"When I first set my sights southward, I never imagined celebrating Midwinter on a remote island in the heart of the Southern Ocean, surrounded by penguins and seals!"
Hello, I’m Marcus, one of three electricians stationed at Macquarie Island, and this marks my inaugural season with the Australian Antarctic Division.
Back in June 2023 when I applied to the AAD, Macquarie Island was a mystery to me. Most people associate the AAD with the continental bases of Mawson, Davis, and Casey. Macquarie Island, though occasionally overlooked, is far from forgotten. Some seasoned expeditioners have aptly dubbed it the jewel of the Southern Ocean, and I couldn't agree more.
Nowhere else on earth can you stroll to work with a freshly-brewed coffee in hand, passing elephant seals lounging about, penguins darting to and fro, and enormous birds with three-meter wingspans that resemble prehistoric raptors overhead.
With that vivid image in mind, let me share with you the tradition of the Midwinter swim!
Some might picture a daunting −50° Celsius with 100 knot winds and −16°C water temperatures, but fear not, us intrepid souls at Macca faced a more reasonable 5°C outside and a water temperature of 3°C. Despite this, our Midwinter swim here is no less challenging, with its own unique array of challenges, featuring "terradaptors", fur seals, elephant seals, and even leopard seals. To prove a point, we swim on the east coast followed by the west coast. I don’t mean to stir any rivalry with our continental counterparts, but rumour has it our swim is twice as tough, with a hint of peril!
The Midwinter festivities don’t end with the swim, they extend into an evening of remarkable food and entertainment. You might think that on an island 1500 kilometres from civilisation, our celebratory meal would be a simple BBQ in the BOM’s yard. But not at Macca! With award-winning chef, Annette, among us we were treated to a seven-course feast fit for a Michelin-starred restaurant. Admittedly, as someone of simple tastes, I had to Google a few menu items, but the evening's fare included caramelised pork, twice-baked three-cheese soufflé, honey-cured duck breast and a passionfruit brûlée tartlet. It was an exquisite dining experience on an island smaller than Liechtenstein, with a population of just 24.
But wait, there's more! Every great dining experience deserves an equally impressive show. For us, it was Cinderella, Macca-style—a blend, in the words of plumber Ed, of "spiegeltent meets Rocky Horror with a dash of Days of Our Lives." While I'd love to share photos, some things are best left to the imagination.
In summary, as the on-call electrician for Midwinter, my job was refreshingly simple – keep the sauna running, ensure the kitchen had power, and never let the generators run dry. Throughout the week, while fulfilling these duties, I often found myself struck by the realisation of where I am, what I'm doing, and the wonderful people I'm surrounded by.
The Macca 77th team has only been on station for two months, with another ten to go. If these first two months are any indication, the remainder of the year promises to be extraordinary.
Regards,
Marcus, Station Electrician at Macca
