Patty’s journey. We hear from Leona and Ange about life in the deep south. We celebrate an evening in the outback and wish Billy a Happy Birthday.

From Cairns to the sub Antarctic

Let’s just say that when it drops to 26°C up in Cairns, I would usually be wearing my trackies and ugg boots, I’d be sleeping under two doonas and I’d curse any further lowering of the temperature! One of my biggest fears in life has been the cold.

I’ve always wanted to go down to Antarctica, ever since I was very young. I must admit I’ve lacked knowledge on the historical side. My interest in and what’s really drawn me to Antarctica has been the magnificent wildlife and the extremely unrelenting habitat.

Five years ago I sat in a doctor’s office, I was reading through a National Geographic magazine when I came upon a story about Macquarie Island I was captivated. There was one particular picture that I couldn’t stop looking at, it was a beach covered with elephant seals, with this brilliantly orange and purple sky as back drop, a spectacular site. I turned to my mother and said “one day I’m going to insert myself into that picture, I don’t know when or how”.

I’ve seen many sunsets with amazingly stunning colours in this majestic place and my goal is to find one as close to that picture so I can slot myself into that beautiful image.

It’s only now that I am here, experiencing the unwielding elements, that I’ve realised the immensity of human endurance that has taken place in Antarctic history and I’m keenly learning about it all.

I came down to Macquarie Island as a dog handler. Unfortunately I hurt myself, which stopped me from finishing my training and getting out into the field. Finally on Sunday the 26th of May I set out to finish my field training, accompanied by Marty (FTO) and Steve (MIPEP Team leader) along with their vast experience and great knowledge.

I will let the pictures tell the story, but let me say that for someone who has never seen real snow I was given an amazingly beautiful gift, left speechless by the stupefyingly beautiful scenery. My endurance was tested with some ruthless weather on the second day, deteriorating slightly off blizzard conditions.

P.S I am no longer afraid of the cold.

Patty wearing her yellow jacket and beanie looking down at Joker the dog who is a Springer spaniel looking up at Patty
Patty and Joker the dog looking out to the Horizon
Hass house the court yard and the walking path covered in snow. The sun is rising
Looking south from the courtyard at the mountains covered in snow at dawn there is a light on the building illuminating.
Patty dressed for the snow wearing a yellow jacket with her pack on holding both her poles standing in snow by the ocean with the mountain hillside.
Ocean view with the hill covered in snow and North head in the distance
Gadgets creek covered in snow with the ocean in the background
Marty, Steve and Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever climbing up gadgets creek covered in snow with the ocean in the background
Looking up gadgets creek there are some ladders secured down that we have to climb
Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever sitting on a cliff with the mountain range covered in snow and ocean behind him
Looking down Gadgets creek covered in snow with the ocean in the distance and a stormy cloud over the water
Mountains covered in snow blue sky with white fluffy clouds
Patty dressed for the snow wearing a yellow jacket with her pack on holding both her poles standing with the snow covered mountain range behind her
A photo of the mountain range with snow and blue sky with fluffy clouds
Marty, Steve and Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever dressed for the snow wearing their pack’s with holding their poles standing looking down at the feather bed along the coast line and the mountain range.
Mountain range and the ocean on the right a pointing pole
Steve dressed for the snow wearing his yellow jacket and goggles and Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever with the snow covered mountain range behind him
Marty facing east dressed for the snow with his hood over his head wearing his pack and holding his pole with the mountain range and ocean fluffy clouds and blues sky.
Marty, Steve and Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever dressed for the snow wearing their pack’s with holding their poles standing in the snow with a snow cloud coming towards them
Marty in the distance walking down to Bauer bay
Marty and Steve in the distance walking up the beach at Bauer Bay
Bauer Bay Hut
Patty putting on her gear on the snow covered porch of Bauer Bay hut her pack on the ground and her gloves in her hand
Patty putting on her gear on the snow covered porch of Bauer Bay hut her pack on the ground and her gloves in her hand
The boys in the distance walking though snow covered hills it’s snowing the ocean is in the distance
Patty and Marty wearing their snow gear standing on the feather bed
Patty and Marty wearing their snow gear standing on the feather bed
Steve wearing his snow gear walking with Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever through the snow in the background you have snow covered mountain range
Marty and Steve stopping for a brake at Prion Lake that is surrounded by snow covered hills
Steve laying on his bed wearing his head torch reading a book
Marty wearing his head torch at the kitchen cooking
Patty holding a kettle at the kitchen wearing a scarf that goes to her chin making tea
Paty standing outside of Brothers Point Googy accommodation wearing her gear holding her piles
Brothers Point Googy and ocean views
Picture of Sandy Bay and the walking track
A head of a dead Royal penguin in the sand
Flax the dog who is a golden Labrador retriever
Patty standing next to penguin colony at Sandy Bay
Old Sandy Bay hut and Penguin colony
Patty crouching down near the old Sandy Bay hut and Penguin colony
We saw from a great distance this Fur seal sitting on the top of a rock stack chilling out.
Elephant seals laying next each other on the beach
Two crosses marking the gravesite at nuggets beach
Patty Standing next to the penguin digesters
Marty and Steve making their way up Nuggets Creek
Patty standing y the ocean with north head in the background

