Casey News

(26-Mar-1998)
Ardery Island, a place to get away from

Well another great week at Casey with lots of work still being completed outdoors along with some great social activities.

A few thanks are due firstly to our popular FTO John Burgess and his band of determined helpers who have completed the cane lining to Wilkes, Jacks, Browning and Robbo's. This work is a major navigation and safety feature and has given lots of expeditioners the chance to get out into the great white paddock with the weather being pretty kind as well, thanks John and team for a job well done.

Boating looks like ending unless we get a big blow with the sea ice forming and now capped with a layer of snow, a big thanks to Trevor the Admiral and his team of coxswains and crew members for their efforts over Summer in getting people around for work and pleasure.

The dieso's have been hard at it keeping all the vehicles and equipment in good running condition. Their efforts are appreciated by all on station who are dependant on their diligence and talent for keeping us mobile.

With the pending arrival of the choppers from Mawson which will bring an additional 11 people until voyage 7 work has got underway in preparing for their arrival. Beechy is looking for accommodation for the crew, Brian has lots of jobs planned for Micky and his crew, whilst the Met team of Neil, Deb and Chris will be providing them with forecasts for the flight from Mawson and their work while here at Casey. Meredith and slushies are sharpening the knives and peeling the spuds in preparation for cooking for 49 hungry mouths. The brew team able led by Cutter have been getting plenty of brew's down so our guests will not be thirsty.

The installation in the Met of the UPS has been completed by the tradies and some good general maintenance has also been knocked over on some of the essential services in preparation for Winter. Bob and Rob T have done a great detective job in finding and dealing with the invariable leaks in fuel lines, this work won't do the fuel figures any harm. The new gas platform had its first changeover of bottles this week and it proved very workable.

The final of the pool comp was a great night with Brian defeating Brendan for the spoils. A large and vocal crowd in attendance enjoyed the entertaining and forthright commentary provided by Ronnie. The associated chocolate sweep was won by Smiddy, although it is suspected Deb and Erwin got their share. Well done to Andrew for organising the event.

Saturday night saw the re-opening of the Refinery Bar after renovations and the new lighting provided by "Katherine Electric's". The theme of the night was "a spiritual awakening" which brought out some great costumes and disguises with the CYG leading the way with Cutter, Scotty, Jonny, Leighton and their mentor Friar Tuck looking irreverent. The highlight of the night was an incredible spiritual event of mysterious proportions on a nearby plane.

Science at Casey has exciting news this week with the announcement that Jonny (Mildman) Stark is staying for the Winter, well done Jonny and good luck with the project. The other very big news in the Casey science zone is that the ionospheric research team is on the verge of a major new discovery. Details cannot be provided until media release strategies are developed. Well done Todd and Anthony on the hard work and effort involved.

Some consider the spiritual awakening evening unleashed not only the doubling of the number of Winter scientists and the ionospheric breakthrough but also played a role in the nearby 8 on the Richter scale earthquake. Casey station responded quickly and efficiently with Jiba and Smiddy firing up the cobra rock drill and slipping the Tsunami depth gauge sticks in at the wharf moments before the Tsunami hit taking the wharf clean out and licking at their heals as they rushed up the road back to the safety of the red shed. Over at Ardery Island Jeroen and Belinda planted the precious stocks of cheese and coffee high in the branches of a eucalypt before the wave hit, consequently the Dutch fulmar program can continue.

So ended another uneventful week at Casey.

"News flash (08-Apr-1998)"

Here we have some news at the cutting edge of the Casey frontier in the pursuit of science and the reclamation of the universe. Late this afternoon after you received our icynews contribution a dramatic and unexpected turn of events occured whereby a rescue mission of unheralded bravery, glamour and success was undertaken to release Jeroen #1 and Belinda from the enforced confinement of their imprisonment on Ardery Island (Alcatraz). The following factual account was compiled in the excitement of the moment by Jeroen #2.

It was one of those remarkable days, most people won't have noticed, but this was the day the Ardery crew got reunited at Casey. Three weeks ago the poor bastard Jeroen#2 got stuck at Casey. While he was enjoying his time the two other Arderians (Belinda and Jeroen#1) stayed at Ardery watching the very last birds flying off. Therefore Ardery became a lonely place. A place occupied by two humans, a place to get away from.

This morning after a few days of wind the ice blew out enough to retrieve the two remaining souls lost at Ardery Island. Contrary to earlier tries the crew (Tricky, Adrian, Anthony, Jonny and the spoilt Jeroen#2) succeeded. It was definitively one of those remarkable days...".

Casey News (4)