, and according to Browny (Neil Brown…the other-brother-plumber) “a hipster without knowing it”. However, I’m adamant the beard is a “metal” beard!

What is the single best thing about donning a massive gnarly beard?

High fives from random strangers in the street.

Would you rather be chased by one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?

Haha… a tiny stampede! I grew up riding horses, so I reckon I could totally wrangle a horse-sized duck.

If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I love my hardcore and metalcore so it would be a tie between Northlane — Quantum Flux and Parkway Drive — Anasasis. Gotta love a heavy break down. I guess it would certainly clear the room too.

Thanks for taking the time to chat, Dan… now get back to work!

Tough questions courtesy of Luke D'Anastasi (Antarctic Diesel Maniac Mechanic)

on