The rodent team in the deep south

This month the rodent team headed to the deep south… working the Caroline Cove and Hurd Point area.

Working from the Caroline Cove water tank hut was interesting with the new conditions there, in the form of a massive landslide that has taken out the track. Making access to the food pods (which are located up on the plateau) rather difficult. Especially on one particular occasion after heavy rain when we decided to drag down the two new dog kennels for assembly at the hut.

Dog kennels which were soon covered in the thick sludge which we dragged them through, as well as through the penguin colony crap.

We needed the kennels though, the whole week we had had the three rodent dogs living in empty recycle bins strapped down alongside the hut. Which they actually didn’t mind, being small and warm for them.

Next up, Hurd point again. Where we searched through the east coast rock stacks up until Mt Aurora, when we started work on the west coast. Staying at Windy Ridge hut. Which was starting to get rather cold by this time, with the icy wind coming straight past the lake onto the small hut, freezing the water.

Not to mention the series of earthquakes that shuddered the island later on in the week. The first of which woke Ange and I up in the water tank hut around 2 in the morning. And the second of which happened at about 12:20 in the afternoon while we were out working. Ange watched a slide of rocks come down across the escarpment just about half an hour after she had crossed it. All over the island people were calling each other to make sure everyone was okay, as large rocks were dislodged and rolled down in different places of the coastal escarpments.

Soon we headed up to Davis point for our last week. It’s nice to be on the rugged west coast, which endured a couple of good winds, bringing the surf right in.

On Monday there was a big snow front covering the island, everyone everywhere was getting hammered by the squalls that came through one after another, with bright sunny breaks in between.

Our trip back up the island was good, going up the western side of the island to check our chew-stick lines for any rodent sign. The chew-sticks were set out the month previously.

Aurora from Brother’s point hut
Caroline Cove
Chase (the rodent dog), wet and covered in mud, after a "wallow incident" at Hurd Point.
Chase (the rodent dog) after a "wallow incident" at Hurd Point. He is wet and covered in mud
Cody standing at the tussock covered slope of the Star Bay jump-down
View of the rugged coastline from the top of the Star Bay jump-down. Cody (the rodent dog) lies amongst the tussock
View of the "boiling" rough seas around Davis Point
Cody and Bail (the rodent dogs) in the Davis Point hut cold porch sheltering form the snow falling outside
Leona at Davis Point hut preparing to go out to work in the snow
From Davis Point hut looking south towards Sandell Bay and the snow covered slopes above the bay
View across the bay at Double Point. There is snow on the ground and the distant white snow covered peaks above the coast are lit up by the sun
Ange putting a ‘chew stick’ in the ground amongst the tussock grass at Carrick Bay
Ange having Sunday breakfast
Stunning sunset at Bauer Bay hut

Saturday Evening the Outback Extraordinaire

Hidden away in the great Sub Antarctic Ocean lies a little Island called Macquarie Island and yes folks, it has an Outback.

We were invited to the Macca Outback Spectacular at the Macca Ranch Bar and Grill run by the one and only Aussie Outback Chef Tony.

With the help of Ranger Chris, chef laid out the swags got the campfire going and grilled us up an assortment of deliciously tender meats and down to earth Aussie tucker that began with the great old outback damper.

The air smelled of that smokey country air we all know and love and soon country tunes filled our ears, all began to tap our toes standing still became impossible as we broke out into line dancing to Tina Turner’s Nutbush City Limits. There was lassoing and even the good old limbo dance.

What a night! A great Macquarie Island Outback experience.

Thanks Tony, Chris and all who helped.

