So, the 77th ANARE has arrived at Macquarie Island, AKA 'Macca', AKA the 'Green Sponge'. And all the information we received would never really set us up for what Macquarie Island really has in store for us. What a place! As many have said before, a combination of playing a role in a David Attenborough documentary or a Jurassic Park movie, mixed with living on a rural Yorkshire farm or at a rustic scout camp.
All I know for sure is that we feel extremely privileged to be here. The ship has been gone for a week now and we already feel settled in. Rooms have been made comfy. Workshops are busy with the unpacking of cargo. Two birthday cakes and a middle eastern feast have already been consumed. And many seals avoided as we walk or drive around station. (They really do deceptively look like boulders).
We are busy getting our emergency response teams up and running, with medical inductions for our lay surgical assistants, search and rescue readiness, tsunami and Avian Influenza response training, and lots of fire team drills. Once done, we’ll be ready to move on to our field training and mid-winter celebrations. Who ever said that Macca was Sleepy Hollow?
Must run, I feel another fire alarm is in the offing.
‘til next week. Bec J, SL
#macca #islandhome #greensponge
