In the beginning

After two years back in the real world (no chef!) it seemed about time to up sticks and head south again, although this time not quite so far.

Macquarie Island is a sub-Antarctic island 1500km south-east of Tasmania. At 34km long, it is the largest land mass between Australia and Antarctica, and is formed by an uplifted section of oceanic crust. It is officially part of Tasmania, although given it lies smack bang in the middle of the Southern Ocean, it makes Hobart weather look positively tropical.

Besides being home to immense colonies of penguins, vast harems of seals and countless sea birds, it is also the temporary haunt of 14 motley Australian Antarctic Division Expeditioners, myself included.

After the usual round of Hobart-based training, last-minute voyage delays and a ship U-turn five hours into the trip (they forgot to pack the surveyors tripods), we finally arrived at Macca two weeks ago.

It's been a busy fortnight since, with the aforementioned weather meaning our 6-day resupply took 12 days, and we almost didn't get the year's supply of cheese - things were looking very bleak indeed. Fortunately it all came together in the end and all dairy products made it ashore, along with enough food, diesel, medical supplies and building materials for the year.

Here is Macca Resupply 2018 in pictures:

First glimpses of Macca from the Aurora Australis - it's a three day voyage from Hobart but no one got seasick. Hoorah!

Just in case there was any locational uncertainty

The main way to get to shore is down a rope ladder to a waiting IRB (inflatable rigid boat). Fortunately it was a calm day as the manoeuvre can get a bit tricky in the swell

Once everyone is ashore it's time to start unloading the cargo - this is done with LARCs (lighter amphibious resupply cargo) - amphibious vessels designed for use in the Vietnam War but still going strong on Macquarie Island!

A year's supply of food, gas, diesel, medical supplies and building/maintenance equipment is lowered cage pallet by cage pallet down onto waiting LARCs

The LARC triumphantly emerges from the water - this day was pretty calm but the waves can get to a fairly decent size and there is no other way to get cargo ashore through the surf and up the steep rocky beach

This one was built in 1965

I had to go back and forward to the ship for the first few days as there always has to be a doctor onboard overnight. This meant I got rather adept at climbing the rope ladder, but also meant I got to ride in a LARC (usually these are reserved for cargo and crew only)

What happens when a wave hits a LARC carrying a fridge... Cargo cannot be strapped down onto the vessel as they are designed to roll and self-right if they capsize. Apparently something comes off every 4-5 years; I was amazed it wasn't more often

Once the LARC is ashore the cargo is offloaded on station

And then Nui, the biosecurity dog who travels down on the ship each year, meticulously checks every load for stowaway vermin. 

Once the ship has unloaded our supplies, all the rubbish and other items being returned to Australia from the previous year are loaded aboard

The Aurora and some local Gentoo Penguins

Resupply complete, outgoing station leader Kyle hands the reigns over to Ali, our station leader (who is standing on a stool)

The station 'key' is handed over from outgoing Deputy Station Leader and Building Services Supervisor, Dave, to his incoming equivalent, Tim. Only thing is that the station doesn't have any locks....

The ship finally departs and we combine expired flare disposal with a fitting send off