Life of a Sparky
G'day I'm Christopher Pintus down here at Davis for a year as a Sparky of the 79th ANARE.
A few weeks back, the summer folk hopped back on the Nuyina and left us 26 to hold down the fort here for the winter.
From getting to see Heard Island on the way down here, the events over summer, side quests in the Vestfold Hills and the wildlife, it's been pretty memorable!
Some of the highlights of my time down here so far have been the wildlife encounters we've had.
When we first arrived back in November, we were met by some emperor penguins that waddled up to check out the new neighbours. I watched them from the heli deck which was cool enough but some people were lucky enough to be on the ice and see them at eye level.
We then had a fair few Adelies start popping up in summer. They were friendly enough and didn't seem too bothered by us humans.
Watching them dart around underwater like little torpedos can be pretty entertaining. Their waddle is pretty humorous too whether they are in single file heading somewhere or on their lonesome.
One morning having my corn flakes looking out the window and this little guy is going max speed like he was running late for work. I feel like their fur coat resembles a suit and they're just missing a little business brief case.
Another one is when three of them were hopping over a crack in the ice and the last fella had a bit of a mischief. I'll add the photos/videos in. I saw the last ones a few weeks ago coming to the end of their moult huddling in a circle down near the wharf.
The elephant seals have stuck around a bit longer but they will go soon as we head into the darker, colder months of winter. Watching them slide on their bellies out on the sea ice to get to open water is comical, as sometimes they get halfway out and then decide to turn back. You know the wind direction when you get a whiff of where they wallow. Most of them are bachelors taking a gap year to rest and feed before heading back up north. (Can relate).
Because of the light over summer we didn't get any auroras but now we are getting a few. It softens the blow of the animals leaving with some cracker pretty lights in the sky on clear nights.