Event Poster, a silhouette of an outback hoseman cracking a whip and a simulated sunset on the bottom right there is a penguine and a seal wearing cowboy hats
The Mess set up as an outback with a wagon wheel in the back ground tussock grass shovel some matts old bottles and cans there are some balloons coloured red, green and light green.
Tables set up with guitars a windmill some old bottles and cans on the floor swags an roll out matts amongst the tussuck
The Mess transformed into an out back theme with a wagon wheel in the back ground tussock grass shovel some matts old bottles and cans there are some balloons coloured red, green and light green.
Clive and Craig dressed up as outback boys wearing cowboy hats and cowboy shirts
Karen and Craig dressed as outback characters wearing their cowboy shirts and hats
Nick, Leona, Karen, Steve and our Chef Tony
Billy dressed as dirty old barn sack
Grilled meats, Chilli bean plate, corn all set out on the tables to feast on
Ange dressed up as a cowgirl and Nancey dressed up a Vet
Plates of food served to eat
Josh dressed up as a cowboy riding his wooden stick horse
Lionel and Aaron dressed as cowboys enjoying their outback feast
Nancy and Ange
Dave and Patty
Leona, Barry and Mike all dressed up as Outback crowed
Dave, Karen , Steve and others at the bar
Patty and nick dressed up as outback folk wearing their cowboy hats
Nick Dancing
Leona dressed up as a cowgirl
Greg with bottle top as eyes and his cowboy hat
Aaron with bottle top lids as eyes and his cowboy hat
Tony wearing bottle top lids as eyes and his cow boy hat
Greg, Aaron and tony wearing bottle top lids as eyes dressed up as cowboys wearing cowboy hats
Barry, Aaron and Craig dressed up as cowboys Aaron holding a toy gun
Karen looking at photos on the camera she’s holding she’s dressed up as a cow girl wearing her cowgirl hat
Tom dressed up wearing cowboy print vest and a cowboy shirt
Tony dressed up as a cowboy wearing a cowboy hat leaning on the side of the bar
Dave folding his cowboy hat down
Aaron wearing his cowboy hat and shirt
Tom doing bending backwards to get under the stick but is about to fall
Steve dressed up as an outback Cactus and isdancing on the dance floor
Clive dressed as a cowboy and Chris dressed as an outback rager
Ange, Tony and Nancye kicking up their heels to the tune of Nutbush City Limits
Many people dressed in ‘outback’ theme dancing to Nutbush City Limits

Billy’s Birthday Surprise

Last Thursday (30th May) it was Stephen Barton’s birthday. Here and I imagine to most people (with maybe the exception of his Mum), he is known as Billy. This will become obvious when you see the photos.

Billy is one of the intrepid, amazing MIPEP team and last Wednesday, the team arrived back on station after almost a month in the field.

During Thursday the mess was decorated (thanks to Patty) with streamers, balloons and several pictures of Billy and his dogs.

Billy arrived in the mess (fashionably late) and had his meal, unaware of the decorations and photos. After dinner Patty came out of the small pantry at the side of the mess, carrying a large cake, adorned with two lit sparklers and a few candles. Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’.

I think Billy was a little overcome. He seemed genuinely surprised and only then noticed all the decorations and photos of his dog.

The cake (thanks to Chef Tony) was beautifully decorated by Patty with an image of his dog Cariad, which is Welsh for Little Darling. Dave then handed him a brown paper bag full of goodies.

Just after opening his presents, we were all treated to a slide show shown on the big screen. Billy’s family had supplied the pictures., which Mark had made into a PowerPoint slideshow.

One of the slides showed Billy with his six dogs (shown below). He has two white german shepherds (Cariad and Moon), three germhounds (german shepherd/greyhound cross, a breed Billy developed years ago) and one foxy/beagle cross. It stands to reason that one of his germhounds is called Zappa.

It was a great night.

Happy Birthday to our Billy.

Billy showing surprise as he looks at his birthday cake (not in picture). A picture of Billy with his dog Cariad is behind him
Billy’s birthday cake decorated with a image of his dog Cariad
Billy with a brown paper bag — holding a plastic package containing 5 dog finger puppets
Billy’s holding his second present — a bag of pegs
Billy’s third present — a dish washing brush
Billy holding a wooden bottle opener after just using it to open a bottle
A image of Billy with his ‘frizzy’ hair shown on the big screen in the mess
Billy blowing out the candles on his birthday cake
Billy with his birthday cake made and decorated by Chef Tony and Patty
The magnificent cake (courtesy of chef Tony and Patty) — Image of Cariad (Billy’s dog) covers the top of the cake
Mike, Barry, Leona and Ange enjoying the party. They are standing in front of the decorated bar
Lionel, Patty, Billy (with some of his finger puppets), Mike Aaron and Karen standing in front of the decorated bar
Birthday boy Billy with Aaron and pictures of his dogs (three pictures above the door entrance)
Billy at home with his white shepherd Cariad. Cariad is wearing a pack harness
Billy with his six dogs — two white german shepherds, three ‘germhounds’ and one fox terrier/beagle cross
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