This week at Mawson: 22 February 2013

Cliff’s incredible journey to Mawson

What a journey it’s been for me this summer. So much of the continent covered to get to Mawson for winter.

It started with me flying into McMurdo and spending a few days getting reacquainted with some of the sights and facilities they have around there. Included in this was a quick visit to Scott Base.

Next, an uncomfortable but memorable flight on a Hercules soon saw me at Casey, where a few weeks was spent working on the ‘West Wing'.

I made it to Davis in time for Christmas celebrations and, on Boxing Day, landed on the sea ice at Mawson. I was privileged to have had Bob, Mike and Perry put up with my whinging and moaning about the poor cabin service all the way from Casey to Mawson. (Gonna miss you guys.) But they showed me some amazing sights along the way.  

I’m so very lucky and my season is only just beginning. It can only get better. Many thanks to everyone who’s made this possible. Woohoo!

Cliff Simpson Davis

Both John and I have been to Mawson some years ago and have been very keen to get back here. Why? Well, Mawson is a special place.

The station sits on a small outcrop of ice-free rock with the Antarctic plateau literally on the doorstep. It is cold, windy and isolated like most of Antarctica but it is also breathtakingly beautiful. Nestled in among the glaciated ice sheet just a few kilometres inland from the station is the Framnes Mountains, a series of jagged ranges, amazing peaks, frozen lakes and wind sculpted snowscapes that would make even the most sedentary armchair adventurer sit up and breathe an ooh or aah of delight on seeing this incredible place. 

For John and I, duty called. We needed to get out in the hills to check the huts, get familiar with the local area and locate any hazards before we embarked on the field training program for all on station. Not such an onerous task when one has been wanting to revisit the Framnes for so long. So last week we saw a couple of good weather days and grabbed the chance to head inland. Niether of us were disappointed - the mountains are still awesome though for me they looked a lot higher and steeper than they were when I last climbed several of them in 2005. I think the gym needs a few visits before I go running up those hills. John on the other hand is built like a greyhound and cant wait to be let off the leash. 

Accompanying us on our trip were my mascot of five winters now, Cookie Monster (given to me by Wendy H at the AAD when I first came south) and his new friend, a yet to be named husky pup. The husky will travel with me throughout the year and send stories back to the kids at Nambucca Heads primary school where my daughter, Leah, is teaching. The kids who have just started their year will name the dog and follow his adventures while learning about Antarctica.

Enough for now. Look at the photos and get a glimpse of why Mawson is so special.

Graham Cook

A catch up from Geoff or ‘Fossil’ to most.

Back for another winter and enjoying the good company and scenery. Resupply ran smoothly thanks to all 2012 summerers and winterers (will miss them) and incoming 2013 expeditioners.

They’ve returned! Hand sculptured snow petrels are flying in the Mess area once again, thanks to Rowdy who found them.

Who created them? My reckoning says it was 2007/8 Chef Zane H & Nick C, or maybe they were only giving them a facelift. Not quite sure they are as good as the real thing, but they have adapted to station life and now prefer bacon to krill.

Mawson - still awesome.

As usual, the news is full of pictures, as pictures tend to tell the story better than words. This week was full of action as the Mawson crew completed its first week of the winter season. Maintenance and science work commenced soon after waving the Aurora Australis goodbye.

Our first wintering weekend saw us experience our first “full on” blizzard on Saturday, and later that evening our first Saturday dinner (thanks to Justin) was an exceptional feast of restaurant style cuisine which impressed us all.

On Monday we celebrated our first expeditioner birthday –Trent, who throughout the celebrations, maintained he was still one of the youngest and fittest on station and he proved his stamina by working “ALL DAY”. Later that evening, he played an almost record number of pool and darts games until he was virtually the last one standing.

Field training commenced this week with many expeditioners venturing out into the field under the supervision of our wintering FTO John B. While our chef was off station on training, there have been quite a few substitute chefs very keen to take on the demanding job of feeding all the workers and successfully meeting the high standards of all the diners.

We have had quite a few wildlife visitors to the station this week, starting off with an impressive display of about 100 snow petrels flying around East Bay over the weekend, plus our semi-resident elephant seal and “fuel farm” penguin — both who seem to be very comfortable hanging about the station. Can’t blame them really, as we feel the same.

Until next week.

Regards from Mawson.