Casey News

(31-Oct-1996)
Experimental nests

Gee, where did that week go...??? V4 is racing towards us and Casey is a hive of activity. We even had snow that didn't blow away for once. Combined with clear blue skies it was perfect for taking to the skis and getting out there. Mark, Rob, George and our new FTO Bob have extended our station play ground to include all of Bailey Peninsula and Shirley Island. Field training continues this week with all the past expeditioners going on a supervised free for all down at Robbo's. Any excuse for Mick, Phil, Gary, Attila, Frank as well as baby sitters Bob and Christian to check out the Weddel pups and numerous Adelie penguins that have made it back to the Casey coast.

The key word about the place is "Jolly" or should that be science support..?? Either way it sure has been a hectic week for research. Annette conducted a medical experiment on Alby, Chris and Steve while down at Robbo's over the weekend. The findings were poetically detailed in the hut's log although the findings were quite inconclusive, or should that be incoherent, as a result of the numerous medicinal beverages that were being consumed. Christian, Mick, and Frank ventured North to Jacks, explored Berkley Island and did a "chook" and "slug" count. Well...just how scientific do you need to be...?? Daniela, Mark and Attila went Emperor spotting and found the second one for the season at Odbert Island. Three Mets, Christine, Sam, Craig and our Physics Boffin Darryn, took a day trip down to the Little Herring Island seal colony to study the localised weather conditions so they can reliably forecast the effects of the micro climate between Browning and Robbo's. I'm assured that a series of observations will take place over the coming weeks. Rob "The Inquisitor", Graham and Adam walked to Robbo's to gain a historical insight to how this great land was explored by the first Antarctic adventures. The real science effort being undertaken on Ardery by Jan, Jeroen and Willem is well underway. Many of the experimental nests installed on the Northern cliffs have already been occupied. Work has started on the Fulmer colony but progress has been slow due to heavy snow falls and strong katabatic winds sweeping over the Island.

So what real work has gone on about Casey over the last week....??? George and his "Boys", Alby and Ross have been repairing the conveyer belt and boom from the rock crusher that took a battering over winter. The poor Nodwell had to be fed a new spring or two and Mick found a few more places to bog the D7. Anthony has got his head down into his upper atmospheric experiments while the Mets launch full on into their summer forecasting roster. Jane and Sharon are assembling screens for their moss and lichen experiments. Trevor fixed the spa while Frank and Glen our summer plumbers set about sludging out fuel storage tanks. The Sparkies are into the power house, Comms are doing a tidy up and finishing off the last of their works list, Daniela is stocktaking chemicals, Shane is still slaving over a hot stove, Rob and Glen are doing carpentry repairs about the place. Thanks Rob for putting arms on the old couch, now you have something to rest your head on while your snoozing in the glorious sunshine that now filters into the Wallow.

Life goes on down here at Casey. Catch you all next week with more stories from Leggo Land.

Brooksy, Christian, Mike & Trevor

(??-Nov-1996)
A Dutch scientific bird study team

The Aurora Australis had left late September and the Casey residents spent the first few days of October cleaning, celebrating the end of a winter in Antarctica, and waiting for the arrival of the new faces, fresh fruit, vegetables, and mail. The Aurora Australis made good progress and the first helicopters started arriving early on Tuesday 4.

By late afternoon a number of new faces were walking around in awe of their new home for next several months. A ship visit always makes for a busy time. A Dutch scientific bird study team, Jan, Willem and Jeroen were transported to Ardery Island. The helicopters and extremely favourable weather conditions made Christian's, Trevor's and others job to set up an Apple hut easy. An amazingly large supply of complex computer networked electronic nests and computer equipment where flown in from the AA to the Island. Several trips to stock up with food, and after last minute field training the group were left to spend several months on the remote Island. Over the same period meteorology technician Graham used the helicopter to travel to Balaena Island and Snyder Rocks to repair Automatic Weather Stations with the help of a few Casey staff. By late Saturday October 5 the helicopter operations were complete and they returned to AA so it could continue it's journey towards to Davis.

After a relaxing Sunday the new group set off to their first day of work on Monday. A day spent just finding the way around and getting organised. With the new crew settled in, it was now down to business again. Fire chief Alby got everyone's attention on Tuesday by having a fire alarm exercise. Attila, Michael and Brooksy got the wind generator down to repair the tail plane which was damaged in the last blizzard.

Tuesday saw the champagne out on the dinner table at the evening meal. Upper Atmosphere Physicist, Anthony, had just found out he had achieved status of Doctor with the obtaining of a PhD in Ionospheric Physics.

October 11, Attila and Michael got the wind generator, complete with new tail plane, back into service. In the afternoon a big station get together happened for our first all station meeting. Even in Antarctic meetings go on, there's no escape! The D7 bulldozer, now free from the wind generator servicing, was free for Mick to start on the clearing of the road to the old station. In readiness for the V4 ship visit on "Dec.28...Dec.31...Jan.2.........." (please enter date). With help from Rob on the D5, the job to date is tediously slow with the occasional dozer bogging, and blowing snow refilling the roadway cutting every few days.

Friday night drinks on the 18th, for the wintering group only, was held in the refinery. An important announcement to be made by Rob turned out to be a hoax, to drag them away from a surprise party being organised by the new crew. On return to the Red Shed the wintering crew were greeted by beach goers wallowing in the newly created Casey indoor surf beach, complete with boat. Each person was giving a wooden Global Positioning System receiver which were all pre-set for a course to The Bar. An extremely good beach party night was had by all thanks to the very thoughtful, but sneaky, new crew.

The dieso's turned the power off on Monday 21 for a short period, so the Emergency Power House could be started to allow the cleaning out the scum build up in the Main Power House bulk fuel tanks.

For next few days in the week a hoard of tradesmen (all men), worked on, under, in and around the science building. Activity not seen for many months in the building. It was of course denied that the activity had anything to do with the arrival of female scientists, Daniela, Sharon and Jane. Sharon and Miss Jane are working on a project, studying ultraviolet and visible light changes on plant pigments and the plants ability to alter in response to the changes. Daniela is a laboratory manager here to check out and organise the laboratory, while carrying seal and plant surveys and also assisting Sharon and Miss Jane.

In the field people have been getting out and about. The first sighting of an Adelie penguin at Shirley by Possum, Daniela and Anthony were reported mid month. The local rookeries are now overrun with Adelie penguins. Buic, Psycho, Brooksy and Swiv had a close encounter with the first Leopard seal for the season, following it's source of food, penguins, at the ice edge at Wilkes. For seal pup photographs, Robbo's hut has been "the place to be" this month. with many visits to nearby Little Herring Island, a nursery site for Weddel seals.

Bob (Baldric/Andy) the Field Training Officer has spent many nights out around Mitchell Peninsular, training new arrivals in the arts of survival, rescue and having a good time. The Casey backyard has also seen much activity, skiing, ice climbing, sightseeing this month. The Red Route, a red flagged ski route, proving popular. Temporary refuges have been set up at Shirley Island and near Dave's Leap ice cliff (south of Casey), for use as shelter should the weather turn nasty.

The month was finished with the first unplanned, unmanned, or electrician fiddling, power failure for the year.

Brooksy, Christian, Mike & Trevor

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