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| Ardery Blizzards |
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| Ardery Blizzards |
Dear Caseyites and other readers,
It's Saturday morning 11 January, and the weather is as shitty as it is
supposed to be to trigger the start of a new Ardery Blizzard. From our Dutch
Oven windows we can see the Big Red Taxi sitting out the winds near the
Frazier Islands. Occasionally Aurora's silhouette disappears in snowshowers.
We hope it comes in to Casey soon, but looking at the winds it may take some
time. So, in the middle of the packing-panic we trust there is a little time
left to share again with you the most recent Ardery news and gossip.
FORECASTERS
Recent study on Ardery Island suggests that Southern Fulmars may be reliable
weatherforecasters. All non-breeding birds left the colonies on Thursday and
Friday, well before the bad weather of Friday-night arrived. Similar
suggestion of mass-departure before bad weather was observed earlier on. In
the light of recent budget-cuts, the Antarctic Division is currently
considering potential savings from replacing human Met-staff by much cheaper
Fulmars.
HEAT-WAVE
Daily maximum temperatures in the Casey area seem to reach 2 to 3 degrees
Celsius each day in the last few weeks. To the Dutch Oven crew this seems
like a heat-wave as in Holland a frost period with temperatures in the order
of minus 10 to 15 persists. Last weekend, the famous 'Elfstedentocht'
(Eleven-City-Tour) took place. This is a skating contest over 200 km along
eleven towns in the north of Holland, only possible during real cold
winters, as the ice needs to be strong enough to carry the thousands of
participants as well as huge crowds of public.
STRANGERS IN TOWN
Some weeks ago, the Ardery birdo's captured an Antarctic Petrel in the study
area on Ardery Island wearing a leg-band that was not of local origin.
Information has been received today from the ABBBS (the Australian Bird and
Bat Banding Scheme - don't you like the name?!) that the bird was banded as
a chick on Filla Island, one of the Rauer Islands near Davis, in 1984.
Settlement of strangers in the Ardery colonies seems to be fairly common as
earlier on two Antarctic Petrels from Haswell Island near Mirny station were
found to nest here, and a Snow Petrel from Terre Adelie was found as well.
For tubenosed seabirds this is an unusual sense of travel, as they are
normally considered to be loyal to the colony where they have been born.
GASLEAK
As soon as he had arrived on Ardery, Casey plumber Trevor, replacing Jeroen
on Ardery during New Year celebrations, started running in and around the
Dutch Oven cabins with mysterious equipment. At first this seemed like a bit
of professional madness to the Ardery locals. However, within 10 minutes the
fancy machine that Trevor was nosing around with, started making horrible
screaming sounds indicating a gas-leak (no, not because of human gas
formation inside; the leak was real gas outside). After a quick repair by
Trevor all was ok. Later on Trevor proved to be multi-professional because
he did a very good job with the bird colony checks, cooking, cleaning etc
later on.
OLIEBOLLEN
During New Years Eve, traditional Dutch 'Oliebollen' were prepared in the
Dutch Ovens, as well as on station by Jeroen. In Holland these are prepared
only once a year (probably because they are too fat and filling to eat more
often?). All oliebollen were eaten by the Caseyites. We hope that's not
because of Australian politeness... usually in Holland many are left
over.
S2
Jan and Willem got a 'crash-course'
in driving Hagglunds on GPS and radar during an nightly trip to S2 in early
January. Drifting snow completely iced up the windows of the vehicle. In
spite of the sometimes rather zigzag like driving by Willem and Jan, good
instructions by Andrew and Anthony prevented that any cane, or worse, was
hit. Going down in S2 was quite an experience for Jan, who suffers a slight
touch of claustrophobia. The narrow ice corridors 15 m below the surface
were a recommendable, but not to be repeated experience to him. Willem and
Anthony showed less signs of discomfort, but were nearly as quick out of the
deep darkness as well.
DREAM-TEAM
The Ardery Island birdo's want it to be recorded that the Casey support to
their program (and jollies) is just great. Rubber boat taxis are running off
and on, bringing replacement personnel and goodies whenever wanted. All
sorts of support by chef, tradies, mets, Casey boffins, sheriffs and anyone
else are often offered before even asked for. Life is easy for a fieldparty
with such a dream-team taking care of you.
Thanks!
!!!!!!!LATEST NEWS!!!!!!!
FIRED
Rumours go that two of the Ardery Blizzard reporters have been fired because
of slack behaviour, too much jollying, and too few bird articles in the
Ardery Blizzard. They seem to be leaving on V4. The director of the
Antarctic Division refused comments, but apparently already has assigned a
new reporter by the name of Olly. In response to the allegations, Willem,
confined to within Casey Station limits, said that jollies were not for fun,
but to supply the Blizzard readers with a good diversity of news items. To
stress this point he argued that Jan nearly wetted his pants with fear when
going into the dark and narrow depths of S2, but courageously went on in the
line of duty. Jan, unwilling to accept being sent home, apparently is hiding
on Ardery Island, but a search party is being organized and there is little
chance of him escaping V4. The next Ardery Blizzard will give further
details.
Jan, Jeroen and Willem
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THE 'ARDERY BLIZZARD' IS BROUGHT TO YOU
BY YOUR DESINTEGRATING BIRD-TEAM
IN THE DUTCH OVEN DEPARTMENT
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