Work around station and visiting Taylor rookery

Time is going fast as we work, rest and play

Time flies when you’re having fun. Or so they say. It seems like only a couple days ago that I was sitting here at my desk wondering what I was going to say in my final station update.

Thinking back to an earlier update, I mentioned that the days were getting shorter and the beards were getting longer. Well, the beards are still getting longer (and scruffier), but the days are now getting longer as well. With the winter solstice a bit over a month behind us, the daylight hours are getting noticeably longer each day. With the sun back above the horizon and a couple of cloud free days at the end of last week, we even cast a shadow, something we haven’t seen over the last couple months.

All is ticking along nicely here at 'awesome Mawson'. The plumbers, electricians and mechanics are all feverishly working away to stay on top of their maintenance and repair jobs. And doing a fantastic job I might add. The chef is forever creating masterpieces in the kitchen. We carpenters are doing whatever it is that we do. The first 6 rooms of the sleeping & medical quarters upper level donga refurbishment have been completed, and 4 fellow expeditioners have moved into the rooms to clear the way for us to get started on the next 8 rooms. As for the remaining expeditioners here on station, what they do in the shadows is anybodys’ guess.

The frequency of field trips and jollies are on the increase now that we have finalised our mandatory training and have our search and rescue (SAR) capabilities in place. Getting out in the field, even if it’s just a day trip or an overnighter, brings a change of scenery and is a great way to recharge and boost moral. I was fortunate to be involved in the first trip down to the emperor penguin rookery at Taylor Glacier a fortnight ago. It was refreshing to see and hear some wildlife — something we’ve been void of since we arrived here and the sea ice started to form. We were blessed with some incredible weather, with clear skies and not a breath of wind until the trip home.

The Tokyo Olympics starts today 23rd July… pffft… If the world wants to see some fierce sporting action, they need to tune into the inter-station darts competition that commences on the same day. A competition so big that it needs to be held every year, rather than every 4 years. Let the rivalry and banter begin!.

Till next time.

Danny
Carpenter

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