Most years, a couple of helicopters get brought down on the Aurora Australis (big orange ship) and spend the week of resupply buzzing all over the island, taking out food, gas (for heating and cooking) and medical supplies to the 6 field huts dotted all over the island.
Unfortunately this year, the powers that be decided we would not get any helicopters come down with the ship, and we could instead get all the supplies out to the huts by boat.
We are fortunate that among our expeditioners we happen to have 3 fully trained coxswains, the minimum Australian boating-licence required for the AAD to allow you to operate one of their IRBs (inflatable rigid boats - one of those orange rubber duck type numbers that lifeguards use). We need a minimum of 3 coxswains to be allowed to take the boats right around the island, or 2 for short local trips. Many years they only have 1 or 2 (or sometimes none) so at least they selected a good year to cancel the helicopters.
A couple of months ago we worked out the bare minimum of supplies that each hut needs for us to be able to continue to use it for the year, and ever since we have been waiting for a decent weather window. Who would have thought that it would take 2 months to finally have a day when the wind was below 20 knots - it's like we are living in the middle of the Southern Ocean or something...
But last week the perfect day finally dawned, and a group of 7 of us in 3 IRBs packed to the rafters zipped down island to stock up Green Gorge Hut. Mission completed! Now just 5 more huts to go...
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| Real life tetris - trying to fit a years worth of food, gas, trades and medical supplies (and maybe the odd bottle of wine) into the boats. |
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| Greg, our plumber, checking everything is pumped up nice and tight. |
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| Chris B (yes, out of 14 people we have 2 named Chris), our diesel mechanic, showing off his backing skills. Over the years there have been attempts at boat ramp and wharves, but such is the strength of the Southern Ocean they never last for long. These days we launch boats off 'Landing Beach' using a trailer extension bar (a type of torture device for people who rate their trailer backing). This is attempt number 7 to launch the first boat..... |
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| And boat number three finally away (I'm in the black hat sandwiched between the boxes) |
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| Days don't get any nicer than this on Macca. Blue sky only comes out once every month or two. Heading down island towards 'The Nuggets' - the double rock formation that was home to one of the more prolific sealing stations. |
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| The boys are very excited to be on the water, and demonstrate this by racing up and down past one another. I wait for the inevitable injury. |
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| Danielle, normally one of our weather observers, but today moonlighting as a coxswain. In the real world she works as a ships master and first officer (on actual ships). The AAD still made her get her coxswains licence so she could drive one of the rubber duckies... |
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| After about an hour of zipping along we get to Green Gorge Hut (straight ahead) and scope out the best spot for landing |
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| And we're ashore! Richard, our field training officer (FTO) styles one of the delightful dry suits we have to wear for any boating trips. They are a rather uncomfortable all-in-one (gumboots included) number that makes any movement almost impossible. Ideal for hauling boxes up the beach.... |
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| The loot waiting to be manhandled up to the hut. |
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| Mission complete, Rich takes us home via a King Penguin colony (white and black dots in the background) |
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| Just like a pro straight onto the trailer |
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| Pete, our electrician, gives the all clear to haul us back onto dry land. A successful day all round! |
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