Another awesome week has passed, proving again that Mother Nature rules. Everyone on the trades team had a part in clearing up after the strongest blizz our station has experienced this year. Over a three-day period the wind gusts were constantly above 90 knots, with a maximum of 107 knots. This pushed the station into 'red' travel conditions, restricting movement outside the Red Shed.
There was also a number of emergency alarms/call outs that needed attending to during the blizz. This meant organising a small group of tradies, consisting of a plumber (Adam), electrician (Ryan), diesos (Dane and David) and our BSS/carpenter (Aaron), to venture out into the high gusty winds and hang on for dear life to the blizz lines to avoid being blown away.
After an estimated three-week waiting period, Mawson finally saw its first inter-station flights arrive. The first flight was a proving flight that provided much needed cargo and incoming personal mail, This boosted the spirits of those on station, receiving small gifts from loved ones from back home.
Our wintering station leader, who had been with us all year, flew out on this flight. The first leg of his long journey home to Australia via Davis and Casey stations.
Three days later our new incoming station leader, Ali Dean, finally arrived after a long journey from New Zealand. Also on this flight was Charlton Clark, General Manager of Antarctic Operations & Safety. Charlton and the pilots only had a short time on station due to poor weather moving into Davis. One of our station electricians Ryan had the privilege of showing Charlton around Mawson station, a place we get to call home.
As the rest of the week unfolds, it sees the last operational requirement to photograph the emperor penguins and service the fixed monitoring cameras at Taylor rookery.
Adam Horvath,
Mawson station plumber
