We shared many adventures together over the years, this time we’ve had the same adventure just at different times. A little snippet into me and my mate Joe Burton.
Everyone has their own reasons for making the journey south, especially for what equates to 15 months away from home for the winter season. When I set eyes on the job advertisement in December 2022, the pull to come down here for a season was strong.
I’m certain of one thing, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this, having the unique experience I’m having, if it wasn’t for a good mate of mine who led the way before me. That was Burton to a tee, always the first one to go and give something a go.
After spending a season with the Brits (BAS), Joe spent some time in Thailand and then came back to Perth, staying with me until he got a call to come to Hobart. As us newbies are aware now, the Div does have a habit of leaving things to the last minute. A few days after the call, one big night later and he was off, completely unfazed about what lay ahead. I was just trying to survive the day from the hangover.
I was lucky to have him stay with me when he returned from his winter season before we went to Vietnam for a few weeks with his sister Hels. Forever grateful for this shared time together as it would be the last time I saw him before he passed.
I had no preferences on my application as to where I would have liked to spend my season, I’d have gone to any of the stations for a summer or winter. I feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to winter here at Davis and share some of the experiences Joe would have had when he wintered here as an electrician in 2017/2018.
There’s plenty of memories of Joe around station, his balloon release photo is up in the MET building, winter photo in the linkway between SMQ/LQ and numerous entries in the hut logbooks around the Vestfold hills. He popped up again the other day in a photo on one of the sparkies' work orders. The crew Joe wintered with also made a memorial plaque that is up on the wall in the tradies workshop. I managed to cross paths with ‘Brownie’ on his way back from Mawson who shared stories of their season together here.
Some days the reasons why you came here will escape you, day to day station life rolls on and this very remote, very cold and currently very dark place feels somewhat normal. Sometimes things get a bit tough and you might miss your family and the finer things in life from back home. I told myself from the start of this journey to embrace all the different feelings along the way and remember your reasons to go south in these moments.
We are on a downhill trajectory now towards the end of our season, having completed our mid-winter celebrations last week. A brisk mid-winter dip in −1.8°C sea water was completed on Thursday with a day of celebrations following on the Friday. The day was very special with a huge amount of effort put into events throughout the day including brunch, gift giving, cocktails, karaoke and an amazing dinner cooked by Carl (Chefy).
We raised our glasses and had a drink for Joe which was really nice on this special day throughout Antarctic history. An occasion in which you celebrate your own seasons achievements and also achievements of others from past seasons.
Thanks mate for paving the way and making this possible.
Joe Nott
Notty